"What you do after you create your content is what truly counts."
~ Gary Vaynerchuk
What are your favorite tools and resources? There are creative platforms and apps that have become a part of our daily lives and as a creative entrepreneur, there are tools and resources that make my work (and life) much easier.
There are different resources and tools that I depend on to seamlessly move, integrate, and create. Be it creating pins or scheduling content out in advance, they help with planning, organizing, saving time, and (most importantly for me) design and write engaging content.
Among the many tools and resources available to creatives, these below are not only my most frequented but some of my favorite.
1. Canva
Canva is one of the most popular graphic design tools. It's great because you don't have to be a "graphic designer" in order to graphic design. It has templates, elements, and uploading all available at a simple key swipe. It has free and premium options.
I personally use Canva all the time to do things like create Instagram stories, Pinterest graphics, and marketing material. It's one of those tabs that stay up on my laptop.
2. Pinterest
Speaking of Pinterest, Pinterest has a great many number of uses including inspiration, discovery, shopping, and content marketing. It is second to Google as a search engine, so it is an excellent place to also drive traffic and gather new ideas.
Many of my own Pinterest boards are dedicated to photo inspiration and visual planning. It is at the top of my phone's home screen.
3. Answer the Public
The key with any form of engagement and reaching audiences is getting the right content in front of the right people, and that is where keyword and search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. Answer the Public can help you with research and give you insight that will support your SEO strategy. It provides the most asked questions about specific topics. The more you know the better you can develop your content.
4. Grammarly
Grammar and intellectual integrity are still important! Grammarly detects grammatical errors and plagiarism. Just like with most other tools, there are free and premium options. You can install it on your browser and in Microsoft Word to assist with written content.
5. Unsplash
There will be times when you're making content and don't have the images for it. That's where places like Unsplash come in handy. It is a free stock photo site, so you can use it to download images you love to use for your content. You can also follow photographers and designers whose work matches your content or niche.
6. Google Analytics
Google Analytics can be a powerful tool depending on how you use it. As of now, I use it to get a better understanding of my audience and visitor traffic, but it has much more potential and continues to develop. You can use Analytics in conjunction with other tools to see what visitors engage with and return on investment of social sharing.
7. Planoly
Planoly is a social media tool that allows you to connect, schedule, and plan your Instagram posts. It also has other capabilities in addition to providing useful information for social media planning. It is great for automating Instagram posts. I like using it to plan my Instagram grid layout. This is helpful for creating a consistent look and making sure everything stays on brand.
There are numerous tools and resources at your fingertips. Plus, many are free. Discover which ones work best for your content and business. The more you put into them, the more you can get out of them. With some work and passion, you can make these tools and resources generate positive outcomes for your content creation.
