The Creator Toolkit: Top Tools for Content Creators

In the ever-evolving world of content creation, having the right tools is crucial for efficiency, creativity and growth. A well-equipped creator toolkit can help you simplify your workflow, create better content, interact with your audience and grow your income.

Inspired by creator economy expert Avi Gandhi and his post on valuable creator tools, we’ve curated a comprehensive list to address every aspect of content creation. For more insights and tips, check out Avi’s newsletter, Creator Logic.

Content Creation Tools

The digital art software Adobe Photoshop is open on a computer. The workspace shows two images: on the left is a black-and-white photo of a woman looking at the camera, and on the right is a digitally painted portrait based on that photo. — n the Skillshare class “Digital Painting in Photoshop: Create a Stylized Portrait,” teacher Melissa De Nobrega teaches students how to use Photoshop to create hand-painted portraits.

Creating high-quality content is the most important part of being a content creator, but it's a task easier said than done.

But with the best content creation tools you can produce great content effectively and efficiently:

Adobe Creative Cloud

In a nutshell, Adobe Creative Cloud is an industry-standard software suite of applications for graphic design, video editing, photography and more.

Depending on the subscription package you get, it can include widely used tools like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator and Lightroom. So no matter what type of digital content you create, Creative Cloud will have you covered.

Canva

Beloved by novice designers, Canva is a user-friendly graphic design tool that enables anyone to create stunning visual content.

It offers a wide range of easy-to-use templates and elements, which makes it perfect for creating social media content, YouTube intros, engaging videos, QR codes and more.

Google Workspace

Formerly known as G Suite, Google Workspace is a collection of cloud-based productivity tools that you can use to create everything from text documents to spreadsheets.

Together, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive provide everything you need to create, store, and share written content seamlessly. As an added bonus, Google Meet and Calendar make it a snap to collaborate with any other members of your team.

Content Editing Tools

The editing software DaVinci Resolve open on a computer. The user is editing a clip of a woman in a light blue dress running through a green grassy field. — In the Skillshare class “DaVinci Resolve: The Video Editing Workflow,” teacher Fred Trevino reveals how DaVinci Resolve can be used to tackle every aspect of the post-production process.

Editing is a critical part of the content creation process, and it's absolutely necessary for producing work that's polished and professional.

Here are some of the best tools you can use to edit your content.

DaVinci Resolve

With its wide array of advanced video editing features, it's hard to believe that DaVinci Resolve is completely free to use.

It’s not just video editing software, though—you can also use DaVinci Resolve for color correction, color grading, motion graphics, visual effects (VFX) and audio editing.

Grammarly

As an AI-powered writing assistant, Grammarly makes it easy to write clearly, eliminate mistakes and communicate your ideas. It automatically checks for grammar, spelling, punctuation and style errors, no matter where you’re writing.

Lightroom

If your content creation workflow involves editing photos, Adobe's Lightroom can make your life a whole lot easier. From simple edits to advanced features to AI tools, Lightroom has it all.

Content Management Tools

The project management software Trello open on a computer. It’s customized with a green and yellow leopard print background, and shows files organized into four sections titled ‘Accounts/References,’ ‘Backlog Ideas,’ ‘Artwork in Progress’ and ‘Society6 Upload.’ — In the Skillshare class “Trello for Creatives: Optimize Your Creative Workflow,” teacher Kathleen Lyons organizes all the elements of her content management process in Trello.

Smart content management is the key to staying productive and organized.

These tools can help achieve streamlined content planning, scheduling and management:

Trello

This is a visual project management tool that uses intuitive boards, lists and cards to help you organize tasks and projects.

Trello is ideal for managing content calendars, tracking project progress and collaborating with team members.

Airtable

If you like customization, then you'll love Airtable, a flexible database tool that combines the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the functionality of a database.

Airtable is fantastic for managing content pipelines, organizing information and coordinating team efforts.

Notion

You've probably heard of Notion before, and for good reason: It's an easy-to-use, all-in-one workspace that flawlessly integrates note-taking, task management and collaboration into one tool.

As you create customized dashboards, lists, calendars and more, you can use Notion for YouTube to easily organize your writing, brainstorming or just about anything else.

Content Distribution Tools

The website Buffer open in a browser. The user is using it to upload a photo to a social media post which can then be posted on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook simultaneously. — In the Skillshare class “Introduction to Social Media Strategy | Learn with Buffer,” teacher Brian Peters uses Buffer to share an image across multiple social media platforms.

Distributing your content effectively is crucial for reaching and engaging your audience.

Use these tools to seamlessly share your content across various platforms:

Buffer

With a free plan that’s ideal for small businesses and creators, Buffer is a social media management tool that allows you to schedule and publish posts, analyze performance and engage with your audience.

It supports multiple social media platforms (even in its free version), which makes it easy to manage your social media presence.

Hootsuite

This tool has steeper pricing than Buffer, but it also comes with a wider array of features. Hootsuite is a comprehensive social media management platform that offers robust scheduling, monitoring and analytics.

It can help you manage 10 or more social accounts, track performance and engage with your audience.

Mailchimp

Create, send and analyze email campaigns with the email marketing platform Mailchimp. This platform offers automation, segmentation, design and analytics tools to help you reach and engage recipients more effectively.

Substack

If you're a writer or podcaster, you might want to get on Substack. This tool is a platform for independent writers and podcasters to easily publish and monetize their content.

As Substack puts it, "a Substack combines a website, blog, podcast, video tools, payment system, and customer support team" into one simple interface.

Medium

Another indispensable tool for writers, Medium is an online publishing platform that allows you to share your stories with a large audience.

Like Substack, Medium offers built-in reader engagement tools and monetization options. But unlike Substack, Medium also provides a robust distribution system.

Community Building & Engagement Tools

The software Manychat open on a computer screen. The user is using it to create an automated response that says ‘Great! What’s your email?’ when followers send a certain message. — In the Skillshare class “Facebook Messenger Chatbots 101: Build a Bot to Grow Your Email List,” teacher Jennifer Nelson shows students how they can use Manychat to create automated message responses on Facebook Messenger.

As a content creator, you already know that building and engaging a community is essential for sustained growth and success.

These tools can help you connect with your audience and foster a lasting community:

Manychat

Overwhelmed by DMs? Manychat can help. This is a chatbot platform that helps you create interactive and automated conversations on Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Hootsuite, Again

Hootsuite offers several features for community engagement, such as allowing you to monitor conversations across multiple platforms and respond to messages from one central inbox.

PulseBanner

Need a simple but effective way to promote your Twitch stream? PulseBanner will be right up your alley. Just go live on Twitch, and the tool will automatically promote your stream with a customized X banner.

TweetHunter

An X growth tool that helps you build an engaged audience and save time, TweetHunter can automatically suggest Tweet ideas, write content, schedule posts and send DMs.

SEO & Analytics Tools

Google Analytics open in a web browser. It’s displaying a traffic report for a website called ‘Jeffalytics,’ which shows traffic from mobile devices, tablets and all other types of devices. — In the Skillshare class “Fundamentals of Google Analytics,” teacher Jeff Sauer uses Google Analytics to monitor his website’s traffic.

Understanding your content performance and optimizing it for search engines is vital for growing your followers and keeping your content visible.

Track analytics and improve your SEO strategies with these powerful tools:

Google Analytics

Free for anyone with a Google account, Google Analytics is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic. It provides detailed insights into your audience, their behavior and how they interact with your sites and apps.

Ahrefs

Looking for an SEO tool that's as user-friendly as it is comprehensive? Look no further than Ahrefs.

It offers keyword research, backlink analysis and site audits, and can help you improve your search rankings, discover new content ideas and analyze your competitors.

Semrush

This is an all-in-one marketing toolkit that offers SEO, content marketing and competitive research tools.

Semrush helps you optimize your website, track your rankings and analyze your market. Plus, it also includes tools for advertising, marketing, creating and refining your content.

Google Trends

While the SEO tools we've mentioned so far are all fairly comprehensive, Google Trends is a straightforward tool that gets the job done.

It analyzes the popularity of search terms over time, and that's about it—simple, but effective. With the knowledge it provides, you can create more timely and relevant content.

Monetization & E-Commerce Tools

Monetization can help you turn your passion for content creation into a sustainable career. Use these tools to successfully generate and manage revenue:

Patreon

You can earn recurring revenue on Patreon from your fans. With its platform, your followers can pay a monthly membership fee in exchange for exclusive content and perks.

LTK

Previously called LIKEtoKNOW.it, LTK is a platform that connects influencers with brands for affiliate marketing. As an LTK Creator, you'll get access to a network of thousands of retailers, a personalized LTK shop and more.

Skillshare

Share your expertise (and earn money for your efforts) by teaching on Skillshare. As an online learning platform with millions of students eager to learn, Skillshare pays its teachers based on the amount of time students spend watching their classes each month.

Billo

Get paid to create videos for brands with Billo. On this platform, you can earn money by producing high-quality promotional video content for companies across a wide range of industries.

Shopify

This is an e-commerce platform that enables creators to easily set up online stores and sell products. Shopify offers customizable templates, simple payment processing and useful marketing tools to help you run a successful business.

Key Takeaways for Aspiring Content Creators

With the right tools in your arsenal, you can revolutionize your content creation process. From streamlining your workflow and managing your content to engaging with your audience and improving your SEO, the tools mentioned here can help you with any task.

Ready to build your skillset even further (or even become a teacher yourself)? Skillshare is the place to be. With thousands of classes designed to empower creators, and new teacher programs tailored to help beginner teachers succeed, we can help you take your content to the next level.

Written By

Carrie Buchholz

Carrie Buchholz is a freelance writer who lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and dog.