I get the pick your brain questions fairly often on Instagram, and, most times, they’re looking for tips on one of two things: how I take my photos and the tools I use most often as a content creator. Transparently, I don’t have the bandwidth to chat with every person that asks, so I thought it would be most efficient to round things up here. After 15 years of doing this with varying levels of time and energy, here’s what works for me.
Tools I Use Most Often as a Content Creator
ShopMy
I was a late adopter to ShopMy. I’ve been using LTK since its beginnings (I remember a launch event back in DC in 2010, maybe?!), back before they didn’t accept everyone. While I had heard some people preferred this newcomer to the scene, I was perfectly happy with LTK. Why rock the boat? But I finally got on board last year, and I’ve been super happy with it. There are different commission levels and opportunities so, while I think LTK still has the edge in some areas, I use ShopMy daily.
What does ShopMy actually do? It lets content creators link products and earn commission from the brand when people purchase through their links.
You can join as a creator here or as a shopper here.
LTK
LTK started as RewardStyle back in the early days of blogging. They were the first to kick off the affiliate scene. I find their insights and tracking to be the easiest to use, and their widget is the most seamless for creating links. Their commission is lower than ShopMy with some brands, then it’s higher with others. If I have time, I’ll compare the two before deciding which affiliate platform to use. But, in most cases, I default to LTK.
You can join as a creator here.
My only complaint about affiliate links is that I’ll have readers and friends tell me that they purchased products using my links…yet I never see the commission pop up. In most cases, the commission would be negligible, so it’s not a huge deal. BUT it would be nice to be able to show that conversion when I’m working with a brand. This happens with both LTK and ShopMy — I’m not sure it’s necessarily an error on their end. It could absolutely be that the shopper doesn’t click directly through.
Lightroom
I get a lot of questions about my photos, primarily from people hoping I have some magic iPhone hack I’m using. Unfortunately there’s no shortcut here. I use a DSLR camera (though not a fancy one — I bought mine refurbished back in 2010, and I use a 35MM fixed lens!). Then, I apply a Lightroom preset, though the particular preset depends on the image and setting. And, no, I do not share the presets I developed.
Canva
There are a lot of opinions on Canva and, while I don’t think it’s a substitute for a talented graphic designer, it does let me create image collages and photo grids in a jiffy. If you have an eye for design anyway and you don’t have the budget yet to hire someone to create graphics for you, this can be a lifesaver. That being said, I do think there’s a stark difference when you look at something professionally designed vs. something designed in Canva. Don’t even get me started on AI graphics — that’s a quick way for me to completely discount a brand.
Substack
I’ve been on Substack for a little under a year now, and I’m still trying to get into the routine of publishing. But I can see that it’s going to be one of the most useful tools in reaching my readers. There’s an immediacy to getting into people’s inboxes that my blog and Instagram will never be able to achieve. It feels less polished, in a good way. And I think that people are more likely to actually trust what they read there.
You can join Substack as a creator here.
Google Calendar
This seems obvious…but you never know when people don’t know the obvious. While my paper planner is a must for my daily to-do items, I use my Google Calendar to keep all of my content calendar items organized. I have everything color-coded and can toggle views on and off as I need to see them. Newsletters are a different color from blog posts, which are different from Instagram posts.
Linktree
Linktree has been around for ages, and it’s still my go-to for including all my links in my Instagram profile. Is there a newer option? I’m sure. But this works. I have my blog linked, my LTK, my ShopMy, my Airbnb links, my design website, and so on. It’s simple to customize and easy to use.
Blinq
This is kind of a funny one, but I use it more often than you’d think and I have prompted so many other people to sign up when I do use it. Blinq is a virtual business card that others can scan, and it has all your links (website, Instagram, whatever). I find it’s so much easier than spelling out my Instagram handle to someone. I open it up anytime I’m at an event or somewhere I need to share my info, often with another creator or someone in the design or marketing world.
Gusto
And, perhaps the least sexy of these: my payroll service. Because my content creation is part of my larger creative business, I do have to pay myself, and I use Gusto.
