In our world of content, it can seem very easy to create. You just download an app, create a quick video, maybe add some subtitles and a caption, and upload it as a TikTok or Reel.

But the truth is that you have to be careful when producing content as a business. Sure, not all are careful, and not all people pay the price for that, but generally having a composed vision for your content production and outreach is better than chasing every meme or trend.

Moreover, despite what many apps that use licensed music might suggest, you have to be very careful not to use copyrighted materials in your commercial content production. Even downloading a font that you haven’t licensed can land you in legal hot water, which, amusingly, even happened to an anti-piracy advert.

It’s best to begin building your business content resources in-house, so you have a larger library to product from.

Let’s discuss how to do that.

Stock Photography & Video That You Own

Building up a decent library of stock content sounds a little tiresome, and of course you can pay for clips or use free stock footage online, but this is one of those investments that pays off repeatedly over time.

You can subscribe to services like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock, but commissioning your own photography sessions where you get content that shows your brand at its best instead of the generic business handshake photos everyone else is using can be nice.

This also works well if you have production methods to showcase, like your manufacturing method, or if you take the time to book an event photographer to show your presentations or networking moments.

Record Your Own Events & Meetings for Future Content

Certain company meetings, product launches, and industry events you're already hosting or attending are great not just for standard event coverage, but also internal use. That could show training videos, or testimonials from satisfied clients who attended to motivate new staff to plan well next time around.

You could also ask your marketing team to cover the event with short-form videos to help upload to the social feeds. If you can achieve that, you’ll find a more capable outcome. People respond better to authentic moments anyway, so showcasing a product demo reaction could be ideal, as can the funny moments of people slipping up.

Build Your Own Font & Design Element Library

This is where a lot of businesses get tripped up without realizing it, because using the wrong font or graphic element can potentially cause a legal issue as we mentioned, and depending on how full that commercial use is, there could be huge expenses to pay if you’re caught out.

Creating a collection of fonts (individually commissioned), icons, and design elements that you've properly licensed or created in-house means your design team never has to second-guess whether they can use something. That might even just be a plug-in for audio recording in your home video productions. This effort will also speed up your content creation in the best way.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily build your business content resources for the better.