Over the past three years I’ve been slowly building a brand through webinars, blogging, vlogging, webinar hosting, and even some podcasting. Each has been a powerful medium to deliver great content while making my brand known.

Getting into any of the above medias can be quite daunting. There are so many options as to what to communicate, how to communicate, and what tools are needed for each platform.

Due to the large number of inquiries, I will offer my favorite tools in creating and delivering great content for the platforms mentioned above.

PODCASTING AND WEBINARS

Yeti Microphone: I love this microphone. I was at a conference a few months ago and this microphone was recommended. As soon as I opened the box, I knew I was in for a treat. The Yeti microphone microphone delivers crisp and clear recording. It’s great for recording just you, an interview, or even recording music.

AdobeConnect: Delivering great webinars comes down to content, interactivity, and a powerful platform. I spent weeks researching which platform to use. You can use free platforms such as www.gotomeeting.com. If you are planning on keeping your webinars small this is a great option.

I use AdobeConnect for all of my webinars. It comes with a price tag, but for paying customers I needed a powerful platform.

Secrets of Dynamic Communication: This is a book that I use for all my platforms.Ken Davis' book is a must have.It’s vitally important that each participant walks away being able to communicate the objective in one sentence. This book allows me to ensure this happens each time.

VLOGGING AND YOUTUBE

Canon Vixia: This is one tool you don’t want to skimp on. If you are going to get into vlogging and YouTube, you need a decent camera. If you’re starting of, you are likely wanting to save as much as possible. Good news, I use the Canon Vixia HF R500 which serves all my needs for creating great content with clarity and brilliant colors. And you can usually find it for under $200.

Audio-Technica Microphone: You don’t need anything fancy, but you don’t want anything to cheap. Starting off, yo’ll want to use the built in microphone on your camera. I get that, but you’ll regret it. Spend $30 on a lapel microphone and your audience will know the difference.

The Tripod: This is one thing I am not picky about. A tripod needs to be sturdy and reliable, but you do not need anything fancy for an effective video shoot. I bought mine for $20 on Amazon and has served me over 3 years.

Dell Venue Pro 8: Some people prefer an iPad over a Windows or Android tablet. I love my iPhone, and I love my Windows tablet. My Dell Venue Pro 8 is powerful, dynamic, and inexpensive. When I got mine, it was a steal at $100. My Pro 8 is my teleprompter for all my video shoots. It’s compact and keeps me on track and on time.

Speech Reader: You can over $50 for a good teleprompter software. I use Speech Reader and it’s FREE. Does it have a ton of customization options? No, but I don’t need it to.

BLOGGING

This is a post in and of itself, but let me tell you a must have a book if you’re going down this road:

Michael Hyatt’s Platform. If you want to get into blogging YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK. It’s a book I’ve read a half dozen times and each time, I see something new I can and should do to improve my blog and its web presence.

WordPress: I used blogspot for years, but I finally made the switch to WordPressthis year. Wow. I love the options for customization. I love the themes, the plugins, the widgets, and so much more.

Clearly this list is not exhaustive, but these are the top tools that I use consistently and love.

Question: What tools are you loving for your industry? In 2015 are you considering starting or restarting a blog, vlog, podcast, etc? What about?