Content is the free material you put out into the world. There is long-form content and short-form content. We are going to be talking a little bit about both of these, including why you should use them and how to do it.
Long-form content should provide massive value to your customers and future customers. There are three main forms of long-form content to choose from. Blogging, YouTube, and Podcasting. It doesn’t really matter which one you choose, but it’s important to start at least one of these. It should be something you like to do. If you hate being on camera then don’t start a YouTube channel. No matter which one you choose, it’s a good idea to have a website. Having your own website is a space you own on the internet. You can send your customers there. If you are podcasting or YouTubing it’s a good idea to put your show notes on your website.
Long-form content is important because it helps your customers get to know, like, and trust you. When you connect with your customers like that they will want to buy from you. If your content is providing them with valuable advice and tools, they are going to be excited to buy from you because you’ve already helped them so much.
Short-form content is anything that is brief like Facebook, Twitter, tick-tock, or Instagram. Short-form content can still provide value to your customers, but it’s like the worm on a fishing hook. You are trying to grab their attention and pull them in. It’s an introduction. The goal of your short-form content should be to get your customers/future customers to engage with your long-form content.
When you are writing short-form content you should use a consistent method. First, a hook that will grab their attention, then a story or way to connect with them, and finally a call to action.
In my opinion email lists are in a league of their own. A person who signs up for your email list wants to hear from you. They are interested in what you have to say and are selling. Emails can be long or short. Emails can lead to long-form content. Emails should provide massive value.
The other great thing about email lists is that you own the list. You are not trying to navigate hashtags and algorithms that will let some of your followers see your material. You are not competing with other websites on google. It’s your message and your content directly into your customers’ inbox.
Is the TPT Premium Account Account Worth It?
I just had my one-year anniversary on TpT as a seller. I first started my TpT journey in August of 2020. My family needed more money and my son needed me. I thought this was a great opportunity to engage my brain, be involved in teaching, and possibly make some money. I started off with Youtube research because that’s what my students do when they need to learn something. I came across one seller from Becca’s Music Room who did a great job explaining how to start a TpT store. She really helped me get started.
I had used my TpT account as a teacher for years. I switched to the free Basic Sellers account in August 2020. Then while I researched, I started to create resources. Once I had about 10 resources ready to go, I talked with my husband about maybe switching my account to the Premium Account. This was my first investment in my business. Here are some of the differences between the two.
| Basic | Premium | |
| Cost | Free | $59.95 |
| Payout (What You Keep) | 55% | 80% |
| Transaction Fees | 30 cents per resource | 15 cents on orders less than $3.00 |
| File Size | 200MB | 1G |
| Video Uploads | No | Yes! You can upload video previews and video products |
| Access to Premium Features and Marketing Tools | No | Yes |
| Able to Participate in School Access Catalog | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum Number of Uploads | No | No |
Some sellers wait until they make $60 on the free account before they upgrade, but I didn’t. It was the first investment I made in my business. I decided that it would be worth it to keep more of my money from the start. I was confident that I was going to make my TpT store successful.
There is no right or wrong answer. It’s really just a matter of what you can afford, or what you want to do.
Here’s a little math. A quick google search will give you dozens of examples like this.
As a basic seller, a product listed at $2.50 will give you a payout of$1.07
As a premium seller, a product listed at 2.50 will give you a payout of 1.85
70 cents isn’t much, but when you multiply that by 100 it’s $107 compared to $185. I’ve been on TpT a little over a year and I’ve sold 177 products.