Written, Audio, Or Video - Popular Digital Product Formats Explained

Digital information products can come in a variety of different formats. In

this article, I want to briefly go over some of the most common formats.

Think of this as an overview to help you in your decision making process

of what types of products to create. This is by no means an all-inclusive

list. Instead, we’re focusing on the most common and easiest to create

products. These are the types of information products you can create in

your home office without a lot of specialized knowledge or software.

Written Content Products

Let’s start with written content. This includes eBooks and short reports

along with workbooks, checklists, and various printables. These

information products are usually created with a word processor in either

MS Word or Google docs and compiled into a pdf file for easy downloading

and printing for your customers.

Audio Products

Audio products are voice recordings that are usually delivered as an MP3

file. This can then be downloaded to a smartphone or mp3 player for easy

listening on the go. Of course, most computers also have media players

that can play this type of file for your customers.

Audio recordings can be recorded conversations or interviews, podcasts,

audio books and the likes. If you prefer speaking your content over

writing it, this is a great option to consider.

Video Products

Video products are the most challenging to create from a technical point

of view. You need a webcam or camera to record and software to edit

your videos. They can then be saved and downloaded in a video file

format like MP4, or you can upload the file to a video site like YouTube or

Vimeo and allow your customers to stream the video from there.

Common video products include talking head videos, screen capture

videos, or how to videos. What format you choose will largely depend on

your target audience and your subject matter.

Feel Free To Mix and Match

It’s important to realize that you don’t have to choose just one format

and stick with it. People have different preferences and learning styles.

Some will appreciate a written guide, while others prefer to listen to an

audio version while they are commuting to work or going for a run or

watch a video on their laptop or tablet. You can add a lot of value to your

information products by offering them in different formats for your

customers. In other words, mix and match.