Best Tools to Manage Resources for Your Online Community

One of the most important aspects of communities are knowledge sharing. Whether it’s an online coaching group, a course community, or an internal team, having organized resources can take your community to the next level.

Disorganized content leads to disengaged members. Scattered PDFs, unsearchable videos, or lost links frustrate users and make it harder to extract value. When content isn't easily accessible, members don't return, and worse, they may even leave. (you don't want that, do you?)

This is where resource creation and management tools step in. The right tools allow you to systematically create, organize, and share content collections that keep your community thriving. But what makes a great tool for organizing and sharing digital resources? And how do you choose the one that’s right for your needs? Read on for the answers!

But What Makes a Great Resource Collection Tool?

Choosing the right resource collection platform begins with understanding your core needs. Below are the essential features you should look for when selecting a platform for your community or team.

Image: "Ease of Use" and other titles. Background: Green Alt text: 5 attributes of great resource collection tools.

1. Ease of Use

Members love intuitive tools that make navigation easy. The less friction there is, the more likely they are to discover and utilize your resources.

2. Support for Varied Content Formats

Can the tool handle what you need? Look for platforms that support PDFs, videos, external links, Google Docs, images, and audio files.

3. Structure & Organization

A great platform offers structures like folders, tags, or search functionalities to allow users to find exactly what they need in seconds.

4. Access Controls

Whether you run a membership program, an internal team, or a public group, access settings are crucial. Choose a tool that lets you control permissions for privacy and exclusivity.

5. Seamless Sharing

Sharing shouldn’t feel like rocket science. Look for platforms that allow you to easily invite members or link integrations with tools they already use regularly.

Start by listing your must-have features. Having this checklist will make finding your ideal tool much easier.

Top Tools for Creating Resources

When it comes to organizing and managing digital resources, the landscape is vast. Here’s a breakdown of the top tools to help you organize community resources effectively.

1. Notion

• Pros: Notion shines in flexibility. Create databases, embedded tables, pages, and visual galleries for your resources. Its drag-and-drop setup means you can design a custom structure for your collections.

• Ideal Use Case: Best for coaches and small-to-medium communities who need to manage resources along with notes or community roadmaps.

• Limitations: Advanced formatting options have a learning curve. Limited offline access.
  
  

2. Airtable

• Pros: Airtable combines the ease of a spreadsheet with the functionality of a database. Ideal for structured content libraries where resources need to be categorized.

• Ideal Use Case: Great for tracking vast collections or knowledge bases with constantly updated content.

• Limitations: Not as visually appealing as some other tools.
  
  

3. Google Drive

• Pros: Google Drive is simple, universally accessible, and supports varied formats. Shared folders keep members in the loop effortlessly.

• Ideal Use Case: Perfect for small teams or communities needing a simple, affordable option.

• Limitations: Search tools are basic unless you’re using advanced shortcuts. Sharing permissions can sometimes feel clunky. Also, it’s more of a storage platform than a resource creation platform.
  
  

4. Miro

• Pros: Known for its infinite whiteboards, Miro allows visual thinkers to map out collaborative content workflows. Resources can be annotated for context.

• Ideal Use Case: For teams that love brainstorming visually and want to organize resources at the same time.

• Limitations: Less suitable for storing large, static resource libraries.
  
  

5. Dropbox Paper

• Pros: A lightweight documentation tool that integrates effortlessly with Dropbox. Perfect for maintaining written guides or supplemental notes.

• Ideal Use Case: Better for individual contributors or smaller, documentation-heavy communities.

• Limitations: Its design simplicity might not meet the needs of larger, more robust community ecosystems.

But here is the thing - whatever we just discussed are more of standalone platforms. What if I tell you could build and manage your resources along with your community in the same place/platform?

Wylo

• Why Choose Wylo: Wylo is specially designed for both building and maintaining resource hubs within your branded community space. With tagging and searching functionality, members can find exclusive content fast.

• Ideal Audience: Perfect for content creators, community leaders, and membership-based programs who want a custom-branded digital knowledge bank.

• Pro aspects: You can host events, create courses, sell digital products, organize collections, run memberships, and do more with your community built using Wylo.