The Simple Way to Create Digital Content Yourself Without Being a Creative Pro With the right tools, even time-strapped business owners can create professional-looking digital marketing content fast. Here's how.

As a business owner, you're laser focused on things like finding customers and increasing revenue. One element that's critical to accomplishing both things is digital marketing. If you're not effectively communicating to potential and current customers, then you're not winning business.

But as owner, you're wearing multiple hats as it is and you're short on time. Creating digital marketing content likely isn't in your wheelhouse. In a recent study of 3,500 small-business owners from around the world, 82 percent said they know that a creative design will help them stand out and drive business, but 45 percent said that they either don't have the time or the proper tools or software to bring their ideas to life.

As it turns out, you don't need to spend a ton of money hiring a marketing team and you certainly don't need to stress about doing it all yourself. The team at Adobe has simplified the creative process with the launch of Adobe Creative Cloud Express.

"Since the internet allows small-business owners to reach their customers no matter where they are, it's more or less become the new storefront that is always open and accessible," says Veronica Belmont, Senior Product Manager for Adobe Creative Cloud Express. "Small-business owners are fully in control of their digital marketing, and it's the most valuable tool they have as they continue to reach new customers and get their voice and stories out there."

Adobe Creative Cloud Express is an all-in-one design, imaging, and video content creation app that's built for everyone at any design skill level. With it, you can create graphics, collages, flyers, videos, and animations that look professional in just a few clicks. "We're not holding back when it comes to making your life easier," Belmont says. "It's all about helping you stand out and unleashing your creativity—no experience needed."

Here, Belmont shares several tips for how time-strapped business owners can create professional-looking digital marketing content themselves, fast.

Start with a strategy.

If you want to see success and grow your business through digital marketing, the first step is to know what your goal is. "Work backwards," Belmont recommends. "Think about what the result of all your digital marketing efforts actually should be, so you can start building your path to get there."

Whether you're looking to generate more awareness, online traffic, or boost your lead generation, she says it's essential to set those goals and any key deadlines for yourself first, so you have something always in mind when you're putting everything together.

Find inspiration … everywhere.

Once your strategy is in place, it's time to start putting creative marketing elements together. But where do you start?

In both the digital and physical worlds, inspiration is everywhere and can strike at any moment. "While it can be challenging to put an idea that's just a seed into action and see it through until it's a full-fledged design, it's those light bulb moments that can power creativity," Belmont says.

Adobe Creative Cloud Express can help unleash that creativity with lighting speed, she says. "If a stroll through nature inspires a creative idea, a quick scroll through a library of photos, fonts, and designs can turn a beautiful flower into a blossoming design built around floral elements."

Be consistent.

Whether it's a signature, color, font, or point of view, every brand should have something that makes it immediately identifiable. Across email, social media, and other marketing platforms, maintaining a cohesive aesthetic is important for establishing that brand recognition and keeping your audience engaged.

"While the choice is yours between that dazzling shade of red or a beautifully scripted serif font, Adobe Creative Cloud Express can help you stay consistent across every design," Belmont says. "The app allows you to build your brand by uploading logos, colors, and more. From there, you can seamlessly adapt your graphics for every piece of the digital puzzle—from social media to email marketing and more. The Shared Libraries feature also makes it easy for anyone on your team to work from a library of assets to achieve cohesion."

Always refresh and remix.

Social media users are stuck in a never-ending scroll. One way to stop the scroll while staying on brand is with a simple refresh or remix of a tried-and-true format or template. "A simple rework, a touch of animation or a dash of color can help your brand stand out without compromising your brand's ethos," Belmont says.

Adobe Creative Cloud Express has a library of existing templates that users can remix and customize while also saving time. "Once your brand kit has been created in the app, Adobe Creative Cloud Express makes it easy to swap the colors and fonts on any pre-existing social media graphic design," Belmont explains. "The app also has a library of professional assets, fonts and photos to help you take any design across the finish line."

Collaborate to unlock your creativity.

Social media and digital marketing aren't a one-person show. Teamwork is critical to connecting the creativity between people and departments and helps generate new ideas. Brainstorming ideas with other members of your team can be crucial to keeping things fresh.

With Adobe Creative Cloud Express, anyone on your team can easily become involved while still maintaining a cohesive brand image using features including Shared Templates and Shared Libraries. "The best part is, you don't have to be a graphic designer or a social media expert to put your creativity on display," Belmont says.

Click here to learn more about how Adobe Creative Cloud Express can help your small business create professional-looking digital marketing assets fast.