How to Create Your First On-Demand Resource Library as a Coach

Ready to build your first on-demand resource library? The good news: it’s simpler than you think. You probably already have most of what you need in your Vault. This post walks you through the entire process, step by step, so you can go from idea to live library in one sitting.

Step 1: Define Your Library Theme

Start narrow. Pick one focused theme instead of trying to create a massive library covering everything.

Examples of solid themes:

New Client Onboarding (welcome, getting started, app tutorials, FAQs)
Nutrition Essentials (macros, meal prep, recipes, supplements)
Exercise Form Library (video demos organized by body part or movement pattern)
Recovery & Wellness (stretching, sleep, stress management, mobility)
Mindset & Motivation (confidence, consistency, goal-setting)

Pick one. You can add more libraries later. Starting focused means better organization and higher client engagement.

Name Your Library

Choose a clear, benefit-focused name. This shows up in your app and in client notifications.

Good names:

“Getting Started With [Your Program Name]”
“Nutrition Essentials for Busy Professionals”
“Form Library: Move Better Every Workout”
“Recovery Toolkit”

Avoid generic names like “Resources” or “Guides.” Be specific.

Add a Cover Image (Optional But Recommended)

A thumbnail or cover image makes your library visually appealing in the app. Clients see it and know exactly what’s inside at a glance.

Use an image that represents the theme. Onboarding library? A welcoming shot. Nutrition library? Fresh food or meal prep. Form library? Someone performing a lift with perfect form.

Upload from your device or use one from your Vault if you have branded images.

Step 2: Plan Your Sections

Break your theme into 3 to 5 sections. Each section tackles one specific aspect of your theme.

Example: Nutrition Essentials Library

Macros 101 (the fundamentals)
Meal Prep Like a Pro (execution)
Recipes & Meal Ideas (inspiration)
Supplement Basics (optional but useful)
Your Nutrition FAQs (common questions)

Example: Form Library

Upper Body Movements (bench, squat, rows)
Lower Body Movements (squats, deadlifts, leg press)
Core & Stability (planks, core exercises)
Common Form Mistakes (what to avoid)

Example: New Client Onboarding

Welcome to [Your Program]
How to Use Your App
Getting Your First Workout
Nutrition & Meal Planning
FAQs & Support

Each section should answer one question or cover one topic clearly.

Name Your Sections Well

Section names guide clients. They should be clear, benefit-driven, and scannable.

Good section names:

“Macros 101: Understanding Your Nutrition”
“Squat Deep Dive: Form, Progression, Common Mistakes”
“Your First Week: Everything You Need to Know”

Avoid:

“Stuff”
“Other”
“Misc Resources”

Step 3: Choose Your Layout

Different layouts work better for different content. Most platforms offer:

List Layout

Shows resources as a vertical list, like a menu. Each item is a simple line or small tile.

Best for: Guides, articles, text-heavy resources, FAQs, when you have many items and want them scannable.

Large Cards / Carousel Layout

Shows featured resources as big, beautiful cards that you swipe or scroll through.

Best for: Videos, featured content, when you want to spotlight each resource, smaller collections where every item deserves attention.

Narrow Cards Layout

Vertical cards with thumbnail, title, and description.

Best for: Recipes, tools, equipment guides, anything where description matters and you want a balanced view of image, title, and details.

Grid Layout

Thumbnail grid, like Pinterest or Instagram.

Best for: Many resources of similar type, visual content, collections where thumbnail images tell the story.

Pro Tip on Mixing Layouts

You don’t have to use the same layout for every section. Mix them.

Example: Your form library could have a carousel layout for “Featured Exercises,” a grid for “All Upper Body Movements,” and a list for “Common Mistakes to Avoid.”

This variety keeps the experience fresh and matches the content type to the best layout.

Step 4: Gather Your Resources

Open your Vault. What do you already have?

Look for:

PDFs you’ve created (guides, worksheets, e-books)
Images (infographics, reference photos)
Spreadsheets (calculators, trackers, macros sheets)
YouTube links (form videos, explanations)
Article links (nutrition info, science breakdowns)
Tool links (calculators, tracking apps, equipment)

Start with what you have. You don’t need to create everything new.

Mix Your Content With Curated Content

You don’t have to produce 100% of content. Curation is valid and expected.

You might have:

Your own “Welcome” PDF and form videos you’ve recorded
Linked YouTube videos from fitness experts
Linked articles from nutrition sites
Linked tools and calculators

This mix is actually better. It shows you’ve vetted multiple sources and brings variety.

Target 5 to 15 Resources Per Section

Don’t overwhelm. Most sections have 5 to 15 resources. This gives clients enough options without choice paralysis.

Check Resource Quality

Before adding, ask: “Is this accurate, helpful, and relevant to my clients?” If yes, add it. If no, skip it.

For third-party content, make sure it aligns with your coaching philosophy. You’re putting your name behind it implicitly.

Step 5: Create Your Library

Assuming you’re using a platform like HubFit, here’s the general workflow:

Go to Resource Collections (or your platform’s equivalent).
Click “Create New Collection.”
Enter your library name, description, and cover image.
Click “Create.”

You’re in.

Step 6: Add Sections

Once your library is created:

Click “Add Section.”
Name your section (e.g., “Macros 101”).
Optionally add a section description (helps clients understand what’s in it).
Choose your layout (List, Carousel, Narrow Cards, or Grid).
Save.

Repeat for each section. Now you have the skeleton of your library.

Step 7: Add Resources to Sections

This is the fun part. Now you populate each section.

For each section:

Click “Add Resource” or the add button.
Choose whether it’s a document (upload file) or link (paste URL).
For documents: Upload the file, add a title, optional description.
For links: Paste the URL, confirm the title (usually auto-fills from the page), add optional description.
Confirm and save.

Repeat until your section is full. Then move to the next section.

Pro Tips While Adding Resources

Clear Titles Matter

“YouTube: Perfect Squat Form Breakdown” is better than “squat video”
“PDF: Your Macro Calculation Worksheet” is better than “macro sheet”
Clients scan titles. Make them count.

Add Descriptions When Helpful You can add a short description for context.

Good: “A step-by-step guide to calculating your daily macros. Includes examples for different goals.”
Not necessary: “Here’s a PDF about macros.”

Drag to Reorder Most platforms let you drag resources to reorder them within a section. Do this. Put most important resources first.

Preview as You Go Don’t wait until the end. Periodically preview your library. See how it looks on mobile and desktop. Make adjustments.

Step 8: Arrange and Order

Now that all resources are in, step back. Does the order make sense?

For a nutrition library:

Does “Macros 101” come before “Advanced Calorie Cycling”? Yes.
Does “Recipes” come before “Meal Prep Basics”? Maybe swap them.

For a form library:

Are exercises grouped logically by body part? Yes.
Are common mistakes at the end as a reference? Good idea.

Drag resources around until the flow feels logical.

Section Order Matters Too

Which section should clients encounter first when opening the library?

For onboarding: “Welcome” or “Getting Started” comes first. For nutrition: “Macros 101” or “Nutrition Basics” comes first. For form: “Upper Body” or your most commonly coached movements come first.

Arrange sections so the most foundational content comes first.

Step 9: Use Live Preview

Most platforms offer a live preview that shows you exactly what clients see. Use it.

Click “Preview” and browse your library as a client would. Check:

Does the layout look good?
Are titles clear?
Are resources easy to find?
Does it look good on mobile?
Does anything feel out of place?

Make adjustments. Perfect is the enemy of done, but “pretty good” is the baseline.

The 15-Second Test

Try this: Open the preview fresh (pretend you’ve never seen it). Can you find a specific resource in 15 seconds? If not, reorganize.

Once you’re satisfied, it’s time to share.

Most platforms let you:

Share with specific clients (select which ones get access)
Share with a group or cohort
Share with everyone in a program
Automate sharing via onboarding flows

For your first library, pick a small group of 2 to 5 clients. People you trust to give honest feedback.

Set up access and add a notification or message: “I’ve built a new resource library for you. Check it out in your app.”

Step 11: Get Feedback

Ask your first clients simple questions:

“Can you find [specific resource]?”
“What could be organized better?”
“Are the names clear?”
“Is there anything you wish was included?”

You don’t need to make every change. But patterns in feedback are gold. If two clients say they can’t find something, reorganize.

Step 12: Iterate and Expand

Based on feedback, adjust. Move sections around. Rename things. Add missing resources.

Once you’re happy with version 2, expand access. Share with all clients in that program.

Then, build your next library. You’ve got the process down now.

Next Steps

You’ve now built your first library. Congratulations.

From here, explore deeper topics:

How to Choose the Best Layout for Your On-Demand Resource Library - Fine-tune each section’s presentation.
10 Resource Library Section Ideas Your Coaching Clients Will Love - Get inspired for more libraries.
How to Organize Your On-Demand Resource Library for Max Engagement - Maximize how clients use it.
Share Your On-Demand Resource Library With Clients - Master sharing and access control.

The hardest part is the first one. You’ve done that. Now you can build more, refine your approach, and scale your impact.

How to Create Your First On-Demand Resource Library as a Coach