In this paper the authors address the issue of authoring XML multimedia content on the web. It focuses on methods that apply to different kinds of contents, including structured documents, factual data, and multimedia objects. It argues in favor of a template-based approach that enhances the ability for multiple applications to use the produced content. This approach is illustrated by AXEL, an innovative multipurpose client-side authoring framework, intended for web users with limited skills. The versatility of the tool is illustrated through a series of use cases that demonstrate the flexibility of the approach for creating various kinds of web content.