Writing and content creation can be hard. It takes time to generate ideas, write quality blog posts, and edit your work.
These content marketing tools can help in every stage of the writing process. They can save you time and maybe make the creative process more fun too.
So let’s not waste any time. Keep reading for the best tools for writers.
Content Marketing Tools for Idea Generation
Content starts with ideas. But for a lot of content creators, generating ideas is the hardest part of the process. These 4 apps will either give you usable ideas or get your creative juices flowing.
Quandary Idea Generator
Answer 18 questions. Get tons of ideas. Some may actually be usable with a little editing. This app’s true value lies in the 18 questions. Use them to define your content strategy.
Portent’s Idea Generator
In all honesty, I haven’t found this app to be super useful. But it’s a lot of fun to play with. If nothing else, it may help you jumpstart your creative juices.
Link Bait Title Generator
I actually like this one. Enter your topic. Select one or two styles. You’ll get a lengthy list of headlines that only need a few tweaks here and there.
HubSpot’s Blog Topic Generator
Three nouns. A week’s worth of blog topics.
Actually, this one works pretty well. On my first try, this app turned up 5 titles that are usable as-is. Kudos, HubSpot!
Quora
Forums are a terrific place to look for ideas. If you see people asking questions about your topic, you can bet others want answers as well. Just make sure your article answers their questions (and more).
Content Marketing Tools for Research
High-quality content doesn’t simply share your thoughts or ideas. It has specific examples, case studies, and statistics to back up those ideas. These content marketing tools not only help you do your research but organize it so you can find it when you need it.
RSS Readers / News Apps
As a content creator, you need to be reading. A lot. These apps will help you keep up with trending topics. They’ll also give you ideas and add to your research.
Apple News App
These days, I get all of my news from my Apple News App. This will keep you up-to-date on current events. You can also subscribe to any news outlets that relate to your industry.
Feedly
To subscribe to blogs in your industry, Feedly is a sleek, easy-to-use RSS reader. It’s been a favorite of mine for a long time.
Digg
Want someone to do your curating for you? Try Digg. Available online or as an app, it cuts through the clutter of the Internet and gives you the news you’re most interested in.
Other Research Tools
HARO
You can add credibility to your content with expert quotes. But where do you turn if you don’t know any experts? Try HARO, AKA Help a Reporter Out.
Evernote
I don’t use Evernote as effectively as I could, but it’s still my go-to resource for saving articles and notes on topics I write about. You can create folders for different projects, make lists, take notes, and even write your content in the app. I have it on my computer and my tablet. Try it. You’ll like it.
Google Keep
This is my new favorite for taking notes, saving screenshots and URLs, making lists, and more. Put it on your computer and your phone, and you’ll have your best ideas with you everywhere you happen to be.
Content Marketing Tools for Graphics
Research has shown that having at least one image in your blog post increases social shares. So like it or not, you need visual content in your content.
These tools will help you create awesome images, no matter how artistic you may be.
Canva
Even if you don’t have an artistic bone in your body, you can create nice looking graphics with Canva. Create graphics for articles, social media, ads and infographics.
Visme
When I need original graphics or data visualizations, I turn to Visme. You can create professional-looking images quickly and easily. There’s no better way to boost the value of your content.
SnagIt
I consider this an essential tool for content creators. SnagIt quickly captures screenshots and videos, and then allows you to edit them. It also gives you higher quality results than most free options I’ve tried.
Awesome Screenshot
If you resist paying for SnagIt, this is the only free option I recommend. It’s easy to use and works well. For full-page captures, I actually prefer it.
PhotoShop
If you want to create unique, high-quality images, you need PhotoShop. Using this, my only limitation is my own skill level. It’s not cheap, but it’s totally worth the investment.
Content Marketing Tools for Editing
Great content depends on great writing AND good editing. Trouble is, it’s hard to edit your own work. Here are two content marketing tools that can help.
The Hemingway App
This app highlights those pesky adverbs, collegiate-level words and passive verbs that weaken your writing.
Want more help? Try The World’s Best Automated Proofreader
Grammarly
Grammarly catches misspellings, grammatical and usage issues, and even plagiarism. It works in the app you’re writing in, and for premium users, it works in Microsoft Word as well.
Typos and bad writing create a bad impression. With Grammarly, you can catch them all.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
You can’t always trust your autocorrect tools, so open this trustworthy dictionary in a separate tab and just keep it open. You’ll use it more often than you might expect.
OneLook Reverse Dictionary
Got a word on the tip of your tongue that you can’t quite find? Looking for a work that starts with S and means cool? OneLook takes the pain out of finding the right word.
Content Marketing Tools for Headlines
Headlines are the first thing people read. They have the power to draw readers in or repel them. Ogilvy once said that headlines make up 80% of the power of your content:
“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.”
I agree. From my experience, articles with powerful headlines generate more clickthrough from both email and social media.
Headline Analyzer
Before scheduling your articles, take time to play with this app. Enter your first effort at a headline, and then see if you can raise your score. Your headlines will improve. Guaranteed.
I just wish they’d add more suggestions to their lists of common, uncommon, emotional and power words, so it’s easier to raise your score.
Emotional Marketing Value Headline Analyzer
Research has shown that more emotional headlines get more shares. So any time you can inject emotion into your headlines (without resorting to hype or writing about babies and kittens), you should.
It may not look beautiful, but this app promises to help you write headlines that score more clicks and shares.
I recommend that you first use CoSchedule’s app to refine your headline, then plug it into this app. Between the two of them, you can create a strong headline that stands out in a sea of content.
What are your favorite content marketing tools?
These are the content marketing tools I rely on. Some help me write better content. Others add a bit of fun or variety to the process.
They all help you improve your content so you can generate more traffic and get more eyeballs on your website.
What are your go-to tools for writers?
