Introduction to Content Writing Tools
Content writing tools help provide structure and guidance for content writers to produce engaging and effective content. As content marketing has expanded in importance for businesses, having the right content writing tools has become essential. These tools help content writers avoid common mistakes, ensure consistency, make research and drafting faster and easier, and ultimately generate higher quality content.
In this article, we will explore the major categories of content writing tools available and the top options within each category. While there is no single perfect tool, understanding the types of tools and their key benefits can help content writers and marketers determine which combination of tools works best for their specific needs and workflow.
Content Planning Tools
Proper planning is important for any successful content project. Content planning tools help writers map out a content strategy, calendar, and topics. They provide structure to ensure content is optimized for goals like lead generation, thought leadership, customer education and nurturing.
Top content planning tools include:
Trello – A flexible Kanban-style board for listing, organizing and assigning content ideas and projects by status. Users can customize views and share boards with teams.
Asana – An intuitive project management tool. Asana allows breakig content goals into tasks with assignees, due dates and attachments. Integrates with Gmail, Google Drive and Slack.
Airtable – Cloud-based database for storing and relating all kinds of structured data in a flexible, editable views. Great for topic taxonomies, keyword lists, content calendars and more.
Google Sheets – Free collaborative spreadsheet ideal for simple content planning and tracking. Integrates with other Google tools like Drive and Calendar.
CoSchedule – Sophisticated publishing and editorial calendar. Automates workflows, tracks KPIs and integrates social sharing. Excellent for content marketers.
Research Tools
Great content starts with in-depth research. Here are some key research tools:
Google/Bing/DuckDuckGo – Essential search engines for topical discovery and keyword search volume. Set alerts to catch new trends.
Answer the Public – AI-powered question/answer analysis tool revealing insights on topics, keywords and questions people search for.
BuzzSumo – Analyze social sharing performance and find evergreen and trending content topics. Track influencers.
Ahrefs/SEMrush – Keyword research tools showing search volumes, difficulty, related terms. Monitor backlinks and competition.
Crayon – Automated competitive analysis of websites, topics they cover and keywords they rank for.
Crisp – Monitor brands, topics and keywords across social networks and digital publications. Set alerts.
Writing Tools
With thorough research completed, it’s time to start writing. Here are popular writing tools:
Google Docs – Collaborative real-time word processor with version control. Integrates research from Google tools.
Microsoft Word – Mature word processor with styles, templates and plugins. Great for long-form content.
Notion – Powerful notetaking and outlining platform. Build beautiful templates for consistently structured content.
Bear – Simple Markdown writing app for Mac. Syncs notes across devices. Distraction-free writing focused mode.
Ulysses – Focused writing environment for longer works. Advanced organizational and formatting tools.
Roam Research – Nonlinear notetaking app relating ideas through backlinks. Generates outlines and topic maps.
Grammarly – AI writing assistant checks for spelling, grammar, style, tone and syntax issues while writing in any app.
Content Formatting Tools
Formatting content for optimal reading across devices and channels requires the right tools:
Markdown — Lightweight plain text formatting syntax converted to HTML. Works across many writing apps and GitHub/GitLab.
Visual Studio Code — Free code editor supporting many languages including Markdown. Useful for writing and previewing formatted content.
Markdoc — Desktop Markdown compiler to beautifully formatted websites, PDFs and Word docs.
Remarkable — Design and publish responsive web pages directly from Markdown files. Version control integrated.
Adobe Portfolio — Build and host customizable multipage websites and blogs from one integrated tool.
Git/GitHub — Version control text files and publish directly to GitHub Pages websites from Markdown files.
Content Analysis Tools
Important for optimizing current content and planning new:
SEMrush Site Audit – Comprehensive analysis of onsite SEO factors, backlinks and technical health.
Ahrefs Site Explorer – Deep analysis of internal linking structure, content gaps and keyword opportunity areas.
Screaming Frog – Powerful crawler scans entire site for technical issues, duplicate/thin content.
Buzzsumo Research – Find top performing and evergreen topics on your domain and competitor sites.
AnswerThePublic – AI identifies content gaps by analyzing questions people search for but your site doesn’t answer.
Google Analytics – Audience and traffic data to understand engagement and identify underperforming content.
Content Distribution Tools
Sharing finished content requires powerful distribution:
Buffer/Hootsuite – Plan, schedule and analyze social publishing across networks directly or via editorial calendar.
Mailchimp – Build email marketing campaigns and nurture leads with gated or promo content. Integrates with paid tools.
Outreach – Automated platform for crafting personalized pitches, tracking responses and managing reporter relationships.
Buzzstream – AI-powered social sharing assistant suggests related content and monitors performance of shared links.
Pitchbox – Central database and CRM to pitch journalists, track stories, monitor placements and measure results.
RSS feeds – Syndicate blog and podcast content via RSS for discovery on third party sites and apps.
Conclusion
Mastering the right combination of content planning, research, writing, formatting, analyzing and distributing tools provides content marketers a strategic advantage. These tools streamline workflows, ensure quality and help generate engaging content that connects with target audiences. Regular reviews keep systems optimized for changing priorities and new opportunities. With practice, content teams can develop systems to outpace competitors through intelligent, data-driven content strategies and tactics.
Andrew Stroud