We may not have time-traveling DeLoreans (yet), but we do have access to some amazing tech tools to help us speed up and simplify our content creation efforts.
Unless you’re dedicated to chiseling your blog posts on stone tablets, check out this list we’ve curated of 15 apps you can use to brainstorm new ideas, proofread, edit and optimize your content at the speed of light (well, close anyway).
Brainstorming Fresh Website Content
Before you write, you must know what you’re writing about. Coming up with content ideas is often one of the most challenging parts of the content creation process. Lucky for us, there’s a wealth of topic ideas just waiting to be discovered online.
1. Feedly
Feedly is an app that allows you to read about the topics and trends you care about, all in one place. For brainstorming, sign up for updates from blogs, publications and websites in your niche to generate content ideas. Feedly is available for use on both desktop and mobile, so you can gather content ideas on the go.
2. Google Trends
One of the best ways to create content that captures attention is to write about trending topics in your niche. Google Trends makes it easy to identify the hot topics of the day. You can also see trending topics related to your keywords to add to your brainstorm list.
3. Quora
Oh, Quora. If you’ve been here long, you’ve probably heard us talk about this platform. All you have to do is enter a keyword or a phrase to see popular questions others are asking in your niche. Quora is a great tool for generating content ideas your audience will want to read.
4. Reddit
Just like Quora, Reddit helps you discover what questions and thoughts are trending in your niche simply based on keywords and phrases. It’s like having a crystal ball, only in app form.
Psst…want to know how to use Reddit for content creation? Check out our blog post, “Reddit: The Content Creation Tool You Didn’t Know You Needed” for tips and tricks.
5. HubSpot Blog Ideas Generator
HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator is a fun way to generate blog ideas for your business. Simply enter a single noun or five and watch as HubSpot comes up with a week’s worth of content ideas to add to your content calendar.
6. Portent’s Content Idea Generator
Now, this is a fun one. Portent’s Content Idea Generator is the perfect companion for businesses wanting to stand out from the crowd with witty prose and eye-catching titles. Don’t believe us? See for yourself:
7. Evernote
Every brainstorming session requires a place for you to jot down all of your amazing new content ideas. Evernote is a favorite around here for that purpose. Plus, via Evernote, you can easily share your content ideas with others on your team, making it a powerhouse of productivity.
Proofreading and Editing Your Website Content
With ideas in hand, you’re ready to write. As you create your content, here are a few proofreading and editing tools to take your content to the next level.
8. Hemingway App
Hemingway is an easy-to-use desktop app that highlights adverbs, passive voice, hard-to-read sentences and more to clarify your writing. It also rates your content’s readability ease, which is critical for your reader’s online experience and SEO. All you need to do is copy and paste your text into the app and let Hemingway do the rest.
9. De-Jargonizer
Including unnecessary industry jargon in your content confuses your audience and has the potential to make them feel inferior. This will work to push them away from your website and your business and straight into the arms of your waiting competitor. To eliminate the jargon, use the De-Jargonizer to find and remove examples of it in your content.
10. Grammarly
Grammarly is an all-around fantastic option for editing and proofreading your work. The tool quickly identifies grammar and spelling mistakes, words that need clarification and more.
11. Microsoft Word
Surprise, surprise, right? Although Word is tried and true, it’s a great tool for writing, proofing and editing your content. In addition to the built-in grammar checker, you can use Word’s read-aloud tool to listen to your copy and pick out sentences and paragraphs that don’t make sense.
12. One Look Thesaurus
Can’t remember the exact word or phrase you want to use in your copy? One Look Thesaurus allows you to find a word by definition, explore synonyms, generate a list of words in a single category and more. It’s a Word Nerd’s dream.
Optimizing Your Website Content
As a finishing step before you hit “publish,” it’s time to review your content to ensure you’ve fully optimized it to capture more attention via search.
13. SerpStat
If you’re writing a long-form blog post or website page, it’s a great opportunity to answer your audience’s burning questions. SerpStat helps you see questions related to your content’s keywords, so you can make sure you’ve covered what’s most important.
14. Headline Analyzer by CoSchedule
The Headline Analyzer by CoSchedule analyzes your headlines, helping you create titles that drive traffic. Simply enter your headline to see an analysis that includes word balance, length, sentiment and more. You’ll immediately see how to improve your headline to inspire your audience to click through.
15. KeywordTool.io
Although your main keyword should be included in your content, you should also add a couple supporting keywords or key phrases for optimization. Find those supporting keywords by using KeywordTool.io. After you enter your main keyword, this app will immediately generate a list of additional keywords to sprinkle throughout your content.
Looking to Make Content Creation Even Simpler?
With these tools inside your content creation toolkit, you’ll be able to simplify and improve your content creation process. Want to make content creation even simpler? Stuck on what to write next? We can help. Reach out to our team of Word Nerds by sending us a message.
