Whereas no content material advertising device can substitute a strong technique and gifted people, having the best tech stack can definitely assist you to get the job completed higher, simpler, and extra effectively.
There are lots of of content material advertising instruments obtainable – some free or low-cost – and a few very costly. In addition they serve tons of various functions, from content material ideation to manufacturing to promotion, optimization, and extra. The content marketing technology landscape is rising yearly.
That is thrilling, because it signifies that when you have an issue, you’ll be able to most likely discover a software program answer that will help you remedy it. But it surely’s additionally overwhelming. How have you learnt which of the couple of hundred instruments are price attempting?
This publish will assist make clear these selections for you. We’ll define the highest content material advertising instruments obtainable now.
The Greatest Content material Advertising and marketing Instruments
- HubSpot
- WordPress
- Google Docs
- Planable
- Infinity
- Airstory
- Grammarly
- Yoast
- Buzzsumo
- Ahrefs
- Brafton
- Vidyard
- Loom
- Movavi
- Trello
- Airtable
- Google Analytics
- HotJar
- Google Optimize
- Mutiny
- The Shares.IM
- Canva
- Adobe Photoshop
- SquidVision
1. Marketing Hub
Greatest for: Consolidating a number of content material advertising instruments into one centralized location.
What we like: HubSpot’s array of instruments and methods develop together with your enterprise, permitting you to scale seamlessly.
HubSpot affords many content material advertising instruments, and lots of of them are free to strive. These embody:
Along with free content material advertising instruments, should you actually wish to construct a development machine, HubSpot has a world-class CMS and probably the most highly effective marketing automation platform within the trade and lets you centralize every little thing inside a free CRM. Because of this, at each degree of an organization’s development, HubSpot has an answer that may assist you to construct your content material advertising program.
HubSpot additionally makes merchandise for gross sales and repair groups. As such, it might probably actually be the bottom management to your entire enterprise.
2. WordPress
Greatest for: Running a blog, publishing editorial content material, and creating portfolios.
What we like: The customizable templates are simple to make use of, permitting customers to construct an internet site rapidly. Plus, it integrates with a number of plug-ins to take your work to the following degree.
WordPress is probably the most extensively used CMS on the planet. Search Engine Journal studies that WordPress powers about 39.5% of all websites on the net.
Social proof can generally lead us astray, however on this case, it seems that WordPress is a reasonably highly effective device, each at first phases and as you develop your content material advertising program (and it’s used by websites like The New Yorker and The Next Web).
At its core, WordPress is an open-source CMS that lets you host and construct web sites. You can self-host or host your site via WordPress.com. WordPress comprises plugin architecture and a template system so you’ll be able to customise any web site to suit your enterprise, weblog, portfolio, or on-line retailer.
It’s a extremely customizable platform and is extensively utilized by bloggers.
3. Google Docs
Greatest for: Modifying and collaborating with content material writers.
Why we prefer it: It’s free, extensively used, and easy to get began. If you should use phrase processor purposes, Google Docs is a must have.
Google Docs is to content material advertising what a kitchen is to cooks: it’s the place the entire work will get completed earlier than the ultimate presentation.
Personally, I don’t know any content material entrepreneurs who don’t use Google Docs to draft their articles. It’s the perfect platform for collaboration by a protracted shot, but it surely’s additionally simple to make use of and has a pleasing consumer expertise.
You possibly can simply share paperwork together with your crew with just some clicks. Moreover, you can provide modifying entry to particular folks and examine their feedback through the use of the “options” and “feedback” options.
As well as, you’ll be able to often discover a solution to add Google Docs on to your CMS. Within the case of HubSpot, you are able to do that by default. If you happen to use WordPress, you should use a device like Wordable that will help you out.
Google Docs is free, fairly ubiquitous, and nice to make use of. Not many causes to not use it.
4. Planable
Greatest for: Inside and exterior content material planning and collaboration
Why we prefer it: Planable helps streamline planning, creating, reviewing, and collaborating on content material throughout a number of channels: social media, blogs, newsletters, and many others for each inner groups and company shopper work.
Planable’s Common Content material is a bundle of options that assist advertising groups create top-notch content material of any type with out having the continual backwards and forwards between your groups. You possibly can create visible content material calendars and content material planning in real-time. Each venture can add tailor-made approval workflows that are an enormous time saver for working with purchasers and exterior groups. Every member might be assigned customized roles and permissions that enable checks and balances as nicely.
5. Airstory
Greatest for: Writing tutorial papers and amassing analysis.
Why we prefer it: Put author’s block to a halt with Airstory. This app simply organizes and exports your notes, concepts, and analysis multi functional spot.
If you happen to do wish to step up your writing and collaboration recreation, Airstory is a extra highly effective platform for writers. If you end up shifting too typically between Evernote, Google Docs, Google Drive, and also you at all times appear to have 100 tabs open for analysis, it may be time to look into Airstory.
It helps you save quotes, pictures, and multimedia and drag and drop it into any writing utility. As such, it’s an unbelievable device for collaboration, but additionally for writers w
6. Infinity
Greatest for: Organizing and collaborating on content material administration tasks.
Why we prefer it: The Infinity platform is designed to foster crew collaboration, with flexibility and scalability at its core. You’ve the liberty to construction it in a method that fits your particular wants and hold your crew on monitor with all content material advertising duties.
You possibly can simply create duties, assign them to your crew, and handle deadlines with just some clicks. Plus, there are 7 methods to view your content material plan in a method that fits you greatest — be it on a Kanban board, a calendar, or a easy checklist.
You’ve the flexibility so as to add feedback on to duties and examine the whole dialogue associated to every piece of content material. Moreover, there are automations obtainable that may be fairly helpful should you want to automate guide duties or set reminders for vital content material.
The software program additionally helps integrations with varied different instruments to offer a extra seamless workflow, whether or not you are utilizing Google Calendar to your posts or a CMS for publishing. Add to the combo over 50 templates that will help you get began, and also you’ve obtained an all-encompassing device that makes working a breeze.
7. Grammarly
Greatest for: Modifying and proofreading content material items earlier than publication.
Why we prefer it: Grammarly works throughout a number of communication mediums, from electronic mail to paperwork to social media.
Grammarly has modified the sport for me. I’m not naturally what you’d name “detail-oriented,” so if it weren’t for gifted editors, you’d be tearing me aside proper now for the multitude of grammar errors littering my articles.
Grammarly, nevertheless, reduces my error price by most likely 50-80%. I nonetheless have some errors slip by means of, however to a big extent, Grammarly saves me from embarrassment (not simply when writing articles, by the best way — it additionally works for social media and discussion board feedback).
Their browser extension works with Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, and affords a primary grammar and punctuation plan free of charge.
8. Yoast
Greatest for: Writing for SEO (Web optimization).
Why we prefer it: Yoast is straightforward to make use of and top-of-the-line Web optimization WordPress plugins obtainable.
Yoast is certainly one of my favourite instruments for writing Web optimization-focused content material.
It’s a type of “all-in-one” WordPress plugin for Web optimization that helps do just about every little thing, together with optimizing content material for a key phrase, previewing and modifying meta-descriptions and URL slugs, abstracting away technical Web optimization duties, and suggesting related inner hyperlinks. The straightforward pink, yellow, and inexperienced indicators make it simple to determine should you’ve optimized your web page appropriately, or what might use extra work.
They’ve over 9,000,000 downloads, 4.9 out of 5 stars within the WordPress market, and simply anecdotally, everybody I do know who makes use of WordPress makes use of Yoast. It’s only a nice plugin.
9. Buzzsumo
Greatest for: Finishing up content material analysis and monitoring efficiency metrics.
Why we prefer it: Buzzsumo takes the guesswork out of influencer advertising and content material curation, a bonus for these brief on time.
Buzzsumo is a good multi-purpose content material advertising analysis device.
One of many major issues it might probably do is assist you to analyze what content material performs greatest for any matter or competitor. You possibly can see metrics like social shares, backlinks, and which influencers are sharing a given piece of content material.
For content material technique wants, Buzzsumo will also be used to search out what matters are trending throughout varied platforms and the sorts of headlines which might be receiving probably the most traction with engagement.
In addition they have nice influencer studies so you’ll be able to see who the thought leaders are for a given matter space.
10. Ahrefs

Greatest for: Finishing key phrase analysis.
Why we prefer it: Ahrefs can be utilized for primary Web optimization analysis, but additionally deal with extra in-depth tasks like efficiency studies. These studies might be set to the cadence of your alternative so that you’re at all times within the loop.
Ahrefs is my private favourite Web optimization device, and I exploit it nearly daily. It’s nice for every little thing from monitoring the rankings of your key phrases to analyzing your opponents’ key phrases and visitors and far more.
Each time I believe I’ve mastered the total performance of Ahrefs, I discover a new function that surprises and delights me. The fundamentals, reminiscent of key phrase analysis or website analyzer, are great. However I additionally love studies like “high pages” (the place you’ll be able to analyze probably the most invaluable pages on an internet site), or “content material hole” (the place you’ll be able to see what opponents rank for that you simply don’t).
11. Brafton
Greatest for: Finish-to-end administration of content material advertising workflows.
Why we prefer it: Brafton is a uncommon, full-end content material advertising platform that helps you handle every little thing from ideation to reporting.
Brafton supplies a singular content material advertising platform with plug-and-play venture administration instruments that will help you handle the whole content material advertising life cycle, ideation, publication, reporting, and extra.
With easy-to-use instruments, you can begin utilizing Brafton on day one with none setups or configurations. Since you’ll be able to deal with the whole content material advertising funnel, you have got entry to numerous instruments you want from in-app messaging, content material calendars, marketing campaign and venture set-up, content material libraries, content material scheduling and extra.
When you launch a brand new venture, Brafton additionally supplies in-depth analytics and crew efficiency KPIs which you could combine with fashionable instruments like Google Analytics, Search Console, SEMrush, and extra.
12. Vidyard
Greatest for: Creating B2B advertising movies, digital advertising, and content material creation.
Why we prefer it: Vidyard’s analytics and personalization options not solely assist companies perceive how their content material is performing, but additionally demonstrates how one can leverage it to spice up engagement.
Vidyard is a video advertising platform that helps you host, share, and promote video content material in your web site.
They’ve a gross sales answer as nicely that will help you shut extra accounts, however the advertising answer is what I’m most used to. Vidyard’s video analytics are sturdy.You possibly can run A/B tests and personalize movies, and you may even gate movies at a sure time size to assist capture leads.
Moreover, they’ll simply optimize your movies for Web optimization and combine with varied CRM, electronic mail, and social platforms.
13. Loom
Greatest for: Creating video shows and tutorials.
Why we prefer it: Loom is flexible and user-friendly. Put it to use to simply reply questions or clarify complicated matters that require a visible help.
Loom is a device that I’ve extra lately begun utilizing, however at this level it’s a staple for me.
It’s a easy device, however one with highly effective use instances, even past content material advertising. What it does is mean you can create, edit, document your display, and share movies. For content material advertising, I like this, as a result of I can create and embed tutorials for technical walkthroughs.
Organizationally, I find it irresistible as nicely. It’s nice for speaking fast questions or explaining ideas to different crew members (with out requiring a full, synchronous assembly).
14. Movavi
Greatest for: Finances-friendly video editors for learners
Why we prefer it: I personally discover Movavi Video Editor to be an excellent choice for newbie video editors who wish to create professional-looking movies with out prior expertise. The intuitive interface and pre-made templates make it extremely simple to supply high-quality movies in a brief period of time and with out breaking the financial institution.
I particularly respect that Movavi Video Editor affords each video and picture modifying instruments, permitting me to work with various kinds of media in a single program, which in the end saves me time and streamlines my workflow. Moreover, the pre-made templates give my movies a cultured {and professional} look, even when I haven’t got any design abilities.
Past its primary options, Movavi Video Editor additionally has some spectacular add-ons, reminiscent of AI background removing, AI movement monitoring, and 8x AI upscaling. These instruments take your movies to the following degree and supply an additional degree of polish to your content material, no matter your degree of experience in video modifying.
15. Trello

Greatest for: Preserving monitor of duties and venture administration.
Why we prefer it: Trello places your entire crew’s tasks in a single place and is customizable sufficient to develop together with your altering wants.
While you actually begin producing content material, you’ll want some solution to handle the method. That is significantly true should you’re working with many employees writers or visitor writers.
My favourite device for that is Trello.
Trello is an easy kanban and venture administration device, which suggests it may be used for a lot of functions. In truth, I’ve used it for tons of issues, like development experiments, gross sales pipelines, and product function roadmaps.
16. Airtable
Greatest for: Managing duties and databases.
Why we prefer it: Airtable is nice for storing plenty of information (good day, spreadsheets) in a single place and utilizing custom-made filters to type it.
Airtable is one other venture administration device, although it’s a bit of extra sophisticated (although additionally customizable). It’s type of like a combination between spreadsheets and Trello. Once more, with Airtable, the use instances are many, however I actually prefer it for 2 content material advertising functions:
- Editorial calendars
- Influencer/author administration
- Advertising and marketing marketing campaign monitoring
I’ve additionally used Airtable for a number of different issues previously, together with development experiments and basic crew working paperwork.
17. Google Analytics
Greatest for: Understanding your viewers and monitoring website metrics.
Why we prefer it: Google Analytics is ubiquitous, free, and straightforward to make use of. Use it to see how folks discovered your website and observe customer habits.
When speaking about content material advertising instruments, you’ll be able to’t depart measurement out of the dialogue.
Positive, you will get some good insights from Web optimization instruments like Google Search Console in addition to beforehand listed instruments like Ahrefs. However you’ll additionally need a digital analytics platform so you’ll be able to monitor enterprise metrics.
Google Analytics is likely one of the most generally used platforms on-line. It’s easy-to-use (a minimum of the essential configurations), and it’s free. Two huge advantages.
Nevertheless, it’s additionally very highly effective should you’re technical and know how one can arrange a correct configuration. Not solely are you able to monitor objectives, like type submissions or product purchases, however you can too set up behavioral events, like scroll-depth.
Better of all, you don’t need to do a lot to get entry to all of this information. Merely arrange your Google Analytics account, copy the code supplied to your web site, and also you’re good to go. Google Analytics will robotically begin monitoring the info out of your web site.
18. Hotjar
Greatest for: Understanding customer habits in your web site.
Why we prefer it: Hotjar’s tools enable enterprise house owners to get an correct learn on how guests expertise their website. It’s nice for entrepreneurs, designers, and researchers.
Hotjar is my favourite consumer expertise analytics device. It’s obtained some qualitative instruments, reminiscent of on-site ballot, surveys, and session replays. The place Google Analytics will help you uncover the “what” and “the place” of consumer habits, Hotjar’s instruments will help you begin to tiptoe into the “why.”
As well as, additionally they present some quantitative instruments reminiscent of warmth maps. These mean you can get a superb visible image of the place your guests are clicking and scrolling.
One use case I like HotJar (outdoors of CRO) for is to supply fascinating content material concepts:

Within the instance above, follow-up questions are requested primarily based on what customers answered to a earlier query. Their responses can then be used to tell your content material going ahead.
19. Google Optimize
Greatest for: A/B testing modifications to your website’s pages.
Why we prefer it: Google Optimize harnesses the facility of their analytics and statistical instruments to assist companies discover what your website guests interact with most and hone in on areas that want enchancment. Statistical modeling instruments simulate real-world efficiency for any checks you’d wish to carry out.
We’ve obtained a quantitative digital analytics device (Google Analytics) and a qualitative insights platform (Hotjar), so we presumably can know quite a bit about our readers and our web site at this level. However what if we wish to make a change to our weblog or touchdown pages?
My background is in optimization, so if there’s ample visitors, I wish to arrange A/B checks for website modifications.
There are a lot of instruments on the market for this, however I needed to checklist Google Optimize as a result of it’s free. It’s additionally a superb starter choice to get used to. If you happen to do wish to discover different choices, here’s a good article evaluating the market options. However Google Optimize is a good begin.
20. Mutiny
Greatest for: Personalizing B2B web sites.
Why we prefer it: Mutiny leverages sensible, AI-driven expertise to assist information content material suggestions. Its web site personalization options enable customers to rapidly change their web site and see leads to actual time.
A/B testing is one factor; personalization can be an fascinating avenue to discover.
The place A/B testing is a managed experiment with a restricted time-horizon, personalization lets you ship completely different distinctive experiences to subsets of your general viewers.
For instance, you might goal cellular customers with completely different popup kinds. Or you might goal guests who’ve learn three weblog posts with a proposal for a particular e book. Moreover, you might goal individuals who scroll 75% of the best way down a sure weblog publish with an in-text CTA.
The choices are countless, solely restricted by your time, assets, creativity, and prioritization.
Anyway, Mutiny is my favourite platform on this house. It’s designed for B2B, so should you’re in ecommerce, you might wish to take a look at one other device like Content Hub . However Mutiny is an effective and promising newer participant with plenty of performance.
21. TheStocks.IM
Greatest for: Sourcing inventory pictures and free pictures.
Why we prefer it: TheStocks.IM aggregates a number of free picture websites into one place, saving you time.
Most good content material advertising contains imagery, so it solely is sensible to incorporate a inventory picture website right here in our checklist of content material advertising instruments.
I like TheStocks.IM as a result of it aggregates a number of free inventory picture websites, together with Unsplash (my favourite) and Pixabay. Simply sort within the matter or object you’re trying to find into the search field, and it’ll pull up pictures throughout all of the platforms it sources from.
22. Canva
Greatest for: Designing your personal advertising supplies.
Why we prefer it: Canva’s intuitive UI permits design novices to simply create infographics and different supplies appropriate for print supplies, social media posts, and running a blog platforms.
What about when a inventory picture doesn’t lower it, and also you wish to make your personal imagery?
Canva is a good choice right here.
With Canva, you actually don’t have to have glorious graphic design abilities. I’m a horrible designer, and I could make respectable trying graphics with Canva. It’s actually designed for the layperson.
This device is nice for every kind of content material advertising imagery, like social media pictures, weblog cowl pictures, Twitter cowl pictures, and many others. It’s fairly all-purpose.
Begin with certainly one of their templates or create a brand new design from scratch. If you happen to can drag and drop, you’ll be able to create supplies utilizing Canva.
23. Adobe Photoshop
Greatest for: Modifying pictures and pictures, and designing customized supplies.
Why we prefer it: The makes use of for Photoshop are countless. Mastering this design device will make your supplies look skilled and offer you extra autonomy over the sorts of designs you should use.
Now, what if you wish to make your personal imagery, however you really are good at graphic design?
Effectively, on this case, Photoshop is the gold customary. It’s nice for modifying pictures in addition to creating pictures reminiscent of Fb pictures, weblog cowl pictures, and even screenshot tutorials.
I discover that a bit of little bit of ability with Photoshop goes a great distance. Mastering Photoshop will enable companies and advertising groups to create customized designs and supplies to swimsuit their wants as a substitute of being tied to a specific template or format.
24. SquidVision
Greatest for: Auditing your content material advertising to see how a lot income every weblog publish generates.
Why we prefer it: Squidvision is nice to content material advertising and optimizing the ROI in your content material. If you happen to’re curious on how a lot income their Web optimization efforts are driving, SquidVision is ideal answer.
Why we prefer it: SquidVision works like a heatmap device, producing snapshots of your weblog posts and monitoring clicks and income from any weblog publish or web page. There are many heatmap instruments on the market, nevertheless, what makes SquidVision so particular is that it tracks and attributes income to every web page, button, and hyperlink. This implies you’ll be able to actually see how a lot income each weblog publish has generated, and even higher you’ll be able to see which Calls To Motion within the weblog publish are producing income. Then you’ll be able to optimize the CTA’s that aren’t getting the job completed.
You possibly can hover over any income bubble on a heatmap and it’ll generate an even bigger income bubble with a breakdown of clicks, trial sign-ups and income for that button or hyperlink.
Content material Advertising and marketing Instruments Gained’t Save a Dangerous Content material Technique
… however they’ll definitely assist you to get the job completed sooner and extra successfully.
Though there are lots of extra content material advertising instruments on the market, this checklist sums up the perfect instruments for many advertising wants. Attempt them out and watch them improve your content material creation technique and execution.
This text was initially revealed March 4, 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.