Creating content with SEO (search engine optimization) is easier with the right tools. To rank on Google today, you’ll need a strong backlink profile, the right keyword research and optimization, topic clusters, on-page SEO, and quality content that loads fast and provides the user a great experience.
For new bloggers, this means spending a lot of time on task with manual research and free tools for a while. Once you have the budget, you can work up to more advanced tools.
Content writing tools for SEO
Frase
One of the tools I use when creating content is Frase. It’s an amazing SEO content research tool that incorporates an SEO scoring system and data from Wikipedia, Google search engines, and the top 20 competing blogs for a specific keyword. It helps you write content so that it’s rich in keywords, the overall SEO score is high, and the data from the search engines matches up.
Frase gives you a content brief complete with frequently asked questions, popular headers, statistics, external links, expected word count, and more.
If you add the SEO upgrade, you also get an AI writing assistant that helps write the content with you.
You can take a free trial of Frase.
Jasper
Jasper is an AI writing assistant that helps you create optimized titles, blog intro paragraphs, meta descriptions, calls to action, and more. Simply give Jasper (formally known as Jarvis), a keyword, prompt, add a tone of voice, and it will start writing for you. You can edit it to your liking and access the results from your email or the Jasper dashboard online.
Google Analytics
Google analytics comes in handy once you have some articles already ranking. It helps you see which keywords you’re ranking for and where your traffic is coming from This data can then give you insights into what topics to create more content about.
Google Analytics is free.
Google search console
The same goes for Google’s search console, but instead of just giving insight into what you’re ranking for, it also gives insights into who is linking to your site. This data shows which keywords people use in their anchor text when they’re linking to your site. In other words, this will reveal the types of keywords that you’re ranking for organically.
Google search console is free.
Grammarly
I include Grammarly for SEO content because readability matters. Before publishing a blog post or article, I always run it through Grammarly first. Grammarly also has a chrome extension that helps check typos as I type. Many bloggers often make typos, use the wrong words, or even leave out spaces between sentences. Grammarly helps catch all of that for you.
The free version will do just fine since it has grammar and spelling checks. The advanced version adds in plagiarism checks, contextual spellings (the right word based on the context), punctuation, and even sentence structure.
Grammarly is a freemium tool which means it’s free but has upgrade options.
But is Grammarly Premium worth it?
Google Trends
Often times you might be tempted to write about a hot topic, but Google trends can show you how search volume for a specific keyword fluctuates over time. If it’s a seasonal trend, this will help determine when to publish your content is the best time.
Google Trends is free.
Market Muse
Market Muse is a tool that uses AI to help with content research, creation, and optimization. It can help you find keywords, see how search volume for those keywords fluctuates over time, and even optimize your content using that data.
Marketmuse if a freemium tool that has paid upgrades.
SEMrush
SEMrush is a keyword research tool that can help find out which keywords you’re already ranked for, identify your competitors’ rankings, and find keywords with the highest search volume. It also shows you information regarding these keywords, such as how many backlinks they have, their domain authority, page authority, estimated visits per month, and much more.
SEMrush is a freemium tool that has paid upgrades.
Google Keyword Planner
The Google keyword planner is your best friend regarding SEO content. This free tool helps you get new keywords, search volume for keywords, and even check how many people search for them on Google worldwide or in specific countries.
Google Keyword planner is free), but you must have a Google ads account.
Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO is a free tool for keyword research. It’s not as advanced as many others on this list but has the basics such as search volume and CPC (cost per click) data. This tool will help you find cheaper keywords to rank organically, which can be helpful when setting your budget.
Surfer SEO pricing is available in 3 monthly and annual plans.
Check out the awesome integration between Surfer SEO and Jasper AI.
Yoast SEO
Yoast is an all-in-one SEO tool with features that help you optimize search engine content.
You can use Yoast SEO to make sure your meta titles and descriptions are appropriate, check what keywords you should be used on certain pages of your site, see how many times the keyword is mentioned throughout your post, view related keywords, and make sure there aren’t any SEO related errors on your site.
Yoast SEO is a freemium tool that has paid upgrades.
But is Yoast Premium Worth It?
Squirrly SEO
Squirrly SEO is an all-in-one content creation and optimization tool. It has 3 modules: (1) Search & Keyword – helps you find keywords, see how many monthly searches they get, and estimate how much traffic they can drive to your site; (2) Social Media – creates engaging social media posts with the keyword you choose; (3) Post Analysis – gives your post a score on how well it’s optimized for certain keywords.
Squirrly SEO is also available in 3 monthly and annual plans.
SpyFu
SpyFu can help with competitive keyword research, backlink analysis, and even domain comparison. This tool will show you your competitor’s backlink profile, what keywords they’re ranking for, and how much traffic their site gets.
Spyfu is a freemium tool with paid upgrades.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a keyword research tool that will help you find keywords with the highest search volume and lowest competition. It’s a great tool to use if you’re doing long-tail SEO.
Ubersuggest is a freemium tool with available upgrades.
Compare Ubersuggest vs. SEMrush
Hemmingway App
The Hemmingway App is a readability and content analysis tool. It helps you simplify your sentence structure and choose the right words to use in your writing. This tool can help make your copy more concise, readable, and of higher quality overall.
Hemmingway app is a freemium tool that has paid upgrades.
KWFinder
KWFinder is a long-tail keyword research tool that helps you find keywords that drive the most traffic and have low competition.
KWFinder is a freemium tool with available upgrades.
Wordtracker
Wordtracker helps give suggestions for related keywords to use in your content and locates the best search terms based on the keywords you input. Wordtracker has a database of more than 2 billion keywords, which is one of the largest databases out there.
Wordtracker is a paid tool that offers monthly and annual subscriptions.
AIOSEO
AIO SEO is an all-in-one tool that has features such as keyword research, page speed analysis, backlinks analysis, social sharing analysis, link popularity checker, Keyword Grader for Google ranking factors, and website clones.
AIOSEOComplete pricing is available on AIO’s site.
SEOScout
SEO Scout is an online platform that provides users with insights into their website’s SEO performance and countless opportunities for improvement. It covers all aspects of SEO, from keyword research to on-page optimization and backlink analysis, as well as competitor analysis. Additionally, it offers a range of features to help you improve your website’s SEO ranking, including page speed analysis, social media analysis, and link popularity checker.
SEOScout pricing comes in 3 packages.
Topic
The goal of a content brief is to give an overview of the topic in question. The speed at which editors and agencies can write content briefs may be drastically reduced by utilizing a topical outline.
Topic uses the top 30 results in Google for the focus keyword you enter, to identify what headings, questions, and keywords you should include in your post.
To spin your topic into a comprehensive outline, use Topic’s Outline Builder. The AI generates innovative suggestions for you.
Use the Content Grader in Topic to discover what your post is lacking quickly. Make a feedback loop that guarantees that each piece provides the information your audience is looking for.
These AI tools aren’t cheap, but Topic does offer several pricing plans.
Clearscope
In order to drive organic traffic, content must go beyond simply shareable, clickable, and readable. Clearscope helps you create content that is highly relevant to what people are looking for.
Clearscope is pricey. It’s not a beginner’s tool. There are several pricing plans available. From what I can see at first glance, it’s very similar to Frase.
RYTR
RYTR is a blogging tool that uses AI to help you create content. You can choose a theme and RYTR will suggest new blog titles, subheadings, and topics for your post.
You’ll never have to worry about writer’s block again because we’ve got you covered. From blogs to emails to ad copy, auto-generate catchy, unique, and high-converting versions in popular tones & languages in just a few seconds. Simply choose a use case, provide some context, and… your text is finished!
RYTR is a freemium tool with upgrades available.
Content Harmony
Content Harmony’s content briefs method ensures that your writers create comprehensive content that addresses related keywords, entities, and key SEO and brand requirements.
This is a tool for content teams.
https://www.contentharmony.com/
Outranking
Outranking.io is a content-centric outranking technology that helps to increase the return on investment for your content by accelerating the performance of writer productivity, SERP analysis, strong SEO scoring, and AI writing assistance.
It creates strong SEO-optimized outlines utilizing AI by mapping connected keywords and highest frequency words to the headlines.
Did we miss anything? Which tools do you use to create SEO content? Let us know in the comments below!
