Humans have been writing on stuff for more than 5000 years. Our writing tools have evolved with us, from reed quills to pen and paper to typewriters to computers. Now, we have various editing tools that help us articulate our ideas in a clear, engaging tone. Editing tools simplify the writing process by helping with ideation, proofreading, research, and editing. With the help of these tools, we can create content that people will love to read and share. Selecting the best writing software programs is not easy as it’s hard to evaluate them objectively. So, we are here to help you make an informed decision. We have a list of the 6 best content writing tools for SEO below. Let’s go!
Content Writing Tools for SEO
1) ProWritingAid
ProWritingAid is a spell checker, editor, and writing mentor all in one tool. As it is correcting your writing, it also examines your work to draw 20 analytics reports. This editing tool lets you edit wherever you write. It comes with a great desktop writing app and plugins for MS Word, Chrome, Google Docs, Firefox, and Safari. Also, if you are writing for work, it integrates with various sales and helpdesk apps, including Salesforce, Zendesk, Pipedrive, etc.
Cost:
ProWritingAid offers three pricing plans, $20 for Monthly, $79 for Yearly, and $399 for Lifetime. Additionally, to buy their plagiarism checker, you can opt for the Premium Plus plan worth $24 monthly.
Key Features:
- There’s no limit on word count.
- You get real-time grammar and style suggestions.
- Writers can find a resource library.
- You get 20 analytics reports.
- You get readability, consistency, and suggestions for overused words.
- You also get in-app videos and quizzes to sharpen your writing skills.
- It comes with a contextual thesaurus and Word Explorer feature.
- You can customize style guides and dictionaries.
Pros:
- It helps you improve your writing technique.
- It can be used with most operating systems, including Windows and Mac.
- You get proactive support.
- You also get advanced features at basic prices.
Cons:
- If you are editing a large document it becomes sluggish.
- It doesn’t have a mobile keyboard.
2) Grammarly
While talking about content writing tools, one cannot ignore Grammarly. Although you can find a lot of Grammarly alternatives nothing beats the original when it comes to editing. Grammarly offers to check your documents for wordiness, readability, and plagiarism (Premium version only). However, they recently launched a Beta version that is compatible with Google Docs and also shows phrasal predictions. This editing tool suggests better choices of words and flags spelling mistakes as you are writing. You can check definitions and synonyms of particular words by double-clicking on them. With the help of all these features, you can enhance your writing in a big way.
Cost:
Grammarly’s free version comes with limited features, such as checking for spelling errors and conciseness. You can buy their Premium plan for $29.95 monthly or pay upfront for a year where the monthly price comes down to $11.66.
Key Features:
- It has an automated grammar checker.
- It offers a Grammarly keyboard that error-proofs your emails and social captions.
- It comes with plagiarism detection and readability scoring.
- Grammarly has an MS-Office plugin.
- You can get a free browser extension.
Pros:
- It has a great mobile keyboard.
- You can edit online fast.
- It has premium features.
- Also, has extensive learning resources on their blog.
Cons:
- Their plans are pricey.
- You don’t get any support for offline editing.
3) Microsoft Word
One of the best writing tools on our list is Microsoft Word, a word-processing veteran. Anyone can use Microsoft Word. You don’t have to be an expert to know how this tool works. However, MS Word can also translate your document into non-native languages, or that it can publish newsletters on the web.
Cost:
You can purchase Microsoft Word for personal use, you can buy the MS-Office 365 pack just for $9.99 monthly or $99 yearly. This content writing tool can accommodate up to 6 users on Mac or PC.
Key Features:
- It comes with easy web publishing and one-click translation.
- It has 3D models and SmartArt.
- You are allowed to embed external objects.
- MS Word can read your document back to you, which can help spot errors and aid reading comprehension.
- It has a review mode to help editors.
- This is a desktop app.
Pros:
- It comes with powerful formatting options.
- It has slick templates for invitations, brochures, etc.
- MS Word has print and publishing capabilities.
- This tool is compatible with most platforms.
- You get robust support through tutorial videos, in-app FAQs, and blogs.
Cons:
- However, if you open older documents, the version mismatch can skew with the formatting.
- It has no phrasal auto-fill.
- The watermarking is done poorly.
4) Google Docs
Google Docs is one of the best writing tools out there. This content writing tool comes bundled with Google Slides and Google Sheets in G Suite by Google. As it’s a cloud-based editor, it lets you access and edits your documents anytime, anywhere you want. That too for FREE! You can edit offline on tablets, PCs, and mobile phones. Google Docs is the best writing tool even if you want to create content for business or personal use.
Cost:
For personal use, it’s free. However, businesses can go for a 14-day free trial, after which they’ll have to create a G Suite business account. The pricing details are available on request.
Key Features:
- Its cloud-based feature enables editing on the go.
- You get hundreds of pre-made templates for reports, resumes, and more.
- It allows collaboration through shareable links, chats, and comments.
- It lets you add links, videos, snippets, images, and other rich media.
- You get intelligent phrasal suggestions (new feature).
- Your documents are autosaved.
- You also get version histories, which are sorted date-wise.
- It’s compatible with Microsoft Word.
- It comes with a built-in Google Search.
Pros:
- It comes with good collaborative features.
- You get hassle-free content saving.
- Best of all, it’s free of cost for individuals.
- You get 24/7 support.
- Let you integrate with Google Search and Microsoft Word.
- Your document can be easily restored.
- It has a free branded Gmail account with G Suite business plans.
Cons:
- Adding and editing images is quite labor-intensive.
- It comes with fewer formatting options compared to MS Word.
5) Hemingway Edito
This is another content writing tool that we vouch for, it’s the Hemingway Editor.
This content writing tool was rightly named after the world-renowned author, Ernest Hemingway. This editor is a favorite among book writers and authors all around the world. It doesn’t matter if you write short-form or long-form content because this editing tool’s got you covered! You can prove all sorts of content using the tool, ranging from whitepapers to social media captions. This content editor analyzes your content, sentence by sentence, and indicates its readability by using color-coding. Also, it highlights wordiness and voice issues. After some time, your writing skills sharpen.
Cost:
The online editor version of it is completely free. But, you can get the desktop app for a one-time payment of $19.99, which is available for both Mac and Windows.
Key Features:
- It flags all unnecessary adverbs.
- It provides you with simpler phrasal alternatives.
- This tool indicates readability level and reading time.
- You are allowed to add links.
- It supports many export formats.
- You can directly publish content.
- Also, available as a desktop app.
Pros:
- This a real-time online editor.
- You can publish directly to WordPress and Medium (only through the app).
- It has advanced readability analysis.
- This editor is also more affordable than its peers.
Cons:
- It doesn’t have a browser plugin.
- It is also not as full-featured as ProWritingAid and Grammarly.
- There’s no cloud backup available.
6) WriteMonkey
If you are looking for distraction-free writing and editing, WriteMonkey or WM is the best writing tool. This is one of the oldest style editors in the market. WM is well known for its minimalist work environment that it provides. Hence, why it’s deemed a necessary productivity tool for all writing professionals. It's primarily meant for editing, although it does come with some publication and organizational features. Therefore, if you’re old-school and do not prefer any gimmicky features, you should most definitely go for WM.
Cost:
This editing tool is free to download however it only works with Windows. WM 3, which is the latest edition, works with most OS and can be installed with a WM donor key.
Key Features:
- This is a plain text editor.
- It enables markdown.
- It directly converts text to HTML.
- The autosave option saves after files every 10 seconds.
- You can replicate the typewriter experience.
Pros:
- It has a clean interface.
- It’s keyboard-friendly and has plenty of shortcuts.
- This editor is extremely lightweight and portable (can be stored in a pen drive).
- You can 100 percent customize the interface.
Cons:
- There’s no user manual.
- You get only a few publication features.
In Conclusion:
Choosing which writing tool is the best for you depends on your specific needs. While some of these tools are good at detecting grammar flaws, others help you stay organized and productive. Since most of these content tools offer free trials, there’s no harm in trying them out! Right?
