Must-Have Productivity Tools for Content Creators & Entrepreneurs

If you’re trying to sell something to me, promise me that it’ll make my life easier, and I’m already there. Whether it’s a new way to organize my pantry or manage my business finally, I am all about systems that work. As with other aspects of life, if you’re looking to take your content or business to the next level, you’ll need the right tools to help you get there. This article will cover some of the best content creation and productivity tools you may want to add to your toolbox.

SocialBee.io

SocialBee is my favorite social scheduler for Facebook and Instagram business accounts (not creator accounts). With this platform, you can create a library of content, choose how you’d like to schedule your categories, and then let their system automate the rest. You can choose for content to be posted one time or added to a queue to be reused automatically at a later date. New content is added to the top of the queue, ensuring that timely items are always shared first.

SocialBee, like most scheduling platforms, has a scaling fee based on the number of accounts you need, and it’s so worth it. I’ve been using it for years, recommend it often, and would absolutely purchase it all over again.

FocusMate

FocusMate is a virtual coworking platform. As someone with executive function issues, I adore everything about this, and I’ve found the accountability of this platform to be especially helpful when I’m having trouble getting started.

If you’re unfamiliar, essentially, you hop on at a scheduled time (or on the fly!) and are paired with another person who is also planning to work or study. At the beginning of the video chat, you share what you’re working on, [usually] mute your mic, and get to work. Once your time is up, there is a gentle bell to let you know; you unmute your mic, follow up with how the session went for you (did you meet your goal?), and then you’re done. If you need another session, you can always do that. I’ve done singles and a few back-to-backs when staying on task was important but a little beyond my grasp.

You can also add people to your favorites to be paired with them again when the timing aligns. If you’re a FocusMate user and would like to add me, please feel free. There will be cats.

FocusMate is free to use for three sessions per week. However, if you want unlimited access, their monthly fee is extremely reasonable.

LinkWhisper

For WordPress users, LinkWhisper makes optimizing internal links a breeze. I’m usually pretty good about knowing where I want to add links to existing content, but getting existing content updated to link to relevant new content is a lot more time-consuming, not to mention it’s so hard to think of every place it’s applicable. LinkWhisper runs a quick report on your content and then offers suggestions on placement that you can accept, edit, or reject. It also provides a URL replacement tool which has been time-saving when brands change affiliate programs or link structures.

LinkWhisper is another paid tool, and so very worth it if you create website content.

Canva

I’m sure you’ve read about this one or maybe already use their free version, but Canva is a fantastic graphic design tool and it’s worth repeating. It’s perfect for creating all sorts of visual content like social media graphics, infographics, logos, flyers, videos, and more. It’s available for iOS and Android and offers a wide range of templates, fonts, and assets to choose from.

Canva is free to use, but Canva Pro (paid) comes with a lot of features that can help you batch content —  saving you time and helping to keep your branding consistent. I’m an Adobe Suite stan, and even I have come around to appreciating this platform and its many capabilities.

Grammarly

This tool helps you improve your writing by helping you avoid common mistakes. Grammarly is available as a Chrome extension / browser plugin and desktop application so that you can check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation as you write. It’s a must-have for anyone who wants to create content that is more professional and easier to read.

SEO WordPress Plugins

There are many great SEO (search engine optimization) plugins: RankMath, Yoast SEO, and MonsterInsights are just a few of the many options. These plugins are installed directly onto your WordPress site and help you optimize your blog post for SEO by analyzing your content and giving you suggestions on how to improve your headlines, keywords,  meta tags, and content marketing strategy. These are must have productivity tools!

Project Management Tools

Trello, Asana, and Monday are just a few of the options when it comes to project management either for yourself or for a team. They offer a range of options to organize your workflow, tasks, and content creation processes. It’s a great place to organize content ideas, track progress, and stay on top of trends. All offer free and premium plans.

Google Trends

And speaking of trends, Google Trends is a free tool that can show you the most popular topics and keywords in your field, helping you understand what kind of content is resonating with your audience. Keyword research is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to create relevant and engaging content on your website and for social media posts.

Outsourcing & Saying “No”

Last but not least, is outsourcing and saying “no” to tasks and opportunities that will overburden you. As I’ve mentioned before, it took me a while to come to feel comfortable enough to delegate tasks, but it’s well worth it. Taking the time to identify the things that you struggle with, can easily be done by someone else, or just hate doing is a good place to start and it’s vital to managing your time well. Groups for creators, marketing professionals, and entrepreneurs are perfect for asking for recommendations and connecting with freelance media managers, virtual assistants, graphic designers, and so much more.

There is a wide range of resources and productivity tools available to help you create better content, improve your SEO, and reach your target audience. Whether you’re a writer, a social media manager, or a content marketer or creator, these tools can help you streamline your processes and create professional and engaging content that resonates with your audience. Have an app or plugin that helps make your content creation process easier? I’d love to hear about it!

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