You're a creative strategist who needs to produce great content. What are the best tools for the job?

Yes, there are great tools out there for each and every need you might have, but you know what?! some of the best are also the simplest. Instead of wasting time searching for the best tool, I would advice you better get a pen and paper and start brainstorming.

I highly recommend using tools like Adobe Creative Suite for professional-grade graphics and video editing, and Canva for more accessible, template-driven design work. For content planning and collaboration, Trello or Asana are excellent choices, offering intuitive organization and team coordination features.

A big magnetic dry erase board, a handful of different color markers, and a pack of dry erase magnets is my favorite go to for big strategy moments. It’s basic- but I’ve never been disappointed going this route. The brain shift of going analog is always a good way to break through hesitation - and being able to move the magnets around as I explore top level ideas gives me enough flexibility to keep moving through ideation quickly. Once a top level view is locked in- I usually flip to the digital side. MindMeister or a good ol’ spreadsheet for further refinement. Creating some (at least implied) boundaries helps bring focus and order. Beware: Sometimes digital tools are just a distraction - especially in the early phases of ideation.

The best tools for me are the basics, a pen and dotted paper. But more than that, I believe the key to brainstorming ideas is to not do it in isolation, the more people around the table the more ideas can develop. Especially if people are from different departments or even industries.

O miro me ajude bastante neste processo de brainstorming, principalmente para equipe remotas. é uma plataforma de quadro branco digital colaborativo que permite a equipes realizar brainstorming, planejamento de projetos, e mapeamento de ideias de forma visual e interativa. é uma ótima ferramenta para utilizar com técnicas de brainstorming.

Other than academic research, market research does extremely well in validating / verifying your ideas. Tools like Google Trends, Brandwatch, and Talkwalker allows you to understand what's the buzz and sentiment around topics relevant to your ideas.

If you're just starting out, the best research tools are Google and social media. Depending on your industry, check what others are doing, see what they've done in the past, read the news, and try to identify and predict trends to guide your creative journey.

1. Data Visualization Tools: Tools like Tableau or Microsoft Power BI can help in analyzing and presenting research data effectively. 2. Academic Databases: Utilize databases like JSTOR or IEEE Xplore for access to a wide range of academic and technical papers. 3. Keyword Research Tools: SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can provide insights into trending topics and keywords for content optimization. 4. Plagiarism Checkers: Use tools like Turnitin or Grammarly to ensure the originality and integrity of your content.

While SEO and trend-watching tools are crucial for a robust content strategy, one of the most powerful sources of insight is Reddit. It enables you to delve into the niche you're targeting, understand the pain points, grasp the humor and inside jokes of the community, and discern what matters most within that particular niche. Reddit provides the opportunity to explore topics, engage with influential voices in the niche, and potentially discover emerging trends originating from the grassroots of the community. What's on Reddit today may surface on Twitter tomorrow and be featured on BuzzSumo next week.

When I'm working on a project, I've discovered that diving into the locations, interacting with people, or absorbing media related to my subject provides insights that aren't easily accessible online or through generative tools. Whether it's strolling through the streets, engaging in conversations, capturing photos and videos, personally creating something, or simply immersing myself in the environment, these real-world experiences play a crucial role in crafting exceptional content. The magic happens when these authentic experiences are creatively translated into the narrative, resulting in truly outstanding content.

- Voice-to-Text Software: Tools like Dragon NaturallySpeaking can enhance productivity, especially for those who prefer speaking over typing. - Collaborative Editing: Google Docs allows multiple users to edit and comment in real-time, facilitating team collaboration. - Readability Analysis: Hemingway App is excellent for simplifying and clarifying content, ensuring it's accessible to a broader audience. - SEO Optimization: Tools like Yoast SEO help in optimizing content for search engines, increasing online visibility and reach.

Writing Tools - Weaving Words into Worlds: When it's time to crystallize your ideas into words, writing tools come to the fore. Google Docs offers a collaborative space where ideas can be shaped and reshaped by your team in real-time, akin to a group of sculptors molding clay into a masterpiece. For those moments of focused solo writing, Scrivener acts like a writer's den, providing a structured and distraction-free environment. And for polishing your prose to perfection, Grammarly is like having a vigilant editor by your side, ensuring clarity and coherence in every line.

if you are looking to design static images, documents, and any type of marketing material, the easiest and most accessible is Canva. Get that and start creating! For video I would suggest CapCut - simple and efficient.

Here are some of the best ones that can help you unleash your creativity and bring your ideas to life: 1. Adobe Creative Cloud: This comprehensive design software suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, offers endless possibilities for creating stunning visuals. 2. Canva: Perfect for creating eye-catching graphics and social media posts. 3. Figma: This collaborative design tool allows you to create interactive prototypes and collaborate with team members in real time. 4. Sketch: Popular among UI/UX designers. 5. Procreate: It offers an intuitive interface and a wide range of brushes to bring your artistic vision to life. It's your unique perspective and creative flair that truly make the content shine!

??Canva?? It is a great tool for design, and with the thousands of templates available, there is so much creative flow that is possible with Canva. Refining these templates to align with your brand, its colours, values etc. are crucial.

Com uma no??o clara de gestalt do objeto e elementos do design como contraste, movimento, espa?o e equilíbrio, é possível fazer do Canva a sua principal ferramenta de cria??o de conteúdos de imagens, gráficos ou vídeos. Por lá, eu desenvolvo meus próprios templates e até identidade visual inteira. Na se??o de marca/brand, você faz o upload de logos, ícones, paleta de cores, fontes etc. é um investimento baixo por ano que vale a pena.

Easy to handle and a low-budget tool: Canva. Even the free version can deliver amazing results. With a bunch of great templates and content ideas, your graphic practically designs itself.

Dentro das estratégias de Inbound Marketing, é importante observar o papel de um site intuitivo e que converse com o seu nicho, assim como a implanta??o de um blog para alimentar seu público com conteúdo útil que vá além de pura propaganda sobre o negócio. Quanto às ferramentas de publica??o, aí fica por conta da sua estrutura tecnológica e budget para investir. As vers?es pagas do WordPress e do Wix, que já tive experiências, s?o interessantes e fáceis de usar.

Publishing Tools - Setting Your Content Sail: Once your content masterpiece is ready, it’s time to unveil it to the world. Platforms like WordPress and Medium serve as your digital stages, where your written content can bask in the spotlight. For a social media presence, tools like Hootsuite or Buffer are invaluable in scheduling posts and managing engagement across multiple platforms. These publishing tools ensure that your content doesn’t just stay in the wings but takes center stage in the digital arena.

Analytics Tools - Deciphering the Audience's Applause: After your content goes live, analytics tools help you listen to the audience's response. Google Analytics gives you a window into how your content is faring in terms of traffic and engagement, much like an audience's reaction informs a performer. Social media-specific tools like Twitter Analytics provide insights into how your content resonates on those platforms, helping you tune your strategy to the audience's frequency.

Great content has three things going for it: Craft: Slick writing, good visuals, surface-level professionalism. Relevance: The content is on a topic the audience cares about. Value: The content provides some type of value to the audience (emotional, entertainment or informational value). Achieve at least the first two of these things and you have decent content. Achieve all three and you'll have great content. So focus on that.

A meu ver, o que n?o pode faltar é o que mais falta: repertório. Quando o redator tem repertório, as ideias vir?o, sua mente fica sagaz, a criatividade flui. Quando o redator vive de pegar carona nas ideias alheias das redes sociais, ele n?o é capaz de gerar nenhum conteúdo inédito, autoral, com estilo. Seguir trends e copiar e colar a linguagem circulante nas redes sociais é a moda. Se falta repertório de leitura, de música, de filme, de vida vivida, n?o existe ferramenta de gest?o que irá suprir essa falta. Até porque o texto produzido pelo Chat-GPT também precisa de revis?o e edi??o final antes de ser publicado. Gest?o de horário de publica??o, agenda, e outras fun??es tecnológicas s?o quase irrelevantes nesse cenário. Ajudam, é claro.

Mastering the Art of Content Creation - Beyond the Tools: Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning: The digital landscape is ever-evolving, and so should your approach to content creation. Encourage your team to stay curious, experiment with new tools and trends, and continuously learn. Quality Over Quantity: In the rush to produce more content, don’t compromise on quality. Each piece of content is a reflection of your brand; make it count. Collaboration and Diversity: Involve diverse perspectives in the content creation process. Collaboration breeds innovation, and a diverse team can infuse your content with rich, multifaceted insights.