You’re struggling to keep up with your content development workflow. What tools can help you optimize it?

Before building a content calendar, come up with your content pillars. Figure out the themes that you want to talk about and want your audience to associate with your brand. For example, if you're a SaaS company producing EMR solutions for small clinics, some of your pillars could be: Product features and its benefits, case studies, healthcare sector, technology and healthcare, common challenges in managing clinics, and others. When making the calendar focus on days and dates, not just the amount and type of content you're producing. Make sure the best and most important content is published when your customers are most engaged. Make sure all the important days and celebrated are marked and relevant content is published.

My favorite tool to use when making sure I'm adhering to my content calendar is Asana. It's very intuitive and easy to use, and I personally like the reminders of when a project is upcoming.

I use OpenProject, Trello, and Slab. WordPress itself has many tools to keep track of your projects. Also, use Outlook desktop calendar.

To optimise your content development workflow, consider incorporating tools like Trello or Asana for project management, and Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for collaborative content creation. Grammarly & Hemingway Editor can enhance writing quality, while Canva simplifies graphic design. Social media management tools such as Buffer or Hootsuite streamline scheduling & posting. For SEO, Yoast SEO (WordPress) & Google Analytics provide valuable insights. Use cloud storage solutions like Dropbox or OneDrive for file sharing, & consider automation tools like Zapier or Integromat to minimize repetitive tasks. Finally, maintain effective communication through platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams. Regularly assess & adapt your toolset.

This is my first year creating an actual content calendar. And while it's a lot of work going in, it makes creating content much easier because you have a plan. While there are many online platforms, I've found a simple Excel worksheet works well too. And it's easy to modify when needed.

??For content research, don't solely rely on tools. Check other factors affecting your workflow. This could include your goal and the time you spent doing content research. ??It is easy to get distracted if you find a whole sea of interesting information online. So, to do effective content research, you should have a clear content objective that is written in your document/content board + allot a specific amount of time (e.g. 2 hours or 1 week) when you do your research.

The one thing which has been quite helpful is authentic content has the power to evoke emotions. Whether it's humor, empathy, or inspiration, tapping into genuine emotions creates a memorable and impactful reading experience.

While creating content with AI "as is" is not a good idea particularly if you want to stand out on platforms like LinkedIn. But AI can be a valuable assistant. I use ChatGPT almost daily for brainstorming, outlining, and summarizing material. In my experience, it's not all about the prompts. It's about having a conversation and being clear about what you want.

Content editing is essential for refining and perfecting content before it's published. It involves improving structure, logic, clarity, and accuracy while eliminating errors and redundancies. To streamline this process, we can leverage a variety of digital tools like Co-pilot, ChatGpt, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and more. These tools offer advanced features that help expedite editing tasks, allowing content editors to focus on enhancing the finesse and quality of the content. By incorporating these digital solutions into our editing workflow, we can ensure that our content meets high standards and resonates effectively with our audience.

It's essential to track your content usage as well as it's performance, particularly if you are repurposing and cross-posting on other platforms. While platforms have different audiences and only a fraction of people see a single post on any of them, it's best to avoid posting the same content too closely across social media platforms.

In my experience, there are many things to consider when it comes to content development. 1. Project management phase- strategy and goal- progress tracking tools such as Trello, Asana, Jira, Miro 2. In the content creation phase- AI, photoshop, Freepik, PicMonkey, Design Wizard, Canva, Visme 3. Content and social media management, calendaring- Sprout Social, Sendible, eClincher, Hootsuite, Buffer, Crowdfire, CoSchedule 4. For collaboration and shared progress for tracking- Trello, Jira, Workspace, Slack 5. SEO tools - Prse.ly alternative with Google analytics as a priority 6. HubSpot, MailChimp for email marketing 7. Survey and data collection - Survey Monkey and Mentimeter 8. Take and share notes - EverNote, One Note, Moleskine Notes

No single tool fits all in content development; personalization is key. While tech-forward solutions offer advanced features, it's okay to choose simpler tools that suit your workflow. Some may find high-tech project management platforms overwhelming and prefer the simplicity of a well-organized Excel spreadsheet for planning. Efficiency isn't always about the latest technology but about what works best for you. Embracing this flexibility ensures that your content strategy remains productive and manageable, highlighting the importance of aligning tools with personal and project needs. Essentially, experiment, learn through experience, and learn what works best for you.