tools for content managers & writers that keep us sane ??

It hasn't even been a year since my last newsletter, and I've already typed up a new pile of words ??

This time, I'll be talking about the apps and tools I've used and continue to use at work. And in five years, I managed to work as a copywriter, creative writer, and content manager who was more of a project manager than anyone else and a regular content manager who does what they are supposed to do (and is happy about it ??).

So today, I'll be sharing go-to apps for content managers and copywriters or just tools that we, warriors of keyboard and translators, use most often.

Disclaimer: I won't be talking about Google Docs, Teams, Slack, and other tools that content managers get access to on their first day of work.

Let's start with the hype wave:

?? Notion — it is like a Swiss Army knife for content managers, it's got everything you need, including an AI assistant that can help you come up with article topics or structure.

?? Business Insights — I rarely never use it because Notion's AI is basically my only best friend, but I know many people who enjoy this bad boy.

Writing like a god:

?? [Twitter] Character Counter — I hate writing Twitter posts because you must be concise and witty while being limited. Sure, you can count characters on Google Docs, but I prefer to suffer at a higher level ??. It's like trying to fit into your skinny jeans after a year of quarantine snacking — painful but necessary.

?? copyleaks.com — a plagiarism checker for written content. Because SEO doesn't like articles made by AI, and I don't like it when SEO dies. Also, nobody likes a copycat, especially in the content world ??

?? Grammarly — the Ukrainian-made writing assistant that checks for grammar and spelling errors. It's like having a strict Ukrainian grandma looking over your shoulder, ensuring you don't embarrass yourself in front of the whole family.

And fun fact — I used the free version (which is great!) or a corporate account for four years. Last year, I subscribed, and now I feel like a better person. It's like I upgraded from my Ukrainian grandma to a cool English teacher who makes puns and doesn't mind if I split infinitives sometimes.

?? Hemingway — never judges your choices but gently suggests better ones. It's like a chill writing coach who highlights your complex sentences and whispers, "Hey, buddy, maybe try something simpler?" It's not a replacement for Grammarly, but sometimes you just need a new perspective on your lyrical texts or important documents.

Tracking time and tasks:

?? Trello , Asana , Atlassian Jira — Trello and Asana are like your fun and friendly coworkers who always have a smile on their faces, while Jira (and Notion) are the ones who get the job done but still manage to crack a joke every now and then. And as for Azure... let's just say we don't talk about Azure ??

Short SEO tips...

... because what kind of content manager are you if you don't use keywords in your text?

?? Yoast SEO — a plugin for WordPress that helps optimize content for search engines because "Google is watching, always watching."

?? Ahrefs — the one tool that helped me gather keywords without feeling like I'm performing a sacrificial ritual to the SEO gods ??. It was my first love, my first SEO tool, and my first step toward becoming a keyword-worshipping content manager.

?? Semrush — an all-in-one marketing toolkit that includes SEO, PPC, and content marketing tools. Their blog is like a never-ending love story. I mean, who needs a romantic partner when you have keyword research and backlink analysis? Am I right, or am I right?

?? Bitly — a link shortening and tracking service because nobody needs your links to look like a novel. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Or you can use your three-liner — I won't judge. Much ??

?? Meta Length Checker — because your articles should look good on Google, not like they're wearing socks with sandals.

A bit about collaboration with designers, SMM managers, or (if you're unlucky) your works with visuals:

?? Figma — the tool that makes you feel like you're a designer, even if you're not.

?? Miro — the online whiteboard that makes you feel like a kid again, but with more strategy and fewer crayons. Like coloring for adults, but with more charts and graphs.

?? Canva — designs for social media, presentations, and some very nice PDF files that you have to make for some reason, not the designer or SMM manager. Because why hire a designer when you can just be your own Picasso ??

Let's talk about "management"...

... because apparently, content managers do more than just check articles and publish them on the website. Who knew, right?

?? Hootsuite — a social media management platform that lets you schedule and publish content across multiple channels. Perfect for when you want to pretend like you have your life together and plan content for the entire month. But let's be real, who's gonna create all that content? Definitely not the content manager. We're just here to make sure everything runs smoothly and nobody accidentally tweets out their grocery list ??

?? HubSpot — because when you're a content manager, you need all the help you can get.

?? [any] word-price calculator — tool that makes me feel like a financial analyst, but for words. It's like being a currency trader but without the stress and the million-dollar bonuses. And when the 34th writer writes to me on Upwork, saying that he writes texts for $0.034, and his text is 2344 words long, so he's waiting for his money, I open the price calculator on the other screen, and living becomes a little easier.

?? Google Analytics — the web analytics service that's like your mother-in-law at a family gathering. You know it's important to have her there, but you're never quite sure what she's doing or what she's going to say. She's always watching, always judging (??), and always reminding you of how much work you still have to do.

A bit of content management that we deserve:

?? WordPress , Webflow , and Contentful — the holy trinity of content management systems.

WordPress is like your reliable old friend who never lets you down,

Webflow is like the hipster cousin who always wears oversized glasses and drinks craft beer, and

Contentful is like your rich uncle who you only see during family gatherings but always manages to slip some cash into your pocket.

And that's a wrap, my fellow content warriors ??

These apps and tools have helped me survive as a content manager and writer. Of course, there are many more out there, and you might have your own favorites, but I hope this list gave you some inspiration and helped you discover something new. And if not, well, at least you got to read my ramblings about Ukrainian grandmas, skinny jeans, and sacrificial SEO rituals.

Stay tuned for more questionable content and questionable humor!