The new year can be a hectic time. Catching up with emails. Getting your focus back. Planning to achieve the ambitious targets management set before the winter break.
Whether you're reading this in January or deep into 2023, you will have the same timeless question: How do I automate my content creation process?
Today, we're going to share our process so you can implement something similar into your own routine. Here are four free tools you can use to automate your content marketing creation.
Oh, and this is not a paid recommendation from any service mentioned here.
The benefits of using Google Docs over Microsoft Office are many. Firstly, it doesn't cost a penny, while an annual subscription to Office 365 can cost upwards of £60 a year. Google Docs has much better collaboration features and, as it's cloud based, will not overload your hard drive with drafts and rewrites. Here are a few more quickfire reasons we use it:
To be fair, Google Docs also has a very thorough grammar checker too. But, if you want a thoroughbred proofing tool then Grammarly is the only realistic option.
Available as a desktop application for word processing, a browser extension for cloud-based services and email clients, and a stand-alone text editor, Grammarly allows you to write (almost) flawlessly wherever you communicate.
Grammarly also provides helpful suggestions for tone of voice and sentence structure. As content and copywriting is all about brevity, this often comes in useful and brings us to our next recommendation.
Named after the grandfather of concise writing himself, Ernest Hemingway, the Hemingway Editor is free service automates one of the hardest jobs in writing - self-editing.
Simply copy and paste your draft into the editor. Adverbs, complex sentences, and simpler alternatives are automatically suggested. The Hemingway Editor also tells you at which reading level you are writing. This article for example has a readability score of high school level.
If you take one thing away from this article it is this: You don’t need to do everything yourself.
While using AI to generate article ideas for you may feel like cheating, it is the key to unlocking higher creative productivity.
An AI tool for writing scans existing content on the web and gathers data based on the instructions of the user. The AI then processes that data to create the outline of a new article.
It’s not all done for you though. AI is far from perfect, so writers will have to smooth off the rough edges, make it personal to their audience and align the content with specific SEO goals.
HubSpot has written a useful and comprehensive guide on why and how you should be using AI for content creation. Be sure to check it once you’ve finished reading. They mention:
There are many AI writing tools out there. Most offer either a free trial or have a free option in its subscription plan. Here are two services worth checking out.
Jasper AI - Artificial Intelligence for content creation.
SEO AI - Artificial Intelligence for content creation plus SEO.
We get it. Creative people want to come up with an idea and see it through with their own two hands. Building something from scratch and providing value to others is why we write. However, at some point we all need help.
Leaning into and adopting the tools at our disposal doesn’t detract from the creative process. It allows us to create more content and deliver more value to our audience. Experiment with these free tools today and reap the benefits of automated content creation.
If you’re looking for an extra pair of hands to get you started or handle the automation process for you, Words On Brand are here to help.
