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By Francisco Nardi

12 months ago

Discover the 20 best content optimization tools and improve your content strategy. Only those who create good content can win the competition.

Content marketing is a business that grows year after year. Writing good content quickly and accurately is critical to beating the competition. We have identified the 20 best, most popular, and most proven content optimization tools. Before we look at the best, let us look at the reasons why they are helpful for our editorial plan and inbound marketing strategies.

Why Use Content Optimization Tools In SEO?

Content springs from an idea, but should take shape and evolve from a semantic structure based on people’s search queries and intent. To write SEO-optimized texts, we need to know these search queries and their search scope (the semantic search).

Google is increasingly relying on quality text to serve its search engine users, and there are many! And Google wants to share content that is recognizable, easy to read, shareable, accessible, complete, and relevant to online searches. That’s why optimizing content for search intent is so important.

We can also start with an idea for the content (brainstorming phase). The primitive idea must be expanded and enriched, answering various questions, including latent ones, in correct grammatical and orthographic form.

Therefore, the optimization process begins with the positioning of a topic and the selection of a targeted keyword list through keyword research. At this stage, the best content optimization tools come into play. They show metrics like volume and keyword competition score to pinpoint which keywords are worth considering.

However, besides keywords, it is also important to take care of the quality of your texts. That’s why platforms that help us find spelling and grammar mistakes can make a big difference.

Thanks to these tools, we can:

  • scale the production of content;
  • analyze the semantic aspects of texts;
  • connect crucial data such as the search volume of a keyword.

And now, let’s see the 20 best content optimization tools.

  1. GrowthBar
  2. Hemingway
  3. ChatGPT
  4. SEMRush
  5. Google Docs
  6. Grammarly
  7. ProWritingAid
  8. Ludwig
  9. TextMetrics
  10. WordLift
  11. Headline Analyzer
  12. Yoast
  13. Clearscope
  14. Wordcount.com
  15. Google Search Console (GSC)
  16. Answer the Public
  17. Frase
  18. MarketMuse
  19. SurferSEO
  20. Databasic Wordcounter

1. GrowthBar

GrowthBar is a powerful tool for those who do blogging. The tool uses OpenAI GPT-3 to generate content in the form closest to human language and to optimize them with keywords that the software returns after its detailed analysis. 

Its power lies in analyzing the hundreds of results in Google’s SERP to identify the most pertinent and advantageous keywords for climbing positions. The tool also integrates functions to detect other fundamental data of the pages it analyzes: number of words, headings, images, links, introductory paragraphs, titles, readability score, etc., and suggests internal links during the writing phase. 

For text management, it’s possible to use the GrowthBar content editor and import any article on the web to optimize it with the tool. 

GrowthBar also integrates tools for researching keywords and competitors. But this can also be done with its Chrome extension (rated with five stars), which lets you discover information about keywords and competitors while browsing Google or while writing with AI features in WordPress.

GrowthBar offers a free 5-day trial and then costs $29/month.

Its main features:

  • It uses the OpenAI GPT-3 to generate content similar to human language.
  • It analyzes Google’s SERP by returning data on keywords and other SEO factors.
  • It exists in the version extension for Chrome which returns data on keywords and competitors while browsing Google.

2. Hemingway

A well-written text is a text that people read with pleasure and fluidity. Hemingway App is the perfect tool for quality text checking: a self-editing tool that is very simple but beneficial when writing content. 

Thanks to its Artificial Intelligence, the software sifts through the text signaling everything that makes it heavy and unreadable: redundancies, repeated sentences, passive sentences, and words that are too long and difficult. 

You can use it online by pasting a text into Hemingway’s web page or downloading the desktop version.

Its main features:

  • It uses Artificial Intelligence to simplify and make the text more readable.
  • It exists in both online and desktop versions.
  • The application is free.

3. ChatGPT

Among the best content optimization tools, ChatGPT by OpenAI is a platform that uses artificial intelligence, Natural Language Processing, and deep learning to automatically generate original content suitable for different platforms, from blogs to social media to emails.

The tool works as a Q/A chatbot providing engaging and informative content, depending on the purpose of the text and in a tone of voice suited to the content genre. 

You can use ChatGPT to identify marketing trends and solutions to suggest topics and editorial ideas. 

Its main features:

  • It runs GPT-4
  • User-friendly interface
  • Unlimited creation of different content templates in multiple languages
  • ​​Chrome extension

You can use the tool with a free version. ChatGPT pro plan costs $20 per month.

4. SEMRush

One of the complete SEO tools is now famous for the myriad of functions (over 50 tools) collected in a single dashboard, which is challenging to interact with, if not after a bit of practice or training.

SEMrush is a digital marketing suite that goes into the merits of a series of SEO aspects, from keyword research to on-page SEO analysis and technical SEO to the study of competitors, of which it practically x-rays (keywords, backlinks, data on paid advertising campaigns, including displays, presence on social media, etc.). 

After entering the URL to be analyzed. But not only. SEMRush also investigates the sector of interest by returning analyzes of trending topics and related pages, which returns detailed information.

Content side and SEO optimization main features:

  • allows you to find organic and paid keywords in the dedicated platform by returning results on related keywords, synonyms, and queries typed by users
  • check the contents in real-time to optimize titles, track keywords, make suggestions on tone, and analyze their readability
  • monitors the organic positioning of keywords  
  • analyzes backlinks reporting malicious ones
  • performs complete audits of the website, verifying its performance from mobile.

The tool provides a Google Chrome extension. Once registered on the platform, it offers some tools (such as keyword research) in free mode and free trials of variable duration to test all other paid tools. 

You can subscribe to 3 different plans: PRO at $99.95 a month to manage up to 5 projects; Guru at $199.95 a month for 50 projects and some additional features; Business at $399.95/month for 200 projects. 

5. Google Docs

Who doesn’t know Google Docs, the web-based document management application that allows us to create and edit documents in real-time? Very convenient if you work remotely or externally and want to share a project

The platform offers several features for monitoring ongoing activities managed by multiple users, posting comments, sharing files, and exporting and archiving. In addition, you can take advantage of customized templates for writing resumes and project reports, but also format text and paragraphs, correct spelling errors, embed photos, add links, and change fonts. 

But Google Docs is one of the best content optimization tools considering all the add-ons available for Google Sheets.

Popular SEO Add-ons:

  • Semrush SEO Writing Assistant Add-on (after registering for SEMRush
  • SEO Assistant GDoc (Google Docs Add-on) gives SEO score of keywords and suggests related keywords among the most relevant
  • SEO Content Writing Assistant SEO content writing) tool to get a snapshot of the word, paragraph, sentence count, SEO score, images, URLs, and a report to improve content.
  • SEO Add-on by WordLift to perform semantic keyword research and analyze entities comparing queries and URLs.

Google Docs is available both for free and with monthly subscriptions.

6. Grammarly

An online tool, always accessible and from any browser, helps to improve in real-time while writing the contents with the grammar check and proofreading functions.

Its main features:

  • It checks spelling and grammar, anti-plagiarism.
  • It improves the readability of the text, punctuation, tone, choice of words.
  • The correct Proofreader applies more than 250 different grammar rules.

Grammarly is a free version that lets you use essential functions such as grammar checking and punctuation errors. The Premium version costs $12/month and includes all free features plus word picking, fluency control, pitch modulation, etc.

7. ProWritingAid

Writing correct content is a best practice for SEO optimization. Sometimes, a text contravenes the SEO basics precisely due to the presence of spelling and grammatical errors and oversights. This tool was created to help write correct texts and automatically convert documents into multiple languages.

ProWritingAid is a grammar checker and style writing editor, an AI-based writing assistant that optimizes word choice and allows you to change punctuation, adopt different structures and styles – academic, colloquial and business – but above all to notice grammatical and spelling errors, which are certainly not good for SEO or the authoritativeness of the source. 

Plus, with ProWritingAid, you learn as you write why the software explains the changes it suggests with different resources.

Its main features:

  • Real-time grammar, spelling, and style checker.
  • Thesaurus based on semantic context.
  • Twenty-five real-time writing reports on repeated words, errors, etc.
  • Integrations in Word, Google Docs, Scrivener, and as a browser extension.

ProWritingAid is available in both free and premium versions. The free account limits you to 500 words at a time but lets you access as many reports as you can generate. With the Premium version, there are no limits.

8. Ludwig

It is more than a simple automatic translator, Ludwig. It is instead the first phrase search engine that helps you write English with a more authentic literal and semantic sense and relevant to the context, referring to examples extrapolated from reliable and, precisely, contextualized sources. 

For instance, when translating from Italian to English, it is crucial from an SEO point of view to interpret the sentence’s meaning and not a translation word by word because each language corresponds to its own culture and a way of thinking and formulating thoughts, sentences, and questions peculiar to its linguistic and communicative system. 

Ludwig is the tool created to assist those who write in the language to express concepts correctly, showing examples of quality writing taken from reliable sources. The software uses an algorithm that draws from a rich database of texts written by journalists, writers, and researchers.

Its main features:

  • English language writing assistant. 
  • Available as a desktop app and mobile app.
  • Draws on databases with authoritative sources. 

Ludwig exists in a free and paid version, which costs €14.99 per month, or annually, which costs €59.88.

9. TextMetrics

Textmetrics is a cloud-based tool that leverages algorithms based on artificial intelligence to optimize new and existing content, analyze its quality, and streamline workflows. It gives real-time suggestions based on the target audience. 

Textmetrics provides style guides, updates on selected keywords, and the content positioning index, which updates the website’s visibility in Google results.

Its main features:

  • Keyword analysis and readability.
  • Page Ranking tracking.
  • Real-time SEO suggestions.
  • Integrates with various third-party content management systems, such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Sitecore, Microsoft Word, Umbraco, and Episerver.

Textmetrics pricing is available upon request.

10. WordLift

WordLift is the AI, and ML software applied to SEO to implement structured data within web pages, essential for letting Google understand the contents and obtain better indexing.

Once the plugin is installed, the artificial intelligence analyzes the text of the website and suggests the relevant concepts, identifies the topics to which it is possible to add the semantic markup associated with the Knowledge Graph entities (concepts, people, or places) that can be assimilated to the articles to enrich the content and allows people to find information relevant to their search intent. 

WordLift’s job is to create relationships between entities, transforming information into related data to build a Knowledge Graph.

Its main features:

  • Semi-automatically adds Schema.org markup.
  • Uses linked data, i.e., transforms text into language understandable to search engines optimizing text based on search intent and semantic SEO.
  • It can be used with WordPress and others CMS, providing APIs and webhooks to integrate proprietary CMSs. 
  • Integrations with Google Looker Studio, Google Analytics, Google Sheets, WooCommerce are available.

11. Headline Analyzer

A headline analyzer is a useful tool that analyzes some effectiveness factors: readability, SEO, and sentiment. It identifies the words that generate the most impact and attracts attention. At the same time, it offers suggestions to optimize the SEO title by entering the keywords, evaluating the number of words, readability, etc.

CoSchedule Headline Analyzer is one of the most popular headline analysis tools. Simply type the title in the text field and click “Analyze Now”. The system generates analysis with the overall score, length analysis, Google search preview, and other elements.

Its main features:

  • Optimize your titles with relevant keywords, but also make them attractive to readers.
  • Offers hundreds of tested and proven emotion words. 
  • Integrates with WordPress to optimize your titles directly in the platform.

12. Yoast

Yoast is best known for its inflexible traffic light that guides how to optimize content with keywords, internal links, and metadata, i.e., the title and meta description, with the right keyword density and length and clarity of content, plus a whole set of other tips. 

Functions in Yoast also go beyond writing content. The plugin offers tools to set up breadcrumbs, edit URLs and redirects from one page to another, check for duplicate content, and manage technical aspects such as Schema Markup, robots.txt file, .htaccess, and the sitemap. 

All this is in its basic (and free) version. The premium version ($99/year) offers additional features such as correcting grammar errors, inserting more keywords (sub, related, synonyms), and managing internal and external links.

Its main features: 

  • plugin for WordPress
  • on-page SEO analysis and indications 
  • integrates some fundamental tools for technical SEO.

Yoast does not perform off-page SEO analysis or research keywords and competitors.

13. Clearscope

Clearscope is a tool similar to GrowthBar and is very simple to use. The tool takes care of on-page SEO and analyzes online content starting from the keyword you want to position yourself and suggesting other essential keywords for the article.

After indicating the keyword, the tool analyzes the results in the Google SERP. It returns a list of key terms and topics, the competitors currently ranking for that term, the ideal length of the post, and an optimization scheme to better structure the text with the topics to be treated. 

Its main features:

  • Uses IBM Watson (software for data analysis and natural language, image, and sound understanding) to analyze content and make suggestions based on the most current SEO practices and data.
  • Guides writing and structure of the content and analyzes the competitor’s content to suggest improving the texts’ tone, keywords, length, and readability. 
  • It is simple to use and integrates with Google Docs and WordPress.

The cost of the software for the essential functions is $170/month; the Professional version costs $350/month, while the corporate version can be customized. 

14. Wordcount.com

Wordcount.com is a quick and free online tool for checking the number of words and characters in a text, proofreading texts and web pages, and evaluating the effectiveness of the writing, the reading time, and the content’s keywords. 

Regarding the latter, the tool helps SEO by indicating the number of times each word is repeated in the text—a proper function to avoid falling into the error of keyword stuffing and over-optimization.

The tool indicates the ideal number of words for Social Network platforms, Blogs, professional texts, literary texts, and essays. But it is still particularly useful on the SEO side when we need to optimize the metadata of a web page which must not exceed a certain limit of characters: the title field must not exceed 60/65 characters, and the description field must not exceed 155 characters.

15. Google Search Console (GSC)

Google Search Console is one of the essential content optimization tools. 

Anyone who manages their own or someone else’s site can only do with this free analysis tool in all its forms and extensions. Google makes it available to monitor, analyze and improve a website’s and its pages’ performance. 

In Google Search Console, it is possible to obtain data on the pages visited, those that are performing better, the queries generating impressions and clicks, and all the associated data, such as CTR and ranking position. The key element of the console is that we can find out how Google (the crawlers) see our site, view Google’s crawl data, find out if there is a lack of indexing, and request it in real-time.

Its main features:

  • Free service offered by Google.
  • It can be connected to Google Analytics, with which it works in synergy for data analysis.
  • It offers analysis and interactive tools for performance improvement and SEO optimization through clear and complete. 

16. Answer the Public

Answer The Public is an online SEO tool for keyword research with many free but limited features. The tool uses an intuitive visual system to show the queries extrapolated from Google divided by questions (what, who, how, when, why); prepositions (shows keywords used with prepositions with, for, from, etc.); by alphabetic letter (shows results starting with letters of the alphabet); for comparison/comparison with similar or related keywords.

With the tool, we can find keywords and related words and the intent and questions asked by users on a given topic to find ideas and ideas for articles.

Through Answer The Public searches, we can discover users’ questions on a particular topic and the information they want about a product or service. Based on these queries, we can develop texts and micro-texts for the blog, site, e-commerce, etc.

Its main features:

  • Search for keywords and queries divided into categories. 
  • Possibility of downloading CSV and course images via email free of charge.

With the free version, it is limited to about three searches per day. The Pro Plan is $99 monthly or $79 annually for unlimited searches; get results based on the language and locality of interest; compare data; ability to save reports; unlimited team members; customer support; integration with other SEO tools like SEMrush.

17. Frase

Frase is a text processing tool that allows you to write directly on the platform, but not only. The tool also works on optimizing the contents, identifying the most relevant topics, and providing a structure to organize them to make them more exhaustive and complete.

The software generates article introductions, FAQs, titles, sentences, and paragraphs, giving guidance as you write on how to improve the text by including some of the topics mentioned in the ranked articles. And to include everyone, really all the project participants, the software generates a very useful brief with the topics to be treated and to be included.

Another handy feature of Frase is to manage content workflows, allowing you to invite authors, assign due dates, label documents by stage, and export them to WordPress.

Its main features:

  • Automatic generation of briefs, sentences, and paragraphs of content, introductions for posts, FAQs, titles, and more.
  • Integration with Google Search Console data and insights.
  • SEO guidelines with content scoring.
  • Optimization of content workflows.

Frase offers a free 7-day trial, after which you can subscribe to three different pricing plans (and an SEO add-on for $35/month): the basic version costs $44.99/month; the Team, $114.99 a month, the formula for companies can be customized.

18. MarketMuse

MarketMuse is a software that helps plan and optimize the content through an artificial intelligence-driven search that scans pages with the same topic already positioned online. The goal is to analyze the practical positioning possibilities for new content based on the difficulty score obtained from the SERP analysis.

But not only. The tool’s features allow you to discover the most important related topics to include, the amount of content needed to cover them all, titles and subtitles, and internal and external links.

Its main features:

  • Content competitor analysis and reports with customized difficulty scores based on site and the content outlined.
  • Content briefing on established topics based on SEO goals. 
  • Content optimization with internal link-building tips and ideas for external links.  

There is a free basic version of MarketMuse, but then you switch to the Standard version with a cost of $149/month or the Team with a cost of $399/month. It is available also a Premium Plan customized for large teams.

19. SurferSEO

Another of the best content optimization tools is SurferSEO, an on-site SEO tool available as a web app, which integrates SERP analysis features, a content editor, keyword research, SEO audit, and a content editor extension for Chrome.

It is also possible to write directly in the platform’s editor and receive real-time tips to optimize the content based on previously positioned keywords. Then, the software returns insights to guide us in creating better texts through the targeted choice of terms, titles, words, and images.

As stated, SurferSEO also offers a Chrome extension for keyword research and a content editor, which works in both WordPress and Google Docs. 

Its main features:

  • It searches and analyzes keywords to be implemented in the text based on content already positioned in the SERP.
  • It provides scores and guidelines for optimizing old and new content.
  • It integrates with Google Docs, WordPress, and Google Search Console.

SurferSEO has a Basic cost of $49/month; the Pro version costs $99/month, while the Business, $199/month.

20. Databasic Wordcounter

WordCounter by Databasics.io analyzes text and indicates the most common words and phrases. This tool helps count words, bigrams, and trigrams useful to individuate the most frequent search intents. For instance, you can use a large dataset of queries from Google Search Console and extreme all the bigrams to see the frequency of each blog’s intent.

These were just some of the many tools available to optimize content from a marketing, syntactic-grammatical, and SEO point of view. Although many of these tools are simple grammar or form checkers, or others seem to detract from creating copy using AI to generate content, they remain mere tools in our hands. Knowing how to use and exploit them to improve the text creation and revision process remains a personal and peculiar skill of a good writer.

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