It’s no secret – copywriting ain’t easy.
And if you aren’t equipped with the right tools, you won’t just make life tough for yourself – you’ll have a tougher time keeping clients, too.
Don’t worry, though – there’s a solution. A number of superb writing tools designed with one goal in mind – to help you excel at crafting killer copy that captures attention and loosens purse strings.
In this article, we’re sharing our top 6. Read on, bold copy warrior.
1. Grammarly
Check ‘em out: https://www.grammarly.com/
It’s big. It’s bad.* And it’s back – better than ever before.
Grammarly has been floating around the copy space for several years, but it’s finally found its feet. With a suite of tools that help you analyse your copywriting in real-time, it’s a trusty companion that everyone wants at their side.
*Unless you’re using Google Docs.
The guys over at Grammarly don’t seem to have cracked the Google Doc code yet, and it’s still quite buggy – to the point of them throwing in the occasional “incorrect suggestion” curveball.
Regardless, however, it’s still a leap up from the native spell-check and plus, it’s always good to test your knowledge with an impromptu grammar quiz…
2. Hemingway App
Check ‘em out: https://hemingwayapp.com/
Do you find that your writing can get a bit…ranty? Copywriters often love to write, and this can stray in longer passages of text.
This causes problems.
Your copy runs the risk of becoming unclear and missing the point.
Your copy doesn’t need to read like dramatic prose. In fact, it usually helps if it is the opposite. Sharp and to-the-point always wins over word count for the sake of word count. When your copy stops adding value, it’s time to stop writing.
This is where the Hemingway App comes in. Copy and paste your content into their site, and it will analyze your masterpiece, searching for copywriting faux pas. These go further than your simple sneaky typo – Hemingway also points out complicated language so that you can simplify it and make your content both more direct and easier to understand.
Hemingway also shows you when you use passive voice. It gives your writing a readability score and steers you away from contrived adjectives.
3. Google Docs
Working with clients, editors, and customers? We feel your pain. It can be challenging to get everyone on the same page (pun intended).
Why?
Because there’s nothing worse than staring at a Word doc with track changes from 7 different people who don’t agree with each other.
Plus, if you’re sending files back and forth you can easily end up with 73 different versions in your downloads folder, all with feedback notes and suggestions.
Google Docs lets you store your documents in one place, and crucially, you can control access.
You can share with others and allow them to view, comment, or directly edit the work. No more endless email back and forths. Thank us later.
And when you can open Microsoft Word documents within Google Docs, it’s even easier to come over to the “Doc” side. Time to cancel that £6.99 subscription!
4. Ubersuggest
Check ‘em out: https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest/
Don’t know the first thing about SEO? It’s time to change that – and that ‘first thing’ is keyword analysis.
Now, you could trawl through endless pages of Google keyword planner or long-form Moz articles – or you could grab UberSuggest.
Once the laughing stock of the SEO world, UberSuggest recently got bought by Neil Patel – the Godfather of content marketing.
And he’s turned things around – without upping the price tag.
UberSuggest is a great entry point to SEO, giving you that much-needed helping hand with keyword research and creating SEO optimised content.
Looking into SEO for your own site? They even offer a handy 7-week action plan to help you get to grips with search engine optimization and start attracting more traffic.
5. Unsplash
Check ‘em out: https://unsplash.com/
Sounds like a bath product, right? Unsplash is actually a huge resource full of images that you’re free to use just about anywhere you like.
You may need to get some professional images to make your copy stand out. If you’re bootstrapping a project, do you really have the money to license an image? Unsplash to the rescue.
The license “grants you an irrevocable, nonexclusive, worldwide copyright license to download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and use photos from Unsplash for free, including for commercial purposes”.
6. Canva
Check ‘em out: https://www.canva.com/
Imagery is a copywriter’s best bud.
And if Unsplash covers your photographic needs, Canva covers your graphic design needs.
In the modern age, to really make your content stand out on social media or even to make people stay on your website, you need graphics. You don’t have to spend months learning Photoshop to nail this.
Canva has loads of presets and templates to make web graphics, postcards, Facebook ads, and even simple animations. It takes minutes to create an account or log in with your Gmail, and you can either choose from stock graphics or upload your own.
Up Your Copywriting Game With These 6 Tools
Free, automated, fast. All of the tools on this list have a free plan to get you started. The importance of a workflow for a writer is often understated. Incorporating these tools means you can do nothing and sip coffee while content is created before your eyes.
Well, not quite. But you get the idea.
The tools mentioned above can streamline your process without hitting your bank balance. Your content can go from bland and mediocre to fun, and more importantly, effective.
