Content creation software has become a vital part of a business’s content marketing strategy, but creating high-quality content can be difficult and time-consuming.
Finding the best content creation software for your content marketing needs can be a challenge. It’s easy to spend many hours and much money searching for the best solution only to find yourself still confused and overwhelmed with information.
In this article, we will look at some of the best content creation software for small businesses that want to create great content quickly and easily. We’ll also consider the benefits of using these tools for content marketing, and why so many people love them.
Let’s get started!
What is content marketing?
Before we get into the software tools, let’s first take a quick look at what content marketing is. Simply put, content marketing is the creation and distribution of valuable content to attract and retain customers. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, ebooks, and more.
The goal of content marketing is to provide your audience with useful information that they can use to make better decisions. This helps them build trust in your brand and ultimately leads them towards purchasing from you.
In the content marketing world, there’s not a definitive line between what content is or isn’t. Content creation can be many things, but for this article, we’ll cover six popular types of marketing content:
- Blogs
- Infographics
- Videos
- Images
- Podcasts
- eBooks
What is content creation software?
Content creation software products are tools used to create high-quality marketing content for websites and other marketing efforts. By using application software specifically designed for the type of content you want to create, you can save time and produce better, highly effective results.
What is the best content creation software?
The best software programs for content marketing depend on the type of content strategy you are working on. For example, if you are trying to create a blog post or e-book, then content generation software like Jasper ai and Grammarly would be good choices. If you want to make an infographic, software such as Adobe Illustrator or Piktochart would be best.
In this article, I am providing a list of only the best software for your digital content creation, not a long all-inclusive list, for easier decision-making.
There are so many software tools out there—all with various features, prices, and ease of use attributes—but to save you from slogging through them all I’ve chosen only the top contenders in each category.
Some of the content creation tools shown below are also powered by Artificial Intelligence. AI-powered design software tools are helping graphic designers, marketers, and other creators to develop content faster and easier than ever.
BLOGS
Best software for creating a blog
In this section we’ll cover three basic components for creating a blog:
- Writing software for your blog
- Platforms to host your blog on
- SEO tools to rank your blog high in search engines
You can add plenty more to the blog creation mix, but these three are must-haves.
I use all the listed software below in my business. Where applicable, I’ve included a competing product I think would be an excellent alternative.
Let’s break them down.
BLOG WRITING SOFTWARE
Blog writing software
Jasper.ai
Jasper takes writing to the next level in both speed and creativity. As the .ai suffix indicates, Jasper is an artificial intelligence tool. And wow, what a difference ai makes! Learn to blog using AI-writing software and you’ll write a blog post at least 50% faster, but even better, you will never have writer’s block again.
Jasper makes the content creation process so much easier. As a content creator myself, I use it to create content for blogs but have used it for many other projects as well—headline ideas, product sales pages, book writing, improving my content, and social media posts are a few examples.
Jasper provides a library of content templates and topic ideas to get you started, or you can simply start writing and prompt Jasper to finish the sentence for you.
Not only can Jasper write long prose for you, but with the click of a button, Jasper can rewrite an awkward sentence, or simplify a complex sentence into a more reader-friendly format.
The cool thing about AI is that it continues to learn. As you add your user-generated content, then prompt Jasper for more, Jasper learns more about what you are wanting to write, along with your tone and writing style.
Optionally, you can tell Jasper exactly what tone you want to write in right from the start. Do you want to sound formal, funny, friendly? Jasper can emulate those and myriad other tones. You can even put in someone’s name if you want to sound like a particular celebrity or another well-known person.
AI is changing the face of the content marketing world. I predict in a few years virtually everyone in the field of content marketing will be using an AI writing assistant.
You can find training videos and even a certification program on the Jasper.ai website.
Notable points about Jasper:
- Quickly generate blog posts, landing pages, social media posts, and much more
- Jasper creates 100% original content.
- The dashboard has over 50 templates and frameworks for your content strategy including AIDA.
- Boss Mode long-form assistant writes much of the copy for you.
- Cloud-based so it works on any computer regardless of system software.
Price – There are three monthly price points: $29, $59, and $99. I’d recommend the $59/mo plan for bloggers as it has the powerful Boss Mode feature. The $99/mo plan has all the same features, but double the word count which you won’t likely need unless you are writing many long blog posts every month.
Grammarly
Grammarly is another valuable tool for blogging and other written-format content marketing. It helps you write better, with more clarity and accuracy.
Grammarly has basic features you’ll need like a spell-checker, word count, and grammar tips, as well as advanced features like sentence rewording and plagiarism checker.
Grammarly is built-in to Jasper and can also be added to other programs like Google Docs. Its basic level plan is free, and it works with most system software including Mac and Windows, so download and give it a try!
Notable points about Grammarly:
- Grammarly Premium offers the same basic features as the free version plus additional upgrades such as plagiarism checker, tone adjustments, word choice suggestions, formality level, and more.
- Cloud-based so it works on any computer regardless of system software.
Price – Free, or $12/mo.
Google Docs
Google Docs is a great free alternative to Microsoft Word. It’s similar in many ways and has all the basic features you need for blog writing. As a benefit, the Chrome extension Mammoth Docs enables you to import your Google Docs document directly into WordPress without losing formatting.
Notable points about Google Docs:
- Has a table of contents tool for organizing documents.
- You can add Grammarly to Google Docs using a Chrome extension
- You can use the Google Docs Explore tool for in-depth research
Price – Free
Evernote
Evernote helps you organize your writing and other projects. It’s great for when you’re on the go and want to jot down ideas or take quick notes. It’s not a content creation tool, per se, but it can be helpful to have installed on your phone for when inspiration hits you. The app is cloud-based, so it keeps everything in sync between your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
Price – Evernote has three packages— free, $7.99/mo, and $9.99/mo. I’ve used the free version as well as the $7.99/mo.
Blog hosting platforms
Best blog hosting platforms
If you already have a website for your business it makes sense to create your blog on your already established website. Most website platforms allow for blogs, but some may be limited in functionality and SEO (search engine optimization) benefit.
If you don’t have a website yet, I recommend you create your blog on WordPress, or if your website is already on WordPress just add a blog page to your site.
This article won’t go into the specifics of how to build a blog on WordPress. Some excellent videos on YouTube will walk you through how to do that.
One thing that will be very important will be which hosting company you go with to host your blog. There are two I recommend—Bluehost and WPX.
Bluehost
Bluehost is a web hosting company recognized for its WordPress expertise, a wide range of services, and low-cost pricing.
Plans include unlimited disk storage, domain hosting, and email addresses. You also get a one-year free domain name with your purchase. Bluehost is ideal for both novice and advanced WordPress users.
Notable points about Bluehost:
- Bluehost has an easy-to-use, customized cPanel and dozens of site tool add-ons that can be activated.
- It has a free website site builder.
- Free SSL certificate.
Price – $4.95/mo for shared hosting or $19.99/mo for a Virtual Private Server (VPS)
WPX
Two of the biggest benefits of WPX hosting are the incredible site speed and the excellent and fast customer service. You can also host up to five websites with WPX’s basic plan.
Notable points about WPX:
- Browser file manager server access.
- No list of disallowed plugins.
- WordPress Multisite support.
- Built-in content delivery network (CDN) called WPX Cloud.
- Free SSL certificates.
- DDoS protection.
- phpMyAdmin database access.
Price – $24.95/mo for up to five sites
SEO for blogs
Best SEO tools for blogs
A good content marketing strategy must include Search Engine Optimization (SEO). And likewise, a blog needs good SEO to be successful. Without it, your blog will likely get lost in the sea of content on the internet. Good SEO can help your blog rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), which means more people will see your content.
Optimizing your blog for search engines is essential for getting traffic and increasing leads or sales from your website. There are many factors that go into good SEO, but luckily there are plenty of tools and resources available to help you out.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a software suite with tools for link-building, analyzing your competitors, doing keyword research, tracking your SEO ranking, and doing site audits. Most of the features inside of Ahrefs are designed for marketing professionals, but if you can master this software it’s an SEO and blog monetization game-changer.
Notable points about Ahrefs:
- Ahrefs is used to analyze a website’s keyword rankings, link profile, and SEO health.
- It can be used as a keyword research tool for Google trends, YouTube, and Amazon.
- You can also use it to find content that’s performed well on a given topic.
- Cloud-based so it works on any computer regardless of system software.
Price – $99/mo for the basic plan (which is likely all you’ll need, at least to start.)
Surfer
Surfer is a data-based search engine optimization tool. Its on-page interface allows you to analyze and compare your blog pages against the pages that currently rank in Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). In other words, if your goal is to get on the first page of Google’s search results, Surfer will help you do that.
Notable points about Surfer:
- Surfer can analyze the leading sites in your industry making it easier to plan a campaign using proven actions that have brought your competitors high positions.
- Cloud-based so it works on any computer regardless of system software.
- Superior customer service
Price – $59/mo for the basic plan
INFOGRAPHICS
What are infographics?
Infographics are visual representations of data. They are used to show statistics, trends, and other information in a visually appealing way.
Best software for creating professional infographics
Before choosing your infographics software you need to consider a few points. What operating system are you using? Piktochart is an exceptional program, specifically for infographics, but it’s only available on Mac OS. You also need to consider what other type of content you’re creating. If you are doing more than just infographics and charts you may want to consider a more all-inclusive program such as Adobe Illustrator.
Adobe Illustrator
Perfect for Infographics as well as various other content marketing, Adobe Illustrator is professional-level graphic design software. You can create illustrations, logos, icons, charts, infographics—any type of content marketing elements you want to create.
Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based software which means that the graphics you create with it are resolution-independent and can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Notable points about Adobe Illustrator:
- Adobe Illustrator is the industry-standard for professional-level designs
- Windows or Mac system software requirement
- A versatile program for other content marketing projects such as book cover design, illustrations, web apps, video, animations, and more.
Price – $20.99/mo*
*Illustrator can also be purchased as part of the Adobe Creative Suite. The Adobe Creative Suite is a collection of 20 software programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Rush, Acrobat Pro, InDesign, and more, all for only $52.99/mo.
Piktochart
Piktochart is ideal for creating infographics, presentations, and reports for your content strategy. Since it focuses exclusively on these three categories its templates and themes are typically better than other all-in-one graphic platforms like Canva or Adobe Creative Cloud Express.
Piktochart is an online infographic creation tool that allows people with little graphic design expertise to construct high-quality infographics in minutes. The program also allows you to add interactive maps, charts, videos, and hyperlinks.
If you’re looking for a truly unique design for your infographic, then Piktochart may not be your first choice because what you can create is limited by the variety of templates Piktochart offers.
The platform is easy to use, and you don’t need to be a graphic designer to create professional-looking designs.
Notable points about Piktochart:
- Easy-to-use interface.
- There are a few issues with editing the size of items on the infographics with the free version.
- Windows or Mac system software requirement
Price – Free to $14/mo
VIDEO
Best software for video editing
There are a variety of software programs that allow users to create and edit videos. The best program depends on the sort of video you’re making and what you’ll use it for. If you are creating a short video intended for social media, you won’t need the same type of program you’d need for making long, professional-level videos with multiple shots, effects, and layers.
This post describes the exact programs I’ve used for years for client projects. I’m also including a couple of other programs which are just as good.
Whether you want to create a short video, a long documentary film, or something in between the four programs below are your best options.
Best short-form video editing software
Short-form video is usually described as under two minutes. Short videos are good for customer service videos, quick tip videos, social media posts, or for embedding onto a website—typically those that are simple to edit and not too long.
Short-form videos are best for:
- Social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts
- Short tutorials
- Website product descriptions
- Other uncomplicated short-length videos
The video software programs recommended below are easy to use and have a quick learning curve. If you want to create videos using a mobile-friendly interface, minimal editing, and easy social media sharing Adobe Premiere Rush, Animoto, and Loom are all excellent choices depending on the video content.
Adobe Premiere Rush
Adobe Premiere Rush is a video editing tool that lets you quickly capture, edit, and share short-form videos. It has a simple interface ideal for creating short, social media-friendly videos on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Adobe Premiere Rush is less robust than Adobe Premiere Pro but ideal for creating quick, easy videos that don’t require a lot of editing.
Adobe Premiere Rush has an easy-to-use, intuitive interface good for designing on the desktop or mobile device. When you’re uploading to social media while not at a desktop this easy interface comes in handy.
Notable points about Premiere Rush:
- Adobe Premiere Rush is great for social media marketing professionals.
- It has an easy-to-use interface, targeted features, and the ability to export files in multiple formats.
- Adobe Premiere Rush is an excellent choice for content creators who need a powerful yet easy-to-use tool for their short-form video content
Price – Free starter, or $9.99/mo through Creative Cloud Express
Animoto
Animoto is an online web app that lets you quickly create videos with pictures, text, and music. It has pre-made templates to choose from or you can make a custom video using your own photos and video clips.
A few examples of Animoto’s many templates:
Notable points about Animoto:
Wide range of templates and customization options
Fast, easy video creation
Wide range of templates and customization options
Price – Four packages ranging from free to $39/mo
Loom
Loom is a screen capture tool that allows you to record your screen, add voice over and share it on YouTube or any other social media platform.
Loom provides an easy way to add educational content, simple videos, and tutorials to your content marketing strategy without having to use complex editing software.
Notable points about Loom:
Perfect for creating quick, informative videos.
Loom is able to track how long viewers watch each video, so you can see which content is resonating with your audience.
Price – Free to $10 monthly
Best professional video editing software
Professional video editing software is used when creating more complicated videos, such as in-depth product demonstrations, detailed how-to guides, and videos that require multiple shots, layers, and effects.
The software below is industry-leading and can be used on both Windows and Mac computers.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is a professional video editing software that lets you create videos with multiple shots, layers, and effects. It’s available for both Windows and Mac computers.
Both Premiere Pro and Premiere Rush are great for creating videos, but Rush falls short when it comes to professional editing capabilities. If you’re looking to create powerful marketing videos with professional-grade sound and editing, Adobe Premiere Pro is the way to go.
Notable points about Premiere Pro:
- Adobe Premiere Pro is geared towards professional long-form video editing, while its sibling, Adobe Premiere Rush, is a simplified option for content creators who don’t need all the bells and whistles of Premiere Pro.
- Adobe Premiere Pro can create shorter videos, too, just like Premiere Rush, but can be considered too complicated to buy just for social media or other short-form posts.
- Best for producing longer films with sophisticated visual and audio editing demands.
Price – $20.99/mo, or $52.99/mo as part of Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan.
FilmoraPro
FilmoraPro is ideal for those who want a medium-advanced video editing program without having to invest the time and money necessary to learn advanced editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro. The trade-off is it’s a less robust video editor, but if you don’t need the advanced features, then it’s a more affordable, easy-to-use option.
Notable points about FilmoraPro:
- Storyboard feature that allows you to create your video by piecing together different clips, photos, and music.
- Perfect for small business owners who want to create professional-looking videos without spending too much time or money.
- Filmora Pro also comes with a wide range of audio and video effects, as well as filters that you can use to make your videos look more polished.
Price – Free to $149.99 for a lifetime subscription
IMAGE EDITING
Best software for image editing
Image editing programs range in capability from simple to sophisticated, so it can be difficult to choose what software will work best for your project.
Of the three programs below, keep these points in mind:
- For complex image editing, Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard and the most robust
- Lightroom
- Canva is the least robust of the three
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is known as the best image editing program on the market. It offers a wide range of features, including the ability to create and edit photos, images, videos, and even animations. You can also use it for web design work or as a graphic design tool.
Notable points about Photoshop:
- For complex image editing, Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard and the most robust
- Photoshop features an array of photo editing tools such as cloning, healing brush tool, red-eye reduction, sky replacement, and substantially more.
- Purchase as a stand-alone or bundled with Lightroom. It’s also included in the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan
Price – $9.99/mo, $19.99/mo as when combined with Adobe Lightroom, or $52.99/mo as part of Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan
Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom is different from Adobe Photoshop because it is designed for photographers who need to organize and enhance their photos. It has a photo library feature that helps you keep track of your photos, as well as tools for adjusting exposure, color, tone, and more.
Notable points about Lightroom:
- Adobe Lightroom offers an extensive set of features for managing, adjusting, and presenting your photos.
- You can edit an image, add adjustments to it (called presets) and then save the changes as a preset. This allows you to apply these edits across many images in just one click.
- Purchase it as a stand-alone or bundled with Photoshop. It’s also included in the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan
Price – $9.99/mo, or $19.99/mo as when combined with Adobe Photoshop, or $52.99/mo as part of Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan
Canva
Canva is a user-friendly design platform that is ideal for creating visuals for social media, or simple designs, graphics, illustrations, and other marketing content. Canva has over 100 templates and tools available, allowing you to create high-quality designs quickly.
I’m including Canva under image editing, but it could easily be under the video and infographics categories as well.
Notable points about Canva:
- Canva is ideal for simple designs and graphics, which is perfect for social media posts.
- It features a drag-and-drop interface, built-in templates and a library of free images.
It’s perfect for creating social media graphics, presentations, flyers, posters and more.
Price – $12.99/monthly
PODCASTS
Best software for creating podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to create content for your audience. Podcasts are audio files that you can listen to on any device, from a computer or smartphone. But how do we create podcast content?
Along with a good microphone, you’ll need what’s called a DAW—Digital Audio Workstation—a software program designed for recording, editing, and mixing digital audio. These software platforms enable you to record your voice, edit it and then distribute the final product (the podcast episode). And just like most content creation software, some Podcast software is better than others.
Know what you want to create
When picking your DAW, knowing what you want to accomplish is critical. Will your podcast have multiple hosts and guests? Or is it a monologue podcast? The simpler the podcast concept, the fewer frills your DAW will need.
Below are three DAWs to consider for your podcast creation:
Adobe Audition
Adobe Audition has a complete toolset for creating, mixing, editing, and restoring audio content. It is used for podcast recording as well as mixing soundtracks in movies or television shows. Adobe Premiere Pro CS, on the other hand, allows you to create professional-looking videos with ease while maintaining high quality without having any technical skills whatsoever!
Notable points about Adobe Audition:
- Adobe Audition has more features than GarageBand or Audacity and is better suited for professional-grade audio editing.
Price – $20.99/mo, or $52.99/mo as part of Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan.
Audacity
Audacity is a basic audio editor which can trim, copy, record, and manipulate sounds. As an open-source application, anyone can download it for free with no restrictions on use.
Notable points about Audacity:
- Works on a variety of operating systems including Mac and Windows.
- Audacity is less user-friendly than its competitors, however, online help and tutorials are plentiful.
- Audacity lacks the functionality of more advanced DAW software and thus may be better described as a simple audio editor.
Price – Free
GarageBand
Garage Band is another free music production application, but exclusively for Mac users. Like Audacity, Garage Band is considered fairly basic but has plenty of features for podcasting, including the ability to record and edit audio, create and tweak loops, and mix multiple tracks. Garage Band also has a built-in sound library with a variety of instruments and voices to choose from, making it easy to craft sound effects and create full audio tracks for your podcast.
Notable points about GarageBand:
- Available only for Mac users and comes preinstalled
- Its basic features are easy to use
Price – free
EBOOKS
Best software for creating ebooks
Ebooks are another popular content marketing category. They are laid out similar to a printed book, however, with navigatable links they function similarly to web pages. There are a variety of software tools that you can use to create ebooks. The three tools listed below offer different options for creating your ebook, some more effective than others.
An ebook is not the same as online publishing. Online publishing refers to content that is published on the web, while ebooks are typically distributed in a PDF or EPUB format.
Jasper
Before discussing the ebook compilation programs below let’s talk again about writing tools. Jasper, as mentioned in the Writing Software section above, can be a game-changer for getting your book out fast, particularly if you are not a talented writer.
With its natural language processing and machine learning capabilities, Jasper can quickly turn your ideas into a well-written ebook. It also has an easy-to-use interface that makes creating an ebook a breeze.
- Price – $59/mo for 50,000 words monthly. If you go over the 50,000 words in a month you can purchase more or purchase the 100,000-word per month package for $99/mo.
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word (MS Word) is popular for creating ebooks because is easy to use and comes pre-installed on many computers. However, MS Word does have some limitations when it comes to ebook creation, particularly when it comes to images, layout design, and professional presentation. In other words, because of MS Word’s limited layout features, it might look more like a corporate report than an actual book. That being said, many people do create their ebooks in MS Word because it’s the most convenient for them.
Notable points about Microsoft Word:
- You could choose to write your book in MS Word, then when you’re ready to lay it out, import it into Vellum or Scrivener.
- If your book is long or has multiple elements such as pictures, graphs, research to keep track of, etc., you may want to consider a more organization-friendly software program like Scrivener.
Price – If MS Word is not already installed on your computer you can purchase it for $149.99 as a one-time purchase, or $69.99 per year with the Microsoft 365 bundle subscription.
Vellum
Vellum was designed specifically for people who want to self-publish their work in ebook format. It has a simple and easy-to-use interface that makes ebook creation straightforward. You can drag and drop images, format text, and add interactive elements like buttons and links. Vellum also has built-in design templates you can choose from to give your ebook the feel you want.
Notable points about Vellum:
- You can download Vellum for free, use it for as long as you’d like, but you cannot publish without paying.
- Vellum is an exceptional book layout program for Macs, however, they do not have a Windows option.
- Even though you could write your book in Vellum it’s primarily used for layout. Most writers will write their book in Jasper, MS Word, or another writing program, then import the file into Vellum.
Price – $199 for ebook only (unlimited ebooks), $249 for ebook and print (unlimited)
Scrivener
Scrivener is an industry standard for professional book writers. It’s a comprehensive software tool that allows you to write, edit, format and compile your work into ebooks or print books. It also has a variety of features such as outlining tools, research management functions, and mind-mapping capabilities.
Scrivener can be overwhelming to learn because of its many features. However, it’s an excellent option for those who want to produce a high-quality ebook.
Notable points about Scrivener:
- You can download a 30-day free trial version.
- Scrivener is available for Mac and Windows computers.
- You can both write and layout your book in Scrivener.
Price – $49 one-time purchase
What about book cover design?
A professional book cover is important for any author looking to self-publish an ebook. You can create the cover yourself using programs like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Canva
If you don’t want to create the book cover yourself you can use a design service like 99designs.com or Fiverr.com to hire a professional designer to create your book cover for you or find a freelance designer on websites like Upwork.
Some important things to consider when designing your book cover include the title of the ebook (which should be easy-to-read and prominent), author name visibility (the author’s name should also be visible and readable on the front of the book), use of high-quality images relevant to your content (if using images in your design) and good color combinations that make sense with both text and image elements used in the cover design.
In conclusion
Finding the right software for your content marketing strategy is all about knowing what you want to create, what level of complexity you’re comfortable with, and which programs fit within your budget. Remember many programs create more than one type of content.
My top two recommendations:
- Obtain an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. For only a little over $50 per month, you get access to 20 programs including Adobe Audition, Photoshop, Illustration, Premeire Pro, Premiere Rush, and Indesign—all covered in this article.
- If you are creating a blog—and for SEO benefit you should be—I’d recommend you get Jasper.ai to help you write exceedingly faster, plus SurferSEO to make sure your blog content is optimized to show up higher in Google, Bing, and Yahoo search engine results rankings.
Please Note: Some of my articles include affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission when readers purchase products through these links. There is no cost to the reader. This affiliate relationship doesn’t affect which products are mentioned in the articles. Some of the products mentioned are not affiliate links. All of the products I highlight are recommended for their quality, performance, and overall reputation.