Content Roadmap

Learn how to create a content roadmap to help streamline your content marketing strategy.

Content Roadmap

A content roadmap can enhance your marketing efforts, improve organization, and help you achieve your business goals.

A content roadmap is your guide to executing a successful content strategy.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create and implement a content roadmap that will enhance your marketing efforts, improve organization, and help you achieve your business goals.

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What Is A Content Roadmap?

Having a clear and structured approach to content creation is essential for success. This is where a content roadmap comes into play.

A content roadmap is a strategic tool that visually represents your content marketing objectives, strategies, and tasks over a specific period.

It outlines the specific steps, timelines, and milestones required to implement your content plan and achieve your content marketing goals.

So, a content roadmap acts as a blueprint, guiding your team from the initial stages of content ideation to execution and evaluation, while ensuring that all activities align with your marketing goals.

Why Is A Content Roadmap Important?

The importance of a content roadmap cannot be overstated. It ensures that all content efforts are aligned with the overall business and marketing objectives, providing a clear direction and focus.

By having a content roadmap, your business can streamline its content creation process, avoid redundancy, and ensure that every piece of content serves a purpose.

This organized approach not only enhances efficiency but also helps in maintaining consistency in messaging and brand voice across various platforms.

Content Roadmap Benefits

A content roadmap:

Improves collaboration within your team by setting clear expectations and deadlines.
Allows for better resource management by prioritizing tasks and allocating resources effectively.
Provides a mechanism for tracking progress and making data-driven adjustments to optimize content performance.

In essence, a content roadmap provides the following benefits to your business:

Alignment: It ensures that all team members and stakeholders are on the same page regarding content objectives and strategies.
Efficiency: By having a clear plan, you can streamline your content creation and distribution processes, reducing wasted effort and resources.
Consistency: It helps to maintain a consistent voice and message across all of your content, reinforcing your brand identity.
Measurement: It provides a framework for tracking progress and measuring the success of your content initiatives, enabling continuous improvement.

Let’s explore this in a little more depth:

Content Roadmap & Marketing Alignment

A content roadmap ensures alignment with overall marketing and business goals by providing a structured framework that ties content initiatives directly to strategic objectives.

Here’s how it accomplishes this:

Goal Setting and Alignment: A content roadmap begins with the identification of content-specific goals that support broader business and marketing objectives. This ensures that every piece of content produced serves a clear purpose and contributes to overarching goals like brand awareness, lead generation, or customer retention.
Strategic Planning: By mapping out content initiatives over a defined period, a content roadmap helps in visualizing the journey from current state to desired outcomes. It outlines key activities, deadlines, and milestones, ensuring that all efforts are strategically planned and timed to support business goals.
Resource Allocation: The roadmap provides clarity on resource needs, helping allocate budget, time, and personnel efficiently. This alignment of resources ensures that high-priority content projects receive the necessary support to achieve business objectives .
Cross-functional Coordination: A content roadmap serves as a communication tool that aligns various teams (e.g., marketing, sales, product) around a unified strategy. This integrated approach ensures that all departments work towards common goals, fostering synergy and preventing siloed efforts.
Performance Tracking: Regularly updated roadmaps allow for ongoing tracking of progress against set goals. This enables timely adjustments based on performance data, ensuring that content efforts remain aligned with evolving business priorities and market conditions.

In summary, a content roadmap connects every aspect of content creation and distribution to the company’s strategic goals, ensuring a cohesive and goal-driven approach to content marketing.

Content Roadmap & Content Production Efficiency

A content roadmap is an invaluable tool for organizing content production, setting priorities, and managing resources effectively.

Here’s how it facilitates these processes:

Organizing Content Production

Structure and Timeline: A content roadmap lays out a clear plan for content creation over a specific period, detailing what content needs to be produced, when it needs to be completed, and the steps involved in the process. This helps in ensuring that content production is systematic and consistent.
Milestones and Deadlines: It includes key milestones and deadlines, helping your team stay on track and meet content goals on time. This prevents last-minute rushes and ensures a steady flow of content.

Setting Priorities

Task Ranking: By listing out all content tasks and ranking them based on their importance and urgency, a content roadmap helps to prioritize tasks that align closely with business objectives.
Alignment with Goals: It ensures that the most critical content projects, those that support key marketing and business goals, are given priority. This ensures that content efforts are focused on what matters most.

Managing Resources Effectively

Resource Allocation: A content roadmap provides clarity on the resources needed for each content project, helping in the efficient allocation of budgets, personnel, and tools. This ensures that resources are used where they are most needed and can be tracked efficiently.
Team Coordination: It facilitates better coordination among team members by clearly outlining roles, responsibilities, and timelines, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards common goals.
Avoiding Resource Conflicts: By planning and scheduling content production in advance, a content roadmap helps avoid resource conflicts and overburdening of team members, leading to smoother operations.

In summary, a content roadmap helps streamline content production, prioritize tasks effectively, and manage resources efficiently, ensuring that content marketing efforts are strategic, focused, and productive.

Content Roadmap & Brand Consistency

A content roadmap is crucial for maintaining a consistent voice and message across all content, thereby reinforcing your brand identity.

Here’s how it achieves this:

Centralized Planning

Unified Strategy: A content roadmap centralizes the planning of all content-related activities, ensuring that every piece of content aligns with your overall brand strategy. This unified approach prevents discrepancies and maintains consistency.
Clear Guidelines: It includes guidelines for tone, style, and messaging, providing a reference for content creators to ensure that all content pieces convey your brand’s voice accurately.

Consistency in Themes and Messaging

Content Themes: By outlining specific content themes and key messages, a roadmap ensures that all content pieces revolve around central ideas that reflect your brand’s core values and goals.
Alignment with Brand Identity: It helps in aligning your content with your brand identity by consistently reinforcing your brand’s mission, vision, and values across different content types and platforms.

Efficient Coordination

Team Collaboration: A content roadmap enhances coordination among team members by clearly defining roles and responsibilities, ensuring everyone is on the same page regarding the brand voice and messaging.
Consistent Execution: It facilitates the consistent execution of your content strategy, making sure that every piece of content, regardless of who creates it, maintains the same quality and tone.

Monitoring and Adjustments

Tracking Progress: By tracking the progress of content initiatives, a roadmap allows for regular reviews and adjustments, ensuring that your content continues to align with your brand’s evolving identity and market trends.
Feedback Incorporation: It provides a structured way to incorporate feedback and make necessary changes to your content strategy, maintaining consistency while adapting to new insights and audience preferences.

In summary, a content roadmap plays a vital role in maintaining a consistent voice and message across all content, reinforcing your brand identity by ensuring alignment, consistency, and effective coordination.

Content Roadmap & Progress Measurement

A content roadmap is an essential tool that provides a structured framework for tracking progress and measuring the success of your content initiatives.

This facilitates continuous improvement through the following mechanisms:

Clear Objectives and Metrics

Defined Goals: A content roadmap starts by setting clear, measurable objectives aligned with business goals. These objectives provide a baseline against which progress can be measured.
Key Metrics: It includes specific metrics to track performance, such as engagement rates, conversion rates, and traffic analytics. These metrics help in assessing the effectiveness of your content efforts.

Regular Monitoring

Progress Tracking: The roadmap allows for ongoing tracking of content production and performance, ensuring that all initiatives stay on course and meet the set milestones.
Visibility and Accountability: It provides visibility into the status of various content projects, enabling your content team to identify bottlenecks and address these promptly. This accountability ensures that deadlines are met and quality is maintained.

Feedback and Adjustments

Performance Analysis: By regularly analyzing performance data against predefined metrics, your team can gain insights into what is working and what is not.
Continuous Improvement: This analysis allows for data-driven decisions and continuous optimization of your content strategy. Adjustments can be made to improve content quality, enhance engagement, and better align with your audience’s needs.

Strategic Adjustments

Agility: A content roadmap provides the flexibility to pivot strategies based on real-time feedback and changing market conditions, ensuring that your content remains relevant and effective.
Alignment with Business Goals: It ensures that content initiatives remain aligned with your overarching business objectives, thus contributing to long-term success.

In summary, a content roadmap is instrumental in tracking progress, measuring success, and fostering continuous improvement by providing a clear framework, facilitating regular monitoring, enabling data-driven adjustments, and ensuring strategic alignment.

How To Plan Your Content Roadmap

Content Roadmap Chart — Content Roadmap planning steps.

Planning an effective content roadmap involves the following steps:

Goal Setting: Start by setting clear, measurable goals for your content marketing efforts, such as increasing brand awareness, driving more traffic, or generating leads.
Audience Research: Understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, pain points, and behaviors to create relevant and engaging content. Use tools like surveys, analytics, and customer feedback.
Content Audit: Assess your current content to identify gaps, areas for improvement, and high-performing content that can be repurposed or updated.
Content Themes and Topics: Brainstorm and prioritize content themes and topics based on your objectives and audience research. These should align with your brand messaging and address the needs of your target audience.
Create a Content Calendar: Plan the types of content you will produce and develop a calendar to ensure regular and timely content delivery, outlining when each piece of content will be created, published, and promoted. Consider seasonality, industry events, and holidays in your scheduling.
Resource Allocation: Allocate resources such as time, budget, and personnel to support content creation and distribution efforts effectively.
Assign Responsibilities: Designate team members for each task, from content creation to distribution and analysis.
Content Creation: Develop high-quality content assets, including articles, videos, infographics, and podcasts, based on the identified themes and topics.
Distribution Plan: Determine how you will distribute and promote your content across various channels, including social media, email newsletters, and industry forums.
Measurement and Analysis: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of your content strategy. Regularly review and analyze content performance and performance data to identify areas of improvement and adjust your roadmap accordingly to stay aligned with your goals.

Content Roadmap Examples

Now that we’ve looked at what a content roadmap is, it’s importance in aligning your content strategy with your marketing objectives, and how to create one for your organization, let’s look at some practical examples of how a content roadmap can actually help businesses achieve their content marketing goals.

Using A Content Roadmap To Increase Brand Awareness

A fashion store can increase brand awareness using a content roadmap by following these steps:

Set Clear Objectives: Define goals such as increasing social media followers by 20% and boosting website traffic by 30% within six months.
Identify Target Audience: Conduct research to understand the preferences and behaviors of their target audience, such as young adults interested in sustainable fashion.
Content Planning:
- Blog Posts: Publish bi-weekly blog posts about sustainable fashion trends, styling tips, and behind-the-scenes stories of the brand’s production process.
- Social Media: Create daily posts on Instagram and TikTok featuring outfit inspirations, user-generated content, and influencer collaborations to engage with the audience and promote new collections.
- Email Newsletters: Send weekly newsletters with exclusive discounts, new arrivals, and fashion advice to keep customers engaged and informed.
Content Calendar: Develop a detailed content calendar scheduling all planned content across different platforms to ensure consistent and timely delivery.
Collaborations and Influencer Marketing: Partner with fashion influencers and bloggers to expand reach and attract new followers. Share their content and feature them on the store’s social media channels.
Monitor and Adjust: Use analytics tools to track the performance of the content and adjust their strategies based on what content performs best and engages their audience most effectively.

Using A Content Roadmap To Drive More Website Traffic

A camping equipment store can drive more traffic to its website using a content roadmap by following these steps:

Set Clear Objectives: Aim to increase website traffic by 25% over the next six months and improve search engine rankings for key camping-related terms.
Identify Target Audience: Focus on outdoor enthusiasts, families, and adventure seekers who are interested in camping gear and tips.
Content Planning:
- Blog Posts: Publish weekly blog posts on topics like “Top 10 Camping Gear Essentials” and “Best Camping Spots for Families”. Include keyword-rich content to boost SEO.
- Product Reviews: Create detailed reviews and comparisons of camping equipment to help customers make informed decisions.
- How-to Guides: Offer practical guides on topics such as “How to Set Up a Tent” or “Campfire Cooking Tips” to provide valuable information to visitors.
- Video Content: Produce engaging video tutorials and gear demonstrations to attract a broader audience and enhance user engagement.
Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar that schedules blog posts, product reviews, guides, and videos to ensure a steady flow of new content.
Social Media Promotion: Share all content on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Engage with the audience through comments, contests, and live Q&A sessions.
Email Marketing: Send out monthly newsletters featuring the latest blog posts, product reviews, and exclusive offers to keep subscribers engaged and drive repeat traffic to the website.
Collaborations and Influencer Marketing: Partner with outdoor influencers and bloggers to expand reach. Share their content and feature their camping experiences using the products.
Monitor and Adjust: Use analytics tools to track website traffic, user engagement, and content performance, and adjust the content strategy based on what works best to continuously drive traffic.

Using A Content Roadmap To Generate More Leads

A men’s hair salon can generate more leads and hair cutting appointments using a content roadmap by following these steps:

Set Clear Objectives: Aim to increase the number of new client leads by 30% and boost online appointment bookings by 25% over the next six months.
Identify Target Audience: Focus on men aged 18-45 who are interested in grooming, fashion, and convenience.
Content Planning:
- Blog Posts: Publish bi-weekly blog posts on topics like “Top Haircuts for Men in 2024” and “Grooming Tips for the Modern Man.” Include relevant keywords to enhance SEO.
- Social Media Content: Share daily updates on Instagram and Facebook featuring client transformations, grooming tips, and behind-the-scenes content to engage followers and attract new clients.
- Video Content: Create monthly YouTube videos and Instagram Reels demonstrating different haircuts and styling techniques to showcase the salon’s expertise and attract potential clients.
Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar to schedule blog posts, social media updates, and video content to ensure a consistent and strategic online presence.
Google My Business: Optimize the salon’s Google My Business profile by regularly updating it with new photos, client reviews, and posts about special offers or events.
Email Marketing: Send out bi-weekly newsletters to subscribers featuring exclusive promotions, new services, and grooming tips to encourage repeat visits and referrals.
Collaborations and Influencer Marketing: Partner with local influencers and fashion bloggers to increase brand visibility and reach a wider audience. Feature their haircuts and reviews on the salon’s social media platforms.
Monitor and Adjust: Use analytics tools to track lead generation, website traffic, and appointment bookings, and adjust the content strategy based on performance metrics to optimize results.

Content Roadmap – FAQs

Here are frequently asked questions about content roadmaps:

What is a content roadmap?

A content roadmap is a strategic plan that outlines the creation, publication, and management of content over a specific period. It helps align content efforts with business goals by detailing themes, topics, timelines, and responsibilities.

Why do businesses need a content roadmap?

A content roadmap provides direction, ensures consistency, and aligns content with business objectives. It helps teams stay organized, prioritize tasks, and measure progress, leading to more effective and efficient content marketing efforts.

What are the benefits of a content roadmap?

Improved Planning: Ensures a steady flow of content aligned with marketing goals.
Enhanced Consistency: Maintains a consistent voice and message across all channels.
Resource Management: Allocates tasks and resources effectively, avoiding bottlenecks.
Measurable Progress: Provides metrics to track the success and impact of content initiatives.
Stakeholder Alignment: Keeps everyone on the same page, ensuring cohesive strategies.

What are the challenges of developing a content roadmap?

Time-Consuming: Requires significant time to plan and coordinate.
Flexibility: Needs to be adaptable to changing market conditions and business priorities.
Resource Allocation: Demands careful resource management to meet deadlines and goals.
Stakeholder Buy-In: Ensuring all stakeholders agree and adhere to the roadmap.

What are the pros of implementing a content roadmap?

Strategic Alignment: Aligns content creation with business objectives.
Efficiency: Streamlines content production and reduces last-minute scrambles.
Focus: Helps maintain focus on key content areas and goals.
Collaboration: Enhances teamwork and collaboration by clearly defining roles and responsibilities.
Performance Tracking: Allows for tracking progress and measuring success.

What are the cons of implementing a content roadmap?

Time-Consuming: Initial setup and maintenance can be time-intensive.
Rigidity: May become too rigid, limiting responsiveness to new opportunities.
Complexity: Can be complex to manage, especially for larger teams.
Over-Planning: Excessive detail can lead to complexity and inflexibility.
Maintenance: Requires ongoing updates and adjustments, which can be resource-intensive.

How does a content roadmap enhance resource management?

A content roadmap helps allocate tasks and resources efficiently, avoiding duplication of efforts and ensuring that all team members know their responsibilities and deadlines. This leads to better use of time and skills, and helps in meeting content goals without overburdening any single resource.

How can a content roadmap improve content consistency?

By defining a clear voice, tone, and messaging guidelines, a content roadmap ensures that all content aligns with the brand’s identity. Regular review cycles and a shared understanding among team members help maintain this consistency across all channels.

What tools can assist in creating and managing a content roadmap?

Many popular project management tools can be used to create and manage content roadmaps. These tools offer templates, task management features, and collaboration functionalities that will help you create a clear and organized content roadmap, and streamline processes like tracking progress, setting priorities, and managing resources effectively.

Are there templates available to help get started with content roadmaps?

Yes, many content production tools provide templates to help get started with content roadmaps.

How can a content roadmap help in tracking progress and measuring success?

A content roadmap provides a framework for setting clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs). By regularly tracking these metrics, your business can measure the effectiveness of your content strategies, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to enhance future content efforts.

What should be included in a content roadmap?

A comprehensive content roadmap should include:

Content Themes and Topics: What subjects will be covered and why.
Publication Schedule: When and where content will be published.
Responsible Parties: Who is responsible for creating, editing, and publishing content.
Metrics and KPIs: How success will be measured.
Review and Update Cycles: When and how the roadmap will be reviewed and updated.

How often should a content roadmap be updated?

A content roadmap should be reviewed and updated regularly, typically on a monthly or quarterly basis, to ensure it remains aligned with business goals and market trends. This flexibility allows for adjustments based on performance data and new opportunities.

Can small businesses benefit from a content roadmap?

Absolutely. A content roadmap is beneficial for businesses of all sizes. For small businesses, it provides structure and clarity, ensuring that limited resources are used effectively to achieve maximum impact with their content marketing efforts.

What is the first step in creating a content roadmap?

The first step in creating a content roadmap is to define your content strategy. This involves understanding your target audience, setting clear goals, and identifying the key messages and themes that will guide your content creation efforts.

Resources

See these resources for useful tools and software that can assist you in creating and managing a content roadmap:

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Image: Road

Content Ideas

Here is a long list of content ideas and content topics to help you with your next content project.

Content Ideas

Feeling stuck on what content to write next? Say goodbye to writer’s block and hello to endless new content possibilities! Use these content ideas to unlock your creativity, get inspired, and fuel your next masterpiece!

Consistently generating fresh and engaging content ideas can be a daunting challenge.

Whether you are a seasoned blogger, a business owner, or a marketing professional, understanding the diverse categories of content can help you effectively connect with your audience and achieve your goals.

In this lesson, we explore various content categories that will hopefully provide you with ongoing inspiration, new ideas, and strategies to keep your content pipeline flowing with creativity and relevance.

We recommend bookmarking this page and coming back here whenever you’re feeling stuck on what to write next.

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Useful Content

Create useful content that offers practical value to the reader, helping them solve problems, learn new skills, or make informed decisions.

Types of Useful Content

Create a List

Lists provide structured and easily digestible information.

Examples:

“10 Best Tools for Remote Work”
“Top 5 Marketing Strategies for Startups”

Show Them “How To”

Create tutorials or guides to teach readers how to accomplish specific tasks.

Examples:

“How to Set Up a Blog in 30 Minutes”
“How to Cook a Perfect Steak”

Create a Case Study

Provide in-depth analyses of a specific instance or project to illustrate success or failure.

Examples:

“Case Study: How XYZ Company Increased Sales by 200%”
“Case Study: The Impact of Social Media on Brand Awareness”

Problems and Solutions

Identify common issues and provide actionable solutions.

Examples:

“How to Troubleshoot Common Laptop Issues”
“Solutions for Reducing Workplace Stress”

Research and Statistics

Present findings from studies or data analysis to inform or persuade.

Examples:

“The Latest Trends in Consumer Behavior for 2024”
“Statistics on Remote Work Adoption Rates”

FAQs

Answer common questions on a particular topic to provide quick help.

Examples:

“FAQs About Starting a Small Business”
“FAQs on Health and Safety Regulations”

Check out our Content Troubleshooting FAQs section.

Checklists

Provide step-by-step guides to ensure tasks are completed thoroughly.

Examples:

“Checklist for Launching a Website”
“Moving House Checklist”

Check out our Content Management Checklists section and these checklists for WordPress users.

Definitive Guides

Write comprehensive resource guides covering a topic in detail.

Examples:

“The Definitive Guide to SEO”
“The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing”

Article Series

Create a series of articles covering different aspects of a broader topic.

Examples:

“A Series on Personal Finance: Part 1 – Budgeting, Part 2 – Investing”
“Fitness Journey Series: From Beginner to Advanced”

Glossary

Provide definitions of terms and jargon related to a specific field.

Examples:

“Glossary of Digital Marketing Terms”
“IT Security Terminology Explained”

Check out our Content Management Glossary

Cheat Sheets

Create quick reference guides for complex topics.

Examples:

“HTML Cheat Sheet for Beginners”
“Cheat Sheet for Photoshop Shortcuts”

Templates

Supply readers with pre-designed formats to help them streamline tasks.

Examples:

“Resume Template for Job Seekers”
“Content Calendar Template for Social Media”

Infographics

Create visual representations of data or processes to enhance your reader’s understanding.

Examples:

“Infographic on the Benefits of Meditation”
“Timeline of Historical Events Infographic”

Learn more about creating Infographics.

Interviews

Transcribe conversations with experts to provide readers with different insights and perspectives.

Examples:

“Interview with a Leading AI Researcher”
“Entrepreneur Spotlight: Success Stories”

Comparisons

Compare products, services, or methodologies to highlight differences and benefits.

Examples:

“Comparing iOS vs. Android”
“Organic vs. Conventional Farming”

Generous Content

Generous content provides value to others and fosters community, collaboration, and mutual growth by highlighting, supporting, or promoting other peoples’ work.

Types of Generous Content

Profile Others

Highlight and celebrate individuals or organizations for their achievements, skills, or contributions.

Examples:

“Profiles in Courage: Community Heroes Making a Difference”
“Interview with an Up-and-Coming Artist”

Get Others to Contribute

Invite guest writers or experts to share their insights and provide your readers with their diverse perspectives and expertise.

Examples:

“Guest Post: Tips for Sustainable Living by Environmental Expert”
“Collaborative Article: Industry Leaders Discuss the Future of Tech”

Publish a Weekly Roundup

Curate and share a list of the best content, news, or resources from the past week to keep readers informed and inspired.

Examples:

“Weekly Roundup: Top Marketing Articles You Shouldn’t Miss”
“This Week in Tech: Innovations and Trends”

Quotes

Share inspiring, motivational, or thought-provoking quotes from various sources to provide encouragement and insight.

Examples:

“Quotes to Inspire Your Daily Work”
“Famous Quotes on Leadership and Success”

Highlight Acts of Generosity

Showcase stories of kindness and generosity to inspire and motivate others.

Examples:

“10 Inspiring Acts of Generosity from Around the World”
“Local Heroes: Acts of Kindness in Our Community”

Share Resources and Tools

Provide access to valuable resources and tools that can help readers achieve their goals.

Examples:

“Free Resources for Learning New Skills Online”
“Top Tools for Remote Work Efficiency”

Check out our Content Tools & Resources section.

Create Educational Content

Offer in-depth tutorials, guides, or lessons to educate and empower readers.

Examples:

“Beginner’s Guide to Financial Planning”
“How to Start Your Own Podcast: A Step-by-Step Guide”

Community Spotlights

Focus on community events, achievements, and stories to build a sense of togetherness and support.

Examples:

“Spotlight on Local Nonprofits Making a Difference”
“Community Events You Should Attend This Month”

User-Generated Content

Encourage readers to share their own stories, experiences, and insights to foster a participatory community.

Examples:

“Share Your Success Stories: Reader Submissions”
“Photo Contest: Show Us Your Best Travel Moments”

Learn more about using User Generated Content

Collaborative Projects

Initiate projects that involve contributions from multiple people or organizations to achieve a common goal.

Examples:

“Crowdsourced Cookbook: Recipes from Our Readers”
“Community Art Project: Submit Your Artwork for Our Mural”

Entertaining Content

Entertaining content captivates and delights your audience, and keeps them engaged and coming back for more. Create content to amuse, inspire, provide an enjoyable experience, or elicit emotional responses such as laughter, joy, or surprise.

Types of Entertaining Content

Tell Stories

Craft compelling narratives that resonate with your audience, drawing them into the experiences and lessons shared.

Examples:

“A Day in the Life of a Startup Founder”
“From Zero to Hero: Inspirational Success Stories”
“Travel Tales: Adventures from Around the World”

Cartoons and Memes

Use humor and visual elements to convey messages in a light-hearted and engaging way.

Examples:

“Monday Morning Memes to Brighten Your Day”
“Cartoons that Perfectly Sum Up Office Life”
“Trending Memes Explained: What’s Making the Internet Laugh?”

Learn more about using Cartoon and Memes

Unusual Stories

Share bizarre, unexpected, or quirky tales that intrigue and entertain.

Examples:

“The Strangest Jobs You’ve Never Heard Of”
“Incredible Coincidences You Won’t Believe Happened”
“Bizarre Laws from Around the World”

Behind-the-Scenes Content

Offer a glimpse into the making of a product, event, or everyday operations, giving you audience an insider’s view.

Examples:

“Behind the Scenes: How We Create Our Magazine”
“A Day at the Film Set: Behind the Camera”
“The Making of a Viral Video”

Before-and-After Posts

Showcase transformations and progress through comparative visuals and stories.

Examples:

“Before and After: Home Renovation Projects”
“Fitness Transformations: Inspiring Journeys”
“From Idea to Reality: Product Development Stories”

Interactive Content

Engage the audience through quizzes, polls, games, and other interactive elements.

Examples:

“Which Movie Character Are You? Take Our Quiz!”
“Poll: What’s Your Favorite Summer Activity?”
“Interactive Story: Choose Your Own Adventure”

Challenges and Contests

Invite audience participation through fun and competitive activities.

Examples:

“30-Day Photography Challenge”
“Best DIY Costume Contest”
“Caption This Photo for a Chance to Win”

Timely / Topical Content

Create timely or topical content that is relevant to current events, trends, or issues.

This type of content helps to capture the interest of your audience by addressing subjects that are currently important or trending in the public discourse. It also helps to engage readers with fresh and immediate information, making your content more shareable and engaging.

Types of Timely / Topical Content

Reviews

Provide critiques and evaluations of recent products, services, events, or media.

Examples:

“Review of the Latest iPhone: Is It Worth the Upgrade?”
“New Movie Releases: What’s Worth Watching This Weekend?”
“Top 5 Restaurant Openings This Month”

Survey Results

Analyze and present the findings of surveys on relevant or trending topics.

Examples:

“Survey Results: How Remote Work Is Affecting Employee Productivity”
“Consumer Preferences in 2024: Survey Insights”
“Public Opinion on Climate Change: A Recent Survey Analysis”

News Posts

Report on current events, breaking news, and significant happenings.

Examples:

“Breaking News: Major Developments in the Tech Industry”
“Elections 2024: Latest Updates and Outcomes”
“Natural Disaster Strikes: Immediate Effects and Responses”

Trends

Discuss and analyze emerging trends in various fields.

Examples:

“Top Fashion Trends to Watch This Summer”
“Tech Trends That Will Dominate 2024”
“Health and Wellness Trends: What’s New This Year?”

Issues and Controversy

Explore current debates, controversies, and critical issues.

Examples:

“Debate on Data Privacy: Where Do We Stand?”
“Controversial Legislation: Pros and Cons of the New Law”
“Climate Change Policies: Global Reactions and Implications”

Event Coverage

Write detailed accounts or summaries of recent events, conferences, or public gatherings.

Examples:

“Highlights from the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show”
“Key Takeaways from the Annual Health Summit”
“Live Coverage: Major Sports Event Finals”

Interviews

Record and/or write about conversations with experts, influencers, or newsmakers about current topics.

Examples:

“Interview with a Climate Scientist on the Latest IPCC Report”
“Celebrity Insights: Behind the Scenes of Their Latest Project”
“Tech Innovators: Discussing the Future of AI”

Personal Content

Create personal content by sharing experiences, stories, and thoughts that resonate on a personal level with your audience.

This type of content helps to build a connection with readers by revealing a more intimate and authentic side of the writer, a person, or brand.

Types of Personal Content

Inspirational Stories

Create narratives that motivate and uplift the audience by showcasing perseverance, success, and positive change.

Examples:

“Overcoming Adversity: How I Turned My Life Around”
“From Rags to Riches: Inspiring Entrepreneurial Journeys”
“Finding Hope in the Face of Challenges: Personal Success Stories”

Holiday Posts

Create content centered around personal experiences and celebrations during holidays.

Examples:

“My Memorable Christmas Eve Traditions”
“A Journey Through My Thanksgiving Celebrations Over the Years”
“Celebrating Diwali: A Personal Reflection on Family and Traditions”

Commemorative Days

Write articles that reflect on the significance of special days and personal memories associated with them.

Examples:

“Remembering a Loved One on Memorial Day”
“The Importance of Earth Day: Personal Actions for Environmental Impact”
“Celebrating International Women’s Day: Stories of Empowerment and Inspiration”

Personal Achievements

Share milestones and successes to inspire and connect with your audience.

Examples:

“My Journey to Running a Marathon: Tips and Experiences”
“Publishing My First Book: Challenges and Triumphs”
“Career Milestones: Reflecting on 10 Years in the Industry”

Daily Life and Routines

Provide insight into your day-to-day activities and routines (or another person’s, e.g. a celebrity or public figure).

Examples:

“A Day in My Life: Balancing Work and Family”
“My Morning Routine: How I Start My Day Productively”
“Finding Balance: A Peek into My Weekly Schedule”

Personal Reflections

Write deep, introspective content that explores personal growth, thoughts, and emotions.

Examples:

“Lessons Learned from a Year of Self-Improvement”
“Reflections on My Journey to Mindfulness”
“Navigating Personal Challenges: A Reflection on Resilience”

Travel Diaries

Share personal travel experiences, tips, and adventures.

Examples:

“Exploring the Hidden Gems of Bali: A Personal Travelogue”
“My Solo Travel Experience: Tips for the Adventurous Spirit”
“A Culinary Journey Through Italy: Personal Stories and Recommendations”

Health and Wellness

Write personal stories and advice related to health, fitness, and well-being.

Examples:

“My Fitness Journey: From Couch Potato to Marathon Runner”
“Dealing with Anxiety: Personal Tips and Strategies”
“The Benefits of Yoga: A Personal Experience”

Repurposed Content

Repurposing content involves taking existing content and transforming it into a different format or updating it to reach new audiences or provide additional value.

This strategy maximizes the utility of your content, extends its lifespan, and enhances its reach across various platforms.

Types of Repurposed Content

Update Older Articles

Refresh and revise older articles to ensure they remain relevant and accurate.

Examples:

“2024 Update: Top SEO Practices for Bloggers”
“Revisiting Our 2020 Predictions: What Came True?”
“Updated Guide to Social Media Marketing Trends in 2024”

Condense Content

Summarize longer content pieces into concise formats like infographics, checklists, or social media posts.

Examples:

“Infographic: Key Points from Our Comprehensive Guide to Digital Marketing”
“Quick Checklist: Essential Steps for Starting Your Own Blog”
“10 Tweetable Tips from Our Latest Webinar on Content Strategy”

Expand Content

Take a brief or high-level content piece and expand it into a more detailed and in-depth article, series, or multimedia content.

Examples:

“In-Depth Series: Breaking Down Our E-book on Personal Branding into a Blog Series”
“Detailed Guide: Expanding Our Top 10 Travel Tips Blog into a Full E-book”
“Video Course: From Blog Post to Online Class on Social Media Marketing”

Create YouTube Videos

Transform blog posts, articles, or whitepapers into engaging video content.

Examples:

“Video Breakdown: Our Blog Post on Effective Content Marketing Strategies”
“Tutorial Video: Step-by-Step Guide from Our Written How-To Article”
“Animated Video: Key Statistics from Our Research Report”

Develop SlideShare Presentations

Convert content into professional slide presentations for sharing on platforms like SlideShare.

Examples:

“SlideShare: Highlights from Our Industry Report”
“Presentation: Key Takeaways from Our Webinar on Digital Transformation”
“Slides: Visual Summary of Our Blog Post on Market Trends”

Create E-books, Whitepapers & Online Courses

Compile related blog posts or articles into comprehensive e-books, whitepapers, or online courses.

Examples:

“E-book: The Ultimate Guide to SEO – Compiled from Our Best Articles”
“Whitepaper: In-Depth Analysis of 2024 Marketing Trends Based on Our Blog Series”
“Downloadable E-book: Combining Our How-To Guides into One Resource”
“Free Video Course: How To Create An Effective Content Strategy For Your Business“

Learn more about creating eBooks and Online Courses

Generate Podcasts

Turn written content into audio formats for podcasts.

Examples:

“Podcast Episode: Discussing Our Latest Blog Post on Content Creation”
“Audio Guide: Insights from Our Comprehensive Marketing Strategies Article”
“Interview Series: Expanding on Our Written Case Studies in Audio Format”

Learn more about creating Podcasts

Content For Different Audiences

Create content for different audiences by tailoring your messages and formats to meet the specific needs, interests, and behaviors of various groups that interact with your brand.

This strategy ensures that the content is relevant and engaging for each audience, increasing the chances of achieving your communication goals.

Types of Content for Different Audiences

Visitors / Prospects

Create content aimed at attracting and informing potential customers who are not yet familiar with your brand.

Examples:

“10 Reasons Why You Really Need Our Product”
“Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Our Services”
“How Our Solution Solves Your Problem: A Case Study”

Customers / Clients

Create content designed to support and engage existing customers, helping them get the most out of your products or services.

Examples:

“How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Purchase”
“Customer Success Stories: How Our Clients Achieved Their Goals”
“Advanced Tips for Using Our Product”

Members / Subscribers

Create exclusive content for individuals who have subscribed to your newsletter, membership program, or online community.

Examples:

“Monthly Member-Only Webinars”
“Exclusive Insider News and Updates”
“Subscriber-Only Discounts and Offers”

Suppliers / Wholesalers

Create content that helps build and maintain strong relationships with your suppliers or wholesalers.

Examples:

“Supplier Spotlight: Meet Our Key Partners”
“Best Practices for a Successful Supply Chain Collaboration”
“Latest Industry Trends Impacting Our Supply Network”

Resellers / Affiliates

Provide resources and information to support partners who sell your products or services.

Examples:

“Affiliate Marketing Tips: How to Boost Your Sales”
“Reseller Handbook: Everything You Need to Know”
“Exclusive Training for Our Affiliates”

Internal Staff

Write internal communications that keep your employees informed and engaged.

Examples:

“Quarterly Business Updates from the CEO”
“Employee Spotlight: Celebrating Our Team Members”
“Internal Training Resources and Workshops”

Outsourced Staff

Create content that helps you manage and coordinate outsourcing tasks or projects with external contractors or freelancers.

Examples:

“Guidelines for Our Freelancers”
“How to Align with Our Brand’s Voice and Tone”
“Project Management Best Practices for Remote Teams”

Investors

Create content that provides insights and updates to current and potential investors.

Examples:

“Annual Financial Reports and Forecasts”
“Investor Newsletter: Latest Developments and Strategies”
“Q&A with the CFO: Financial Health and Future Plans”

Media and Press

Write information crafted to appeal to journalists and media outlets.

Examples:

“Press Releases on Major Company Milestones”
“Media Kits with Brand Assets and Key Information”
“Interview Opportunities with Company Executives”

Learn more about using Press Releases.

***

Hopefully, the above list of content ideas has given you a wealth of inspiration for your next writing project or assignment.

Subscribe To Our 100% Free Content Creation Course

Learn how to create a system that will keep you generating endless new content ideas for your website, blog, or newsletter!

Sign up below for our 100% free content creation course and receive 120+ email lessons delivered right to your inbox:

Subscribe below for free:

Subscribe to our FREE 120-lesson content creation course!

***

Image: Woman researching content online.

Content Organizing Tools

Content-organizing and note-taking apps to help you stay on top of your tasks and boost your productivity.

Content Organizing Tools

These content-organizing and note-taking apps will help you stay on top of your tasks and boost your productivity.

Staying organized and managing information effectively can be challenging.

Whether you’re juggling assignments, handling multiple projects, or simply looking to streamline daily tasks, content-organizing and note-taking apps are invaluable tools.

In this section, we explore some of the most popular and powerful content-organizing and note-taking apps available, each designed to cater to various needs and preferences.

Content Organizing Tools

Content-organizing tools and note-taking apps not only help you keep track of important information and deadlines, but they also enhance productivity, collaboration, and creativity.

Ranging from simple note-taking apps to complex project management software and leveraging features such as task management, real-time collaboration, and versatile note formats, the tools and apps listed below will help you keep your content, notes, and ideas organized.

Content Snare

Content Snare offers a seamless solution for gathering client content and documents, eliminating the chaos of emails, shared folders, and disorganized systems.

Designed like a checklist with automatic reminders, it simplifies the process for your clients and your team.

Content Snare can collect client content and documentation across all industries and business types.

Key features include:

Effortless Collection: Centralize client content, documents, and onboarding in one place.
Drag and Drop Request Builder: Easily create requests for files, images, or text, grouping items logically to simplify the process.
Single Source of Truth: Stay organized with all documents in one place, knowing what’s provided, what’s outstanding, and the latest versions.
Total Simplicity: Designed for client ease, featuring clear hierarchy, easy navigation, and auto-saving. Clients don’t need to log in and can pick up where they left off.
Automatic Reminders: Keep your requests top-of-mind with customizable reminders, reducing the need for constant follow-ups.
Discussions: Allow clients to ask questions directly within the platform, providing immediate guidance without email chains.
Security: Multiple layers of data protection, including encryption and multi-factor authentication, ensure client data is safe.
Approval Process: Approve or request changes directly within the platform, minimizing email traffic and locking approved items.
Request Templates: Save components for future reuse, making subsequent requests faster and more efficient.
Integrations: Send files to popular cloud storage or use Zapier to integrate with various systems, enabling automated content requests.
Exports: Download requests as packages with all answers and files, sorted and renamed for convenience.
Input Limits: Set boundaries like text length and image size to ensure clients get it right the first time.
Team Collaboration: Invite team members to create and manage requests, templates, and due dates.
Localization: Available in multiple languages and time zones, with individual control for each user.
Kanban View: Create custom workflows to track the stages of each project, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Content Snare saves you time collecting all the necessary content and information you need from clients with an intuitive and organized system.

More info: Content Snare

Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines note-taking, task management, databases, and collaboration tools. It is highly customizable and suitable for both personal and team use.

More info: Notion

Evernote

Evernote is a note-taking app that allows you to create, organize, and store notes in various formats, including text, images, and audio. It also supports task management and collaboration features.

More info: Evernote

Trello

Trello is a project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help users organize tasks and projects. It supports collaboration and integrates with many other apps.

More info: Trello

Asana

Asana is a task and project management tool designed to help teams organize, track, and manage their work. It features task assignments, timelines, and project tracking.

More info: Asana

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is a digital notebook that allows you to capture and organize notes in a free-form manner. It supports text, images, and audio notes and integrates with other Microsoft Office products.

More info: Microsoft OneNote

Google Keep

Google Keep is a simple note-taking app that allows you to create notes, lists, and reminders. It integrates seamlessly with other Google services.

More info: Google Keep

Todoist

Todoist is a task management app that helps you organize and prioritize your tasks. It features project organization, task assignment, and productivity tracking.

More info: Todoist

Bear

Bear is a flexible writing app for crafting notes and prose. It offers Apple users markdown support, organization with tags, and a clean, distraction-free interface.

More info: Bear

ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management tool that provides a wide range of features, including task management, document collaboration, goal tracking, and time management.

More info: ClickUp

Roam

Roam is a note-taking tool for networked thought. It allows you to create a knowledge graph with linked notes, ideal for research and complex project planning.

More info: Roam

Obsidian

Obsidian is a note-taking and knowledge management app that uses markdown files. It features backlinks and graph views for visualizing connections between notes.

More info: Obsidian

Simplenote

Simplenote is a straightforward note-taking app that emphasizes simplicity and ease of use. It syncs across all devices and supports basic note organization.

More info: Simplenote

Airtable

Airtable is a cloud-based collaboration and database tool that combines the features of a spreadsheet with a database. It allows you to organize and manage various types of information.

More info: Airtable

Coda

Coda is a document editor that brings together the functionality of documents, spreadsheets, and applications into a single platform. It is designed for collaboration and project management.

More info: Coda

Milanote

Milanote is a visual organization tool for creative projects. It allows you to gather notes, images, links, and tasks in a drag-and-drop interface, making it ideal for brainstorming and planning.

More info: Milanote

Learn more about keeping your content organized here: Content Organization

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Image:Pixabay

AI Content Research Tools

Use these powerful AI content research tools to speed up and improve your content research.

AI Content Research Tools

Use these powerful AI content research tools to speed up and improve your content research.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are transforming content research by enabling businesses to gather and analyze data faster and more accurately.

With the help of AI tools, businesses can conduct keyword research, content analysis, and trend analysis in a fraction of the time it would take to do it manually.

In this lesson, we provide a list of powerful AI tools you can use to help speed up and improve your content research and explore the practical uses of AI tools for content research, including their benefits, limitations, and recommended best practices.

AI Content Research Tools – Hosted

The tools listed below are hosted externally by their developers and require registration or setting up an account (free or paid).

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a powerful large language model developed by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research laboratory.

It is based on the GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer) architecture and is trained on a massive amount of text data from the internet.

ChatGPT has a good understanding of various topics and can be used for a range of natural language processing tasks such as language translation, text summarization, text generation, text completion, and answering questions.

Essentially, ChatGPT is a computer program that can communicate with people in a way that feels natural and human-like. It can hold conversations with users, answer questions, provide valuable insights on a wide range of subjects, and understand and respond to user input in a conversational manner.

ChatGPT’s natural language processing capabilities not only make the tool well-suited for chatbot and virtual assistant applications but also a valuable time and cost-saving tool for content research and content creation.

ChatGPT can generate high-quality content quickly and accurately, saving your business a significant amount of time and resources. Additionally, the program can be customized to match your brand’s specific voice and tone, ensuring that the content it generates is consistent with your brand’s messaging and values.

Here are some of the potential uses and benefits of using ChatGPT:

Research assistance: ChatGPT can help your business conduct research by providing accurate and relevant information on a wide range of topics. This can save time and resources by automating the process of gathering information for market research, competitive analysis, or even academic research.
Summarization: ChatGPT can be used to generate summaries of long documents or articles. This can save time and resources by providing quick and accurate summaries that highlight the most important points of a piece of content. This can also be particularly useful if your business needs to stay up-to-date on industry news and trends or if you are creating product summaries, product reviews, etc.
Generate high-quality content quickly and accurately: ChatGPT can generate written content that is grammatically correct, factually accurate (most of the time), and in line with your brand’s messaging and voice. This can help your business save significant time and resources in creating content for your website, social media, email marketing, and other marketing channels and activities.
Improve the quality of search engine optimization (SEO): ChatGPT can help your business identify the right keywords to use in your content to improve your search engine rankings. This can also help you attract more organic traffic to your website and increase your brand visibility.
Enhance the accuracy and quality of product descriptions: ChatGPT can be used to generate detailed and accurate product descriptions that help customers make informed purchasing decisions. This can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Streamline content curation: ChatGPT can help your business identify relevant content to curate and share with your followers. This can help build authority in your industry and increase brand awareness.
Conduct market research: ChatGPT can be used to analyze customer feedback and reviews to identify common themes and pain points. This can help to improve your products and services to better meet customer needs.
Text completion: ChatGPT can be used to complete text in a way that is consistent with the style and tone of the original text. This can save you time and resources by automating the process of completing repetitive tasks such as filling out forms, generating email templates, or even completing academic assignments.
Personalization: ChatGPT can be trained to match your brand’s voice and tone, enabling your business to generate highly personalized content that resonates with your target audience and increases brand loyalty and customer engagement.
Improve social media marketing: ChatGPT can help your business generate engaging and relevant social media posts that resonate with your followers, build your social media presence, and increase engagement.
Enhance customer service: ChatGPT can be used to provide quick and accurate responses to customer inquiries. This can help to improve your customer service and free up your customer service representatives to handle more complex issues.

Additionally, AI tools like ChatGPT and many other similar emerging tools can help content creators address the ongoing challenge of generating fresh and engaging content ideas by offering innovative solutions to brainstorming and idea generation.

For example, AI tools like ChatGPT can assist content creators in generating a myriad of new content ideas in ways like:

Keyword Analysis: AI tools can analyze trending keywords and topics across various platforms, providing insights into popular themes and subjects relevant to the target audience.
Content Gap Identification: By analyzing existing content and audience engagement metrics, AI can pinpoint gaps in the content landscape, helping creators identify untapped topics and areas for exploration.
Content Brief Generation: AI-powered platforms can generate detailed content briefs based on specified parameters, including target keywords, audience demographics, and content format preferences.
Trend Prediction: Advanced AI algorithms can forecast upcoming trends and emerging topics based on historical data and real-time analysis, enabling creators to stay ahead of the curve.
Content Ideation Platforms: AI-driven content ideation platforms leverage natural language processing to generate a wide range of content ideas based on specified criteria, such as tone, audience interests, and engagement goals.
Competitor Analysis: AI tools can conduct comprehensive competitor analysis, identifying successful content strategies and highlighting opportunities for differentiation and innovation.
Persona Research: By analyzing user behavior and demographic data, AI can create detailed personas, offering valuable insights into the interests, preferences, and pain points of the target audience.
Semantic Analysis: AI-powered semantic analysis tools can decipher the underlying meaning and context of content, facilitating the generation of more relevant and impactful ideas.

Here are some practical scenarios where AI tools like ChatGPT could help content creators:

A fashion blogger using AI-driven trend analysis tools to identify upcoming fashion trends and create content around emerging styles and designs.
A marketing agency using AI-powered content brief generators to streamline their content creation process and ensure alignment with client objectives and brand messaging.
A technology publication leveraging AI-driven content ideation platforms to generate a diverse range of article topics, covering the latest advancements in tech, industry insights, and product reviews.
etc.

To use ChatGPT, you must first have a ChatGPT account. Sign up for a free ChatGPT account.

When using ChatGPT as a content research tool, keep in mind the following:

The quality of your prompts will determine the quality of your results.
It’s important to fact-check everything, as AI tools in their current state are not always accurate and will sometimes “hallucinate” their reply.

Let’s go through an example of using ChatGPT to summarize content about a product, tool, or solution.

Here’s some content we wanted to summarize about one of the tools we list in this section…

Chrome Web Store - Extension description — Use ChatGPT to summarize and condense long content and information about products, tools, or solutions.

The screenshot below shows the result of asking ChatGPT to summarize this information after pasting in excerpts of the above content with the prompt: “Rewrite the following as a product description:”

ChatGPT screenshot — We asked ChatGPT to summarize information about a product.

ChatGPT immediately provided this reply…

The reply felt too “salesy”, so we entered the prompt shown below and got this new reply…

This time, the tool provided a description that felt very “hyped up”, so we reworked the prompt to eliminate the hype, and this is whatChatGPT delivered…

ChatGPT screen — With the right prompt, ChatGPT delivered a content summary that was “just right”!

As you can see, ChatGPT delivers different results based on your prompts, so developing better “prompt engineering” skills will improve the output generated by the tool.

Overall, ChatGPT is a powerful language model with endless possibilities. As more businesses recognize the value of artificial intelligence in improving their operations and customer experiences, we can expect to see even more exciting innovations in the field of natural language processing.

For additional ways to use ChatGPT in your content research and content creation, visit the links below:

Free video course on how to generate quality content quickly using ChatGPT.
Learn about the process described in the above video course here: Generate Website Content Using AI
Check out this article generated entirely using ChatGPT: 5 Tips For Streamlining Your Content Management Process

More info: ChatGPT

Fathom

Fathom is AI conversation intelligence software that records, transcribes, highlights, and summarizes your video meetings.

Fathom harnesses the power of AI to revolutionize how you capture, extract, and utilize information from your video meetings.

Fathom copy recap summary video — Copy and paste your summaries & action items to Slack, Google Docs, Gmail, or your favorite Task Manager.

Fathom’s unique features include:

Effortless Transcription and Summarization: Fathom automatically records, transcribes, highlights, and summarizes your meetings, freeing you from the tedious task of note-taking and allowing you to fully engage in the conversation.
Rapid Summarization: Fathom delivers meeting summaries in less than 30 seconds after the meeting ends, ensuring that you can quickly access and share key insights.
Seamless Integration: Fathom seamlessly syncs meeting summaries and action items with popular CRM platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier, saving you valuable time on post-meeting data entry.
Easy Sharing: Share clips from specific parts of your meetings effortlessly, providing context and enhancing collaboration, whether it’s on Slack, Google Docs, Gmail, or a task manager like Notion.
Tailored Solutions: Fathom adapts to your workflow and preferences, supporting various video conferencing platforms, languages, and compliance requirements.
Premium Features: Unlock advanced AI capabilities with the Premium version, including AI-generated action items and a range of meeting summary templates tailored to your needs.
Enhanced Team Collaboration: Fathom Team Edition gives you features designed to streamline team communication and productivity, such as a searchable repository for calls, training acceleration tools, keyword alerts, and simplified hand-offs between team members.
Security Assurance: Fathom adheres to stringent security protocols, including end-to-end encryption, regular monitoring, and SOC2 Type 2 compliance, ensuring all data is fully secure.

If video meetings are part of your day-to-day process, Fathom is an indispensable and efficient tool for content research, content creation, and content management.

More information: Fathom

Merlin

Merlin is an AI tool that lets you use OpenAI’s GPT on any website (e.g., Google Search, Gmail, GoogleSheets, LinkedIn, and anywhere you search or write online) and generate content with a Cmd/Ctrl+M prompt.

Here’s how Merlin works:

Select any online content
Click on Cmd+M (Mac) or Ctrl+M (Windows) to open Merlin
Choose what you want to do with it (create a reply, summarize, make it shorter, or add some fun)
Merlin will create a reply.

Merlin lets you:

Summarize Content On Any Website – Enter the full text of your content and ask Merlin to generate a summary based on that text. The tool will analyze the text and suggest a summary that includes the main points and key details of the content.
Write Professional Email Replies – Enter a prompt describing the context of the email and the desired tone and content of your reply, and ask it to generate text based on your prompt. The tool will analyze the prompt and suggest words and phrases with your desired tone and content.
Generate Excel Formulas and Codes – Enter a prompt describing your desired Excel function or operation and ask it to generate a formula or code based on that prompt. It will then analyze the prompt and suggest a formula or code that will accomplish the task.

Watch the video below for an overview of this tool:

More info: Merlin

AI Content Research Tools – Browser Extensions

The following tools can be downloaded as extensions and added to your web browser.

Notes:

The examples used here are for the Chrome web browser. If you don’t use Chrome, search online for equivalent extensions in your browser of choice.
If you need help installing extensions for the Chrome browser, see our Chrome browser extensions tutorial.
To use extensions that access ChatGPT, you will need to sign up for an OpenAI account and be logged in.

ChatGPT for Google

ChatGPT for Google is a free and open-source browser extension that can be added to Google Chrome.

It displays ChatGPT responses alongside search engine results, enabling users to access a broader range of information on any given topic.

The ChatGPT for Google extension adds a ChatGPT box to Google Search results.

The extension supports several popular search engines, including Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo.

The video below provides an overview and a demo of what you can do using this extension:

Go here to install the extension: ChatGPT for Google

AIPRM for ChatGPT

AIPRM for ChatGPT lets you access a curated selection of ChatGPT prompts and adds a list of prompt templates for SEO, SaaS, marketing, art, programming, and more to ChatGPT.

AIPRM for ChatGPT - ChatGPT Prompts — AIPRM for ChatGPT installs one-click prompts inside ChatGPT.

You can output content from ChatGPT in your choice of language, tone, and writing style.

AIPRM for ChatGPT output. — Use AIPRM’s selectors to choose how you want ChatGPT to output your content.

The video below shows you how to create prompt templates using the extension…

You can access one-click ChatGPT prompts created by a community of prompt engineers and contribute your own.

Go here to install the extension: AIPRM for ChatGPT

Gimme Summary AI

Gimme Summary AI is an extension that lets you generate article summaries on the web quickly and easily using ChatGPT AI.

This tool is useful for summarizing product descriptions (e.g. for listicles, product reviews, etc.)

Simply install the Gimme Summary AI extension from the Chrome Web Store, click on the extension icon, and click the “Generate Summary” button to generate a summary.

For more details visit the website here: GimeSummary.ai

Merlin – OpenAI GPT Powered Assistant

The Merlin web browser extension lets you access the Merlin tool described earlier from your web browser.

The extension is available for Google Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and chromium based browsers. The tool’s developers also plan to make it available to other browsers in the future.

Merlin - screenshot — Use Merlin to generate content on Google Search, Gmail, GoogleSheets, LinkedIn, and anywhere you search or write online.

More info: Merlin Extension for Chrome

ChatGPT And Video Extensions

AI content research tools - Chrome web store extensions for ChatGPT and video. — Browse loads of Chrome web store extensions for ChatGPT and video content research.

There are many extensions available that bring the power of AI tools like ChatGPT to other areas of content research like videos and other media types.

Use these tools to generate video scripts, video summaries, video transcripts…even transcribe Google Meet and Zoom calls, etc.

Additional Content Research Browser Extensions

With the proliferation of new AI tools being released every day, finding additional AI content research tools for your web browser is easy.

Just go to the Chrome web store and search for “AI” in the extensions search box and a whole list of AI-related extensions will display…

Chrome Web Store - AI-related extensions. — Search for AI-related extensions in the Chrome Web Store.

Similarly, repeat the process to find “content research” related extensions…

Chrome Web Store - content-research-related extensions. — Search for content-research-related extensions in the Chrome Web Store.

AI Tools For Content Ideation

Here are some AI-powered tools you can use to assist in the process of generating content ideas.

Clearscope

Clearscope is a content optimization tool designed to help you produce high-quality content that is relevant to your audience’s search queries.

Its user-friendly integrations seamlessly fit into your existing content workflow, allowing you to create and organize Clearscope reports effortlessly.

With Clearscope’s text editor, you can optimize your content by learning how to use its scoring metrics, such as Content Grade, Word Count, and Readability. The tool also offers a variety of features that can help you build content briefs and outlines quickly, including the Terms, Research, and Outline tabs.

If you’re not sure which keywords or search intents to target, Clearscope’s keyword discovery feature can help you fine-tune your content strategy. The tool can also refresh your existing content with updated optimization recommendations.

Overall, Clearscope is a valuable tool if you are a content creator looking to produce SEO-friendly content that will resonate with your audience. Its easy-to-use integrations, reporting features, and optimization tools make it an essential addition to any content workflow.

Additional AI-powered content ideation tools include:

MarketMuse – MarketMuse uses AI to analyze your content and identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
BuzzSumo – BuzzSumo uses AI to identify the most shared content related to a given topic on social media platforms.
Google Trends – Google Trends provides insights into the popularity and relevance of specific search terms, allowing you to tailor your content to the interests and needs of your target audience.

AI Tools For Keyword Research

There are several AI tools you can use for keyword research, including:

Google Keyword Planner – use this tool to research and analyze keyword ideas, get historical statistics, and forecast future performance.
Ahrefs – this tool offers a comprehensive keyword research feature, including keyword suggestions, search volume, keyword difficulty, and more.
SEMRush – this tool provides keyword research and analysis, competitor research, and site audit functionality.

Example Of Using AI Tools For Keyword Research

To understand how AI tools can be used for keyword research, let’s say your company sells organic skincare products and you want to create a blog post about the benefits of organic skincare that targets the right keywords to reach your target audience.

Using Ahrefs, for example, you could enter “organic skincare” into its keyword research tool.

Ahrefs - Free Keyword Generator — Ahrefs offers a free keyword generator tool.

Choose a source and location for your keyword research and ask the tool to find keywords.

The tool then generates a list of related keywords and keyword ideas.

Ahrefs - Free Keyword Generator: Keyword ideas results: phrase match — Ahrefs’s keyword tool generates phrase-match keyword ideas…

It also provides a list of questions related to the keyword, which is useful for generating new content topic ideas.

Ahrefs - Free Keyword Generator: Keyword ideas results: Questions — And keyword-related questions too!

Note: For a detailed list of related keywords, along with data on search volume, keyword difficulty, and other relevant metrics, requires the paid version of the tool.

Ahrefs - Keyword Explorer — Ahrefs – Keyword Explorer (paid version).

You could then use this data to select the most relevant keywords for your blog post.

Additionally, using Google’s Keyword Planner tool, you could input “organic skincare” and get a list of suggested keywords and their average monthly search volume.

This would help you to identify any additional keywords that you may have missed so you can optimize your content accordingly.

Utilizing AI tools for keyword research can help you save time, identify relevant keywords, and ensure that your content is optimized for search engines.

For a complete list of tools you can use for keyword research and SEO, see this section: Search Optimization Tools

AI Tools For Content Analysis

There are several AI tools you can use for content analysis, including:

Grammarly – provides suggestions for improving the readability, tone, and clarity of your writing.
MonkeyLearn Sentiment Analyzer – analyzes the sentiment and emotion of text, allowing you to understand how your content is being perceived.
MarketMuse – uses AI to analyze the quality and relevance of your content and provides recommendations for improvement.

Example of Using AI Tools for Content Analysis

To understand how AI tools can be used for content analysis, let’s say that your company is in the health and fitness industry and has written a blog post on the benefits of a new workout routine.

Your company wants to ensure that the content is engaging and informative, and is looking for ways to improve its quality.

Using Grammarly, you would scan the text of your blog post and get suggestions for correcting spelling and grammar errors, rewording sentences, etc.

AI Content Research Tool - Grammarly — Use Grammarly to help analyze your content.

The paid version of Grammarly provides suggestions for improving the readability, tone, and clarity of your content, helping you adjust the tone of your content to better resonate with your target audience.

Grammarly - premium suggestions. — Grammarly checks your content for clarity, delivery, engagement, and correctness using AI.

Additionally, using MonkeyLearn Sentiment Analyzer, you could analyze the sentiment and emotion of the text. This would allow you to understand how the content is being perceived by the audience, and to make any necessary adjustments to improve its impact.

AI Content Research Tool - MonkeyLearn Sentiment Analyzer — MonkeyLearn’s Sentiment Analyzer helps you analyze your content’s sentiment.

Using AI tools for content analysis can improve the quality and relevance of your content, ensuring that it is engaging and informative to your target audience.

AI Tools For Trend Analysis

There are several AI tools that can be used for trend analysis, including:

Google Trends – see how often specific search terms are being used over time.
BuzzSumo – see which topics are being discussed the most on social media and other online platforms.
Exploding Topics – this tool uses AI to identify emerging trends before they become popular.

Example of Using AI Tools for Trend Analysis

To understand how AI tools can be used for trend analysis, suppose your company creates content for a tech-savvy audience.

Your company wants to ensure that it is creating content that is relevant and engaging to its target audience. By using AI tools for trend analysis, you can gain insights into the types of content that are popular among your audience.

Using a tool like Google Trends, you could input a range of search terms related to your industry, and see how often these terms are being searched over time. This would help you identify which topics are currently popular among your target audience, and create content that is more likely to be consumed and shared.

AI Content Research Tool - GoogleTrends — Discover and compare trending topics using GoogleTrends.

Additionally, you could then use a tool like BuzzSumo to identify which topics are being discussed the most on social media and other online platforms. This could help you create content that is more likely to be shared and engaged with by your target audience.

AI Content Research Tools - BuzzSumo — Use BuzzSumo to identify topics being discussed on social media and other online platforms.

Using AI tools for trend analysis can help you gain insights into the types of content that are popular among your target audience. You can then use this information to create more relevant and engaging content.

Using AI Tools For Content Research – Best Practices

Follow the best practices below to leverage the benefits of using AI tools for content research without compromising the quality of your content:

Know The Limitations Of AI Tools

While using AI tools can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your content research and help you gather, analyze, and generate insights from vast amounts of data, it is important to keep in mind that AI tools are still evolving and may not always provide accurate or complete results.

AI tools are also dependent on the quality and quantity of the data they are trained on and have limitations. Therefore, AI tools should not be used as a replacement for human analysis, but rather as a supplement and complement to it.

Choose The Right AI Tools

There are various AI tools available for content research, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Before choosing an AI tool for content research, consider your specific research needs and goals. Some tools may be better suited for keyword research, while others may be more effective for content analysis or trend analysis. It is also important to research and compare the features, pricing, and user reviews of different tools to make an informed decision.

Use AI Tools As A Complement to Human Analysis

While AI tools can help you analyze and generate insights from vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently, they should not be used as a replacement for human analysis.

AI tools complement human analysis, as they can help identify patterns and trends that may not be immediately apparent to humans. However, it is ultimately up to humans to interpret and contextualize the data generated by AI tools.

Verify AI-Generated Insights With Human Analysis

Human intelligence is still better at understanding context and making subjective judgments than Artificial Intelligence.

AI tools can generate valuable insights, but it is important to verify and contextualize these insights with human analysis. This can help ensure the accuracy and completeness of your research findings.

For more content research tools, go here: Content Research Tools

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Image: AI-generated image (DALL-E)

Customer Surveys

Use feedback from customer surveys to create a more targeted content strategy and improve your content creation.

Use Customer Surveys In Your Content Strategy

Use feedback from customer surveys to create a more targeted content strategy and improve your content creation.

Customer surveys can help you create a content strategy that is more in line with the needs and preferences of your target audience, which can help you create content that is more likely to be consumed and shared.

In this section, we will discuss the role and benefits of customer surveys in creating a content strategy, including tips for using them effectively, useful customer survey tools, and potential downsides to consider.

Why Use Customer Surveys In Your Content Strategy

Customer surveys can be a useful tool for creating a content strategy because they allow you to gather direct feedback from your target audience about what types of content they find most valuable.

This can help you understand what topics and formats your audience is most interested in, which can inform your content creation decisions.

For example, if you run a customer survey and find that a large portion of your audience is interested in learning about a particular topic, you might consider creating more content around that topic.

Alternatively, if you find that your audience is not particularly interested in a certain type of content, you may want to consider focusing on other topics instead.

Overall, customer surveys can help you create a content strategy that is more in line with the needs and preferences of your target audience, which can help you create content that is more likely to be consumed and shared.

Tips For Using Customer Surveys

Here are some tips for using customer surveys to gather valuable insights from your customers and use that information to inform your content strategy and other business decisions:

Determine your survey goals: Before you start creating your survey, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you hope to learn from your customers. This will help you create a survey that is focused and effective.
Choose the right survey format: There are many different types of surveys you can use, including online surveys, phone surveys, and in-person surveys. Choose the format that is most appropriate for your business and your audience.
Keep it short and focused: No one likes to take a long, tedious survey. Keep your survey short and focused to maximize the number of responses you receive.
Use open-ended questions: In addition to multiple choice and rating scale questions, consider including open-ended questions that allow your customers to provide more detailed feedback.
Analyze the results: Once you have collected your survey responses, it’s important to carefully analyze the data to understand what your customers are saying. Look for patterns and trends in the responses, and use this information to inform your content strategy.

Customer Survey Example

Here is an example of a customer survey that could be used to inform a content strategy:

How often do you visit our website?

- Rarely
- Occasionally
- Monthly
- Weekly
- Daily

How would you describe the content on our website?

- Boring
- Okay
- Interesting
- Very interesting

What topics would you like to see more content written about on our website? (Please select all that apply)

- Product reviews
- Industry news
- Tips and tricks
- Company updates
- Other (please specify)

What types of content do you prefer on our website? (Please select all that apply)

- Articles
- Videos
- Infographics
- Podcasts
- Other (please specify)

How likely are you to share content from our website with your friends and family?

- Very unlikely
- Unlikely
- Neutral
- Likely
- Very likely

Customer Survey Tools

There are many online survey tools available that allow you to create and distribute surveys to your customers.

Most of the tools listed below provide benefits and advantages like:

Customizable design: The tool allows businesses to create surveys with a professional and customized look and feel.
Multiple question types: The tool supports a variety of question types, including multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions, allowing businesses to gather a wide range of data from their customers.
Data analysis tools: The tool provides a range of data analysis tools, including charts, graphs, and pivot tables, to help businesses analyze and interpret their survey data.
Integration with other tools: The tool can be easily integrated with a variety of other tools, including CRM systems, email marketing software, and social media platforms, making it easy to gather and analyze survey data.
Advanced features: The tool offers a range of advanced features, including the ability to add images, videos, and other media to surveys, and to create surveys in multiple languages.
Mobile-friendly: The tool is mobile-friendly, making it easy for respondents to complete surveys on their smartphones or tablets.
Customer support: The tool provides excellent customer support, with a range of resources and support options available to help users get the most out of the platform.

Here are some powerful and flexible customer survey platforms that you can use to gather valuable insights from your customers:

SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is a popular survey tool that allows you to create, distribute, and analyze surveys. SurveyMonkey offers a range of customization options and can be used to gather a wide variety of data from customers.

SurveyMonkey - Customer Survey Template — SurveyMonkey – Customer Survey Template

SurveyMonkey has a user-friendly interface and offers a variety of templates and customization options, including custom branding options, allowing you to create surveys that match your brand’s aesthetic and messaging.

SurveyMonkey also has a large user base, which means you can reach a large number of potential respondents when distributing surveys.

More info: SurveyMonkey

Forminator

Forminator is a free WordPress plugin that allows you to create and manage forms and customer surveys on your WordPress website to gather feedback and insights from your audience.

To use Forminator to create customer surveys, follow these steps:

Install and activate the Forminator plugin on your WordPress website.
Create a new survey form using the Forminator form builder.
Add questions to the survey form using the various question types available in Forminator, including multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions.
Customize the look and feel of the survey form using the built-in customization options in Forminator.
Publish the survey form on your website or share it with customers through other channels, such as email or social media.
Analyze the survey results using the data analysis tools provided by Forminator.

More info: Forminator

Google Forms

Google Forms is a free online survey tool from Google that allows you to create and distribute surveys to gather data from customers and other stakeholders.

Google Forms can be easily integrated with other Google tools, such as Google Sheets and Google Drive, making it easy to manage and analyze survey data.

Overall, Google Forms is a reliable and convenient tool that is easy to use and integrates seamlessly with other Google tools, such as Sheets and Docs.

More info: Google Forms

Typeform

Typeform is a survey tool that allows you to create visually appealing surveys with a range of customization options.

Typeform is designed to be user-friendly and can be used to gather a wide range of data from customers.

More info: Typeform

SurveySparrow

SurveySparrow is a cloud-based customer survey and all-in-one omnichannel experience solution that enables businesses of all sizes to create engaging feedback surveys.

SurveySparrow lets you create engaging and conversational customer surveys and offers a range of customization options.

It also includes a centralized dashboard, allowing you to import and organize your contacts into custom lists based on job titles, locations, and age groups.

More info: SurveySparrow

SurveyPlanet

SurveyPlanet is a free and user-friendly online survey tool that allows you to create and distribute surveys with unlimited questions and responses to your customers.

You can create surveys for free or upgrade to a paid plan if you need advanced or enterprise-level features, including the ability to export and print survey results, use custom themes, question branching, survey results filtering, create white label surveys, run kiosk surveys, receive completion notifications, and more.

SurveyPlanet is a reliable and convenient tool that offers a range of customization options and integrations with other tools, such as Mailchimp and Salesforce.

More info: SurveyPlanet

SurveyLegend

SurveyLegend lets you create visually appealing surveys with a range of customization options.

You can create custom, engaging text-based, media-based, or choice-based mobile-friendly surveys, forms, questionnaires, and polls on any device with the tool’s free, dynamic survey maker.

SurveyLegend lets you customize the look of your survey and display results with eye-catching and insightful graphics using drag and drop with no design or market research skills.

The free version limits you to 3 surveys, 6 pictures, no data export, 1 conditional logic, and includes ads and a watermark. If you need more advanced features and the ability to create unlimited surveys, export your data, advanced logic, and more, then consider upgrading to one of their paid plans.

More info: SurveyLegend

AskNicely

AskNicely lets you collect and act on customer feedback in real-time and get feedback via email, SMS, or web.

The tool lets you track any customer experience metric including NPS, 5-Star, or CSAT (see below), see customer experience trends broken down by location, branch, or individual, and make evidence-based decisions.

More info: AskNicely

Qualtrics

Qualtrics is a powerful survey tool that offers a wide range of features and customization options to collect feedback and understand your audience’s needs.

It provides a free survey tool with over 50 expert-designed pre-built survey templates for customer, employee, brand, product, and market research professionals (or create your own form from scratch).

Qualtrics is often used by many businesses and organizations to gather data from customers and employees.

More info: Qualtrics

Pointerpro

Pointerpro (formerly SurveyAnyplace) is a survey creation platform that lets you create your own online surveys with customized reports created automatically.

Pointerpro’s survey maker generates personalized PDF reports immediately upon completion of the survey.

More info: Pointerpro

Alchemer

Alchemer (formerly SurveyGizmo) is a comprehensive, flexible, and easy-to-setup-and-use survey tool and feedback software that offers a range of advanced features, such as logic branching and custom reports.

Alchemer is a good option for businesses that need to gather more in-depth data from customers using an enterprise solution covering everything from survey software to customer feedback management.

More info: Alchemer

Customer Experience Metrics

Many customer survey tools track customer experience metrics to measure and track the satisfaction of your customers.

These metrics help your business understand how well you are meeting the needs and expectations of your customers and identify areas for improvement.

Some common customer experience metrics include:

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a customer experience metric that measures the likelihood of a customer recommending a company’s products or services to others.

NPS is calculated based on responses to a single question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?”

Customers are divided into three categories: promoters, passives, and detractors.

Customers who respond with a 9 or 10 are considered “promoters” and are most likely to recommend the company, while those who respond with a 7 or 8 are considered “passives,” and those who respond with a 0 to 6 are considered “detractors” and are the least likely to recommend your products or services to others.

The NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.

NPS is a useful metric for businesses because it provides insight into the overall loyalty of your customer base.

5-Star rating

5-Star is a customer experience metric that measures the overall satisfaction of a customer with a company’s products or services.

Customers are typically asked to rate their satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest rating.

This metric can be helpful because it provides your business with a simple and easy-to-understand measure of customer satisfaction.

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

CSAT is another measure of customer satisfaction. It is typically based on a scale of 1 to 5 and is often used to measure satisfaction with specific touchpoints, interactions, or experiences within the customer journey, such as a customer service call or a product purchase.

Customer Surveys – Potential Downsides

While customer surveys can be a useful tool for creating a content strategy, there are also some potential downsides to consider.

One potential downside is that customer surveys may not accurately represent the preferences of your entire audience. This is because surveys are often only completed by a small percentage of your total customer base, and the responses may not be representative of the larger group.

Another potential downside is that customer surveys can be time-consuming and resource-intensive to create and administer. This can be especially challenging for small businesses with limited time and resources.

Finally, it’s important to remember that customer preferences can change over time. This means that even if you use customer surveys to inform your content strategy, you may need to revisit your strategy periodically to ensure that it is still aligned with the needs and preferences of your target audience.

Overall, while customer surveys can be a useful tool for creating a content strategy, it’s important to use them in combination with other methods, such as analyzing website traffic data and monitoring social media engagement, to get a more complete picture of your audience’s needs and preferences.

Customer Surveys – FAQs

Here are frequently asked questions about customer surveys:

What is a customer survey?

A customer survey is a tool used by businesses to gather feedback from customers about their experiences, satisfaction levels, and preferences.

Why are customer surveys important?

Customer surveys provide valuable insights into customer satisfaction, preferences, and areas for improvement, helping businesses make informed decisions to enhance products and services.

What types of questions should be included in a customer survey?

Questions should cover various aspects such as overall satisfaction, specific product or service feedback, likelihood of recommending, and suggestions for improvement.

How frequently should customer surveys be conducted?

The frequency depends on the business and its goals. Regular surveys can provide ongoing feedback, but the timing should not overwhelm customers. Quarterly or bi-annual surveys are common.

What is Net Promoter Score (NPS) and why is it used in customer surveys?

NPS measures customer loyalty by asking how likely customers are to recommend a company to others. It’s a popular metric in customer surveys because it provides a simple yet powerful indication of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Customer Surveys – Summary

Customer surveys are a popular and effective method for gathering feedback from customers and using it to inform a content strategy.

Surveying your customers directly can give you valuable insights into their demographics, interests, and pain points.

There are many online survey tools available that allow you to create and distribute surveys to your customers.

By asking targeted questions about topics, formats, and preferences, and gathering feedback, you can get a better understanding of what your customers need and how you can address their pain points to create content that resonates with your target audience and meets their needs.

When using customer surveys it’s important to measure and track the satisfaction of your customers using customer experience metrics. By regularly collecting and analyzing these metrics, you can identify areas for improvement and work to enhance the overall customer experience.

Finally, keep in mind that customer surveys have limitations, and it may be necessary to use other methods to get a complete understanding of audience preferences.

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Image: Survey Forms

Content Research

Learn how to perform effective content research before investing time and effort into creating content for your business.

Content Research

Learn how to perform effective content research before investing time and effort into creating content for your business.

One of the best ways to avoid creating content that may end up delivering poor results is to learn how to perform effective content research before investing time and effort into creating it.

Content research is part of the content planning process and should be done after the business has developed its content strategy and before going into content production.

In this lesson, we will cover:

Why Do Content Research?
Key Areas Of Effective Content Research
How To Do Content Research

Before You Begin

Please review and complete the Content Planning lesson before starting this lesson.

What Is Content Research?

Content research is the process of gathering and analyzing information about a specific topic or audience in order to inform the creation of your content.

Why Do Content Research?

The goal of doing content research is to analyze content online and use your analysis and conclusions to help develop a unique content strategy that will benefit the long-term growth and brand visibility of your business.

By performing content research, you can make informed decisions about what type of content to create, how to create it, and how to promote it. This helps you produce content that is more likely to be read, shared, and ultimately drive the desired outcomes of your business.

Content research can include things like looking at the top posts ranking in search engines for your industry, niche, or topic, content that is attracting lots of social shares and engagement, what your competitors are writing about, discussing, or sharing online, etc.

Some of the reasons why content research matters include:

Helping your business understand its target audience, what kind of information it consumes, shares, and engages with on social media, and what content works best for reaching it. You can use this to build a content library of information and resources for users.
It helps to shape your content marketing strategy.
It helps you understand how to build authority, credibility, and trust online with users.
It lets you identify third-party resources your target audience likes and tends to gravitate toward.
It shows you what content you need to build to carry prospects through their entire buying journey.
It gives you insights on how to build sustainable growth for your brand, increase organic search traffic and social media visibility, and improve your lead generation activities.

Content Research Goals And Objectives

The goals and objectives of performing content research include:

Understanding your audience: Identifying the characteristics, needs, and preferences of the target audience in order to create content that resonates with them. This can be achieved by surveying a group of potential customers to learn about their pain points and what type of content they prefer to consume.
Identifying gaps in existing content: Analyzing existing content in order to identify areas where new or additional content is needed. This can be achieved by performing a content audit and reviewing the content on your company’s website to identify topics that are under-represented or missing.
Identifying competitors: Analyzing the content produced by your competitors in order to identify opportunities and strategies for creating unique and valuable content. This can be achieved by reviewing the blog posts, social media posts, and e-books of your direct competitor(s) to identify common themes and formats that they use.
Identifying trends and topics: Researching industry trends, news, and popular topics in order to inform the creation of timely and relevant content. This can be achieved by monitoring social media channels, search engines, and news articles to identify trending topics and keywords to include in your content.
Optimizing search engine visibility: Researching keywords and phrases that are relevant to the content and audience in order to optimize the content for search engines. This can be achieved by using keyword research tools to identify keywords and phrases that are frequently searched for by the target audience and incorporating them into the content.
Measuring the effectiveness of your content: Gathering data on how your content is performing in terms of engagement, shares, clicks, conversions, etc., in order to determine how well it is meeting your goals and objectives. This can be achieved by using analytics tools to track the number of views, shares, and engagement on a blog post or social media post.

Key Areas Of Effective Content Research

Effective content research focuses on three key areas:

Your Market
Your Audience
Your Competition

Content Research - Three Key Areas — Focus on each of these key areas when doing content research.

Let’s take a brief look at each of these key areas:

Your Market

Focusing on gaining a better understanding of the market will help you answer questions about:

The environment the business operates and sells its products or services in (e.g. is it a growing or shrinking market? How do political or global events affect it?)
Technological disruptions, changes, and innovations in the industry or niche that the business should be aware of and prepare for or begin to embrace.
Emerging opportunities (new product development, new territories, new sectors, etc.)
Current limitations and barriers to growth or expansion.
Which distribution channels are available to or work best for the business.
Industry best practices.

Your Audience

Focusing on gaining a better understanding of the audience the business is targeting will help you answer questions like:

Who is the ideal target audience? What do they look like? What are their values and preferences? What do they like or dislike?
Where does your audience congregate online? How can you reach them? What are the most cost-effective ways to reach them?
What type of content does your audience consume? What is their preferred content format?
What are their pain points, concerns, and challenges? How can your business help them solve these?

Some of the ways to know your audience better and get to understand their desires, goals, fears, frustrations, and pain points include:

Keep an eye on your competitors.
Monitor audience feedback, engagements, and comments through surveys, online forms, and how they engage and comment on your blog, social media channels, community forums, and customer support channels.
Craft buyer personas to understand the main customer categories that convert for your brand.

Your Competition

Knowing which content channels your competitors are targeting, what topics their content is addressing, and where they spend their marketing and advertising budgets can tell you a lot about where you should be focusing your content marketing efforts.

Researching your competition can help you answer questions like:

Who are the main competitors in your niche?
What are they doing that your business isn’t? Similarly, what is your business doing that your competitors aren’t (yet)?
What are they doing right? What are they doing wrong?
Is your competition doing anything that your business can’t match because it lacks the resources, budget, etc.?
Is there anything unique about your business that your competitors can’t match?

Some of the ways you can research your competition includes:

Signing up to receive their email updates.
Analyzing their video content.
Tracking their social media activity.
Reviewing their top-performing content (post titles, subheadings, main keywords, word count, social shares, meta descriptions, etc.).
Attending their webinars and other events.
Tracking changes to their website.

According to BuzzSumo here are the data insights you need to create the best content:

The content volumes and trends for your industry topics.
The most successful articles in terms of shares and links.
The content types and formats that your audience shares.
The evergreen content that gains shares and links over time.
Influential sites for content in your industry.
Competitors’ most successful content.
The networks where your audience shares content.
Identify social influencers and backlink opportunities for your content.
Engagement benchmarks.

Researching the key areas and gaining the insights above will provide your business with the valuable information needed to create a content strategy and a content plan.

How To Do Content Research

The best way to do content research is to begin the process and record your findings, thoughts, snippets, ideas, links, quotes, URLs, etc. as you go in an organized manner. This allows you to immerse yourself in the process, document your research, and retrieve the information when it’s time to create the content.

Let’s break this down into doable steps:

1. Begin The Content Research Process

If you don’t know where to begin your content research, you can start with Google Search.

You could begin by simply typing in a keyword search term related to the topic you are researching and looking at the first page (i.e. top 10) search results for your content’s topic. This will give you an idea of what it will take for your content to outrank your competitors.

For example, let’s say that your business sells supplies for coffee drinkers and you want to create content on ways to make “barista-like” coffee at home.

You could begin the content research process by simply typing in something like “how to make barista coffee at home” into Google…

Content Research - Google Search results — Begin your content research with a Google search.

This immediately provides you with lots of useful information and ideas for new content topics and ways to present content to your target audience.

For example, you can do further research into areas like:

Similar or related article topics.
Article titles, excerpts, and meta descriptions.
Similar or complementary products that users are looking to buy.
Video topics.
Additional information that users are searching for (e.g. the “People also ask” section).
Ideas for new images, infographics, artwork, ad banners, etc.
Opportunities to fill in gaps in your content strategy.

This is a simple yet great way to start. However, you can use Google to dig even deeper into your content research work.

For example:

Look For Paid Search Ads

Businesses don’t spend money advertising on unprofitable keyword searches. Ads displaying on search queries indicate there is commercial intent behind the keyword or topic, so it may be worth researching further into ways to try and rank for the keyword in Google’s organic search results.

Google Search - paid ads — Paid ads indicate that the topic you are researching may be profitable to rank for in organic searches.

Check Autocomplete Suggestions

Google’s predictive search feature (Autocomplete) is a great way to find ideas for long-tail keywords or topics related to your research.

Google predictive search feature - autocomplete suggestions. — Google’s Autocomplete feature is a great way to research content ideas related to your searches.

You will also want to research and analyze:

What your target audience shares and engages with on social media, the social influencers they follow, etc.
What your competitors and industry leaders are writing about or discussing on social media.
Forums, industry publications (whitepapers, reports, published research), expert interviews, news sites, case studies, surveys, polls, statistics, etc.
Keywords, including paid ads, related searches, etc.

See this excellent article for more information on completing this step: 30 Best Content Research Tips That Will Make You More Influential

2. Save Time Using Content Research Tools

There are many great time-saving tools and resources available online to help you research content topics and ideas, find sources of authoritative information, analyze keywords, gather data and stats, and more.

For example, in addition to search, Google provides other content research tools you may not have thought of using, such as Google Trends, Google Alerts, Google Scholar, and Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio).

Looker Studio dashboard — Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is a powerful data-driven content research tool.

You can use different data sources for your keyword research projects.

For example, you can use Google Analytics to analyze user behavior and site interaction, Google Search Console data to identify mismatches in search intent, Google Trends to identify search behavior for spelling variations (e.g. eCommerce vs e-Commerce) or regional variations, etc.

See the Content Research Tools section for tools and resources that will help you with your content research.

3. Organize & Document Your Content Ideas

In addition to knowing where to go for research and using tools to help speed up your content research, it helps to have a system for organizing and accessing your research information quickly and easily.

For example, you can use tools like your web browser’s bookmarks to store useful website URLs…

Content organization tools or apps like Microsoft OneNote let you build up a collection of research notes, copy and paste snippets, ideas for blog posts and web pages, etc. …

For additional tools and tips on organizing and storing your content research notes and information, see the Content Research Tools section.

4. Perform A Content Audit Of Your Existing Content

When researching new content topics and ideas, remember to look at the existing content too. There may already be similar content written that has been previously published by your business.

A content audit can provide valuable information about the state of the content of your business and help you answer questions about what may be missing in the current content compared to your research that needs to be developed, whether the business has already published similar articles, what can be updated, rewritten, consolidated, or discarded, etc.

For more information about creating a content inventory or auditing your existing content, see this lesson: Content Audit

5. Add Topics And Ideas For Discussion To Your Content Planning process

As you gather more research from different sources for your content plan, make sure to update the relevant information in your editorial calendar and communicate these to your team via your content collaboration tools and channels, like your content production team meetings.

Content Research FAQs

Here are frequently asked questions about digital content research:

What is content research in content management?

Content research involves gathering information, trends, audience insights, and competitive analysis to create effective content that aligns with user needs and business goals.

Why is content research important for a content strategy?

It helps ensure that the content is relevant, valuable, and strategically tailored to meet both the audience’s needs and the organization’s objectives, such as increasing engagement or sales.

How does content research influence content strategy?

Content research provides insights into audience preferences, competitive landscape, and trending topics, which inform content strategy development and optimization.

What are the key steps in content research?

Key steps in content research include defining objectives, identifying the target audience, conducting keyword research, analyzing competitors, and evaluating existing content performance.

How do you conduct content research?

Begin by identifying your audience, their needs, and content preferences. Use tools like surveys, keyword research, and social media analytics to gather data. Also, analyze competitors to understand market trends.

What tools are commonly used for content research?

There are various content research tools that are commonly used for gathering data on keywords, trends, and competitor content performance.

How does content research influence content creation?

Content research informs the topics, tone, and format of the content you produce, ensuring it resonates with the target audience and fills gaps in the existing market or content strategy.

Can content research affect SEO?

Yes, effective content research includes keyword research and search trend analysis, which are critical for optimizing content for search engines and improving organic search visibility.

What is the best way to keep content research organized?

Utilize content management systems (CMS) and tools like content calendars or project management software to keep track of research findings and content schedules.

How often should content research be updated?

Regular updates are crucial as market trends, consumer behaviors, and search algorithms evolve. Ideally, review and update your content research quarterly or bi-annually.

How does content research benefit FAQs on a website?

Research identifies common customer questions and issues, enabling the creation of FAQs that directly address user concerns and improve customer service.

What is the difference between content research and market research?

Content research focuses specifically on creating and optimizing content based on user interests and search behaviors, while market research explores broader market trends and consumer needs impacting overall business strategies.

What role does content research play in content marketing campaigns?

Content research informs the development of targeted, high-quality content that resonates with the audience, driving engagement, leads, and conversions.

Summary

Content research is invaluable to strategic content planning. It can tell you what content to create, how often to create it, where to distribute it, and how to best promote it.

Well-researched content that shows that the business understands the market and the competitive landscape and that connects with its audience can make a significant and sustainable difference to brand visibility, web traffic, lead generation, and revenue.

Action Steps

Review the following sections before you begin researching content. It will help you create great content for your audience:

Your organization’s Content Strategy and Content Plan.
The Content Research Tools section.
Your Editorial Calendar.
The Resources and References section below.

Resources

Content Research Checklist – A checklist to help improve your content research process.
Research Brief Template – A useful briefing template from Hardie Grant Media to help you with your content research.

References

The articles below contain additional information that you may find useful to complete this lesson:

Next Lesson

Go here to learn how to create an Editorial Calendar
Return to Content Planning Overview
Begin the next module: Content Production
Return to the Course Outline

***

Image: Woman researching content online.

Content Research Tools

Useful content research tools, sites, and resources to help you save time in areas like content planning and content production.

Content Research Tools And Resources

Useful content research tools, sites, and resources to help you save time in areas like content planning and content production.

The World Wide Web is a huge library of content research.

In this section, you will find many useful content research tools, sites, and resources to help you in areas like content planning and content production, including:

Researching new content topics and ideas
Finding new content opportunities
Exploring current trends
Gathering data and stats to back up your arguments
Identifying profitable keywords and niches
Researching content for distribution in channels like blogging, social media, email marketing, etc.

***

AI-Powered Content Research

You can use AI technologies for content research and content planning, such as generating content ideas, creating article outlines, etc.

We explore various AI tools that you can use to research and plan your content in this section: AI Content Writing Tools

Additionally:

We have created a free video course showing you how to generate quality content quickly using a free AI tool
You can learn more about the process of researching and planning content using AI tools here: Generate Website Content Using AI
Check out this article conceived and generated entirely using AI: 5 Tips For Streamlining Your Content Management Process

Google

One of the easiest ways to begin researching content is to Google it.

Start with a topic or keyword related to your business, niche, or industry and enter it into the Google search bar to begin exploring content ideas.

Additionally, as you type, you’ll notice that Google displays an autocomplete list of search terms below the search field where you have entered your keywords.

You can use the Google Autocomplete tool (formerly called Google Suggest) to explore additional content related to your search, build a list of keywords or topic ideas, etc. (Tip: learn how to manage Google’s Autocomplete predictions).

After you hit enter on any search term, Google displays even more content ideas you can explore.

For example, you have the People also ask tool, which you can use to research content ideas on ways to solve problems your customers may be experiencing…

Google search results: People also ask tool — Google’s ‘People also ask’ tool is great for exploring content ideas on ways to solve problems.

Google also displays the Related searches tool with topic-related content ideas you can research…

Google's Related searches tool — Use Google’s Related searches tool to explore topic-related ideas.

Add additional search terms you can click on for even more content-related research…

Google additional search terms — Explore even more content ideas using these additional search terms.

Don’t forget other search engines like Bing, DuckDuckGo, etc. You might find different answers and additional suggestions there to expand your content research.

Content Research Tools - Microsoft Bing search page — Use other search engines like Microsoft Bing to expand your content research.

Not only can you do a ton of content research using only Google search but there are also other free content research tools that Google offers.

Let’s explore some of these.

Google Chrome Browser Extensions

Chrome browser extensions are small software programs that you can install to add new features or modify existing functionality in the Google Chrome web browser.

These extensions can not only enhance your experience as a user, increase productivity, and provide additional security and privacy measures, but there are many useful extensions that can be used for content research, content planning, content creation, etc.

To access Chrome browser extensions, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Chrome browser on your computer.

2. Click on the three-dot icon located in the upper right corner of the browser window to open the main menu.

3. Select “More Tools” from the dropdown menu, and

4. Click on “Extensions” from the submenu.

Google Chrome Browser - Extensions — How to access the Extensions menu in Google’s Chrome Web Browser.

5. This will open the Extensions screen where you can view and manage any extensions you have added to your web browser. Click on the Hamburger menu icon in the top-left corner of the screen to access the Main menu.

Google Chrome Web Browser - Extensions screen. — Google Chrome Web Browser – Extensions screen.

Click on the link at the bottom of the menu.

Google Chrome Web Browser - Extensions menu. — Click on the link at the bottom of the menu to visit the Chrome Web Store.

This will take you to the Chrome Web Store, where you can browse and download a variety of Chrome browser extensions.

Chrome Web Store - Main screen — Browse hundreds of extensions in the Chrome Web Store.

Use the search bar to search for specific extensions, or browse through the various categories available.

Chrome Web Store - Search bar — Search for extensions using the search bar.

When you find an extension you want to install, click on the extension to select it.

Chrome Web Store - Selecting an extension. — Click to select an extension.

Click on the “Add to Chrome” button to install the extension.

Chrome Extension - AIPRM for ChatGPT — Click Add to Chrome to install the extension.

A pop-up window will appear, asking you to confirm the installation. Click on “Add Extension” to confirm.

The extension will then be installed in your Chrome browser and will be visible in your toolbar or in the extensions menu.

To manage your installed extensions, you can access the extensions menu by clicking on the three-dot icon and selecting More Tools > Extensions.

From there, you can enable or disable extensions, remove them, or adjust their settings as needed.

You can also Pin or Unpin extensions from your toolbar by right-clicking on the Extensions icon in the toolbar and selecting your preferred option.

Chrome Extensions screen. — View your extension in the Extensions screen and pin or unpin it from your browser toolbar.

Tip: Use the “Related” tab to find additional extensions related to the functionality you’re searching for.

Chrome Web Store - Related extensions — Find related extensions for your Chrome web browser using the Related tab.

Google Trends

Google Trends is another free service from Google that shows you trends in search activity all over the world, with access to maps, charts, and other tools.

You can use Google Trends to compare search volume activity for related topics or similar keywords over a given period of time across different regions or languages, gauge public reaction to real-time events and news stories, monitor trends across different areas of interest (social, political, business, entertainment, sports, etc), optimize SEO for video or local search, glean insights about products and service demand, forecast and predict trends, etc.

Google Trends is also a great tool for identifying the seasonality of topics in your niche or industry. You can use this information to plan your editorial calendar with content promoting those topics during their peak season.

For an excellent article on how to use Google Trends, go here.

You can also download key datasets from Google Trends at the Google Trends Datastore.

More info: Google Trends

Google Alerts

Google Alerts is a free service from Google that lets you keep up-to-date with the latest news about all kinds of topics, stay informed about people and companies, and track what other people are publishing about you and your business online.

More info: Google Alerts

Google Lens

Google Lens is an image recognition technology developed by Google and available as an app for Android phones that uses artificial intelligence to identify text and objects in images and in a live view from a phone’s camera.

Google Lens lets you do “real world” content research faster using your mobile phone’s camera.

When you point the phone’s camera at an object with the app installed, it tries to identify the object by reading barcodes, QR codes, labels, and text, and shows you relevant search results, web pages, and information.

For example, here is a photo taken of a tea bag label with Google Lens installed on an Android phone…

Image of a green tea bag label selected with Google Lens — Point your phone’s camera at an object and tap the Google Lens button…

Google Lens immediately identified the object and returned relevant search results…

Google Lens search results — Google Lens brings you search results and lets you do various things with the information.

When you point your phone’s camera at an object, Google Lens gives you the following options:

Translate – take a photo of words to translate
Text – take a photo of words to copy
Search – Search for information related to the object
Homework – Take a photo of a homework question
Shopping – Take a photo of products or barcodes
Places – Identify landmarks, buildings, etc.
Dining – Take a photo of food or a menu

You can scan and translate text from a physical document like a book, paper, business card, whiteboard, or with writing on it, then copy that text to your phone’s clipboard, and paste it into anything – a Google Doc, email, note app, Slack chat, etc.

You can also use Google Lens to identify plants and animals, and get information about landmarks, restaurants, and storefronts (e.g. historical facts, ratings, hours of operation), as well as find information about similar clothes, furniture, home decor, or other objects that you come across.

Google lens is an excellent content research tool. You can copy text from objects and send it to your computer, interact with text from images, search for online images that match real-world objects, save contact information, create calendar events, find answers to questions, and a whole lot more.

See this article for more ways to use Google Lens or scan the QR code below with your Android phone to download the app to your phone from the Google Play store:

Google Lens QR Code — Scan this QR Code to install Google Lens on your Android phone.

More info: Google Lens

Google Scholar

Google Scholar is another useful tool from Google that lets you expand your content research by searching for information across academic literature from journal websites, university repositories, Google Books, etc.

The Google Scholar index includes peer-reviewed online academic journals and books, conference papers, theses and dissertations, preprints, abstracts, technical reports, and other scholarly literature, including court opinions and patents.

The video below provides more information on using Google Scholar:

More info: Google Scholar

Looker Studio

Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is a free tool that gives you powerful insights into your website’s performance from various data sources like Google Search, Google Analytics, Google Ads, YouTube, social media platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter, databases, etc.

For tutorials on using Looker Studio, go here:

More info: Looker Studio

We recommend using Looker Studio with the free Search Intent Keyword Classifier dashboard template designed for search intent-based content creation developed by Lazarina Stoy.

To learn more, go here or watch the video below:

To download the template, go here: Search Intent Keyword Classifier Template

For a tutorial on using the template, go here: Supercharge Your Keyword Research Process By Incorporating Search Intent Classification

Exploding Topics

Exploding Topics helps investors and entrepreneurs find new and upcoming trends before they become popular.

The tool uses a special algorithm to analyze millions of searches, conversations and mentions across the internet to identify under-the-radar industries, products, and categories.

More info: Exploding Topics

Infographiqs

Infographiqs is a search engine for infographics.

Simply type in a search term into the search engine field, and its extensive database returns relevant and accurate results on where to find infographics matching your search term.

From there. click on an entry from the results to visit the site with the infographic.

Use this site to find and review infographics you can cite and add to your content.

More info: Infographiqs.com

Buzzsumo

Buzz Sumo provides access to comprehensive and data-driven content research.

Use BuzzSumo to:

Find the best performing content that will help you get more likes, links, and shares
Identify influencers that can help your brand or campaign, and
Track comments and trends on social media so you can respond faster and capitalize on opportunities.

We also cover Buzz Sumo in the Search Optimization Tools section.

More info: Buzz Sumo

Wolfram Alpha

Wolfram Alpha is an answer engine based on natural language processing and a large library of algorithms.

According to the website:

Wolfram Alpha represents a fundamentally new paradigm for getting knowledge and answers—not by searching the web, but by doing dynamic computations based on a vast collection of built-in data, algorithms, and methods. Bringing broad, deep, expert-level knowledge to everyone… anytime, anywhere.

Wolfram|Alpha aims to make all the world’s knowledge computable by computing expert-level answers using Stephen Wolfram’s breakthrough algorithms, knowledgebase, and AI technology.

Its mission is to collect and curate all objective data; implement every known model, method, and algorithm; and make it possible to compute whatever can be computed about anything.

In terms of helping you with content research, Wolfram Alpha’s website is divided into several categories, like Mathematics, Science & Technology, Society & Culture, and Everyday Life. Each of these areas contains many subcategories.

So, for example, go to Everyday Life > Personal Finance and you will find ways to compute useful answers to thousands of personal finance questions, from computing interest rates to analyzing and projecting returns on stocks and other investments, converting world currencies, and more.

Wolfram Alpha - Examples for Personal Finance answers — Wolfram Alpha lets you find answers by computing whatever can be computed about anything.

The website builds on the achievements of science and other systematizations of knowledge to provide a single source that can be relied on by everyone for definitive answers to factual queries.

Visit the site: Wolfram Alpha

Content Curation

Content curation tools offer a strategic approach to content creation by not only streamlining the process but also inspiring creativity by sourcing, organizing, and presenting relevant content from diverse platforms.

Scoop.it

Scoop.it offers a robust content curation tool designed for individuals and businesses, enhancing your ability to research and publish top-tier content.

For Individuals:

Effortlessly publish topic pages featuring curated content in minutes.
Automatically distribute curated content within your network to bolster your professional brand.

For Businesses:

Curate, share, and read content within private hubs.
Publish curated content on websites, blogs, newsletters, and social media platforms.
Aggregate curated content seamlessly across multiple WordPress blogs.

Key features of this tool include:

1. Discover, Select & Editorialize, Distribute

A powerful content engine that monitors global sources to curate relevant third-party content.

2. Boost Credibility and Brand Awareness

Establish thought leadership and strengthen influencer connections.
Access diverse sources ranging from mainstream media to niche publications.

3. Create and Share Curated Content Pages

Publish topic pages swiftly.
Share curated content with your networks to build your professional brand.
Automatically feed social channels with curated content.
Embed content pages on your website.
Leverage curated content in templated newsletters.

4. Monitor and Share Knowledge Privately

Facilitate team collaboration with easy content discovery, curation, and sharing.
Automate content monitoring.
Share curated content privately within your team.
Generate internal email newsletters effortlessly.
Create private curated content hubs for your team.
Seamless integration with SSO, intranet, and enterprise social networks.

5. Publish Curated Content for a Targeted Audience

Store, share, categorize, and disseminate curated content.
Aggregate curated content on one or multiple websites.
Publish content on one or multiple WordPress blogs.
Share your team’s content on multiple social media platforms.
Generate customized newsletters for Mailchimp or any emailing solutions.

Scoop.it empowers users to streamline content curation, fostering brand credibility, thought leadership, and effective collaboration within teams.

More info: Scoop.it

Curata

Curata is a content curation tool that lets you streamline your curation experience.

Curata’s Content Curation Software (CCS) scours the web using keywords, news sources, authors, bookmarked or shared content, etc., and returns relevant published content that you can then curate, add your own summary and brand voice to, embed royalty-free imagery, schedule, and share.

Key features of this tool include:

1. Find

Automatically receive the most relevant content from hundreds of thousands of sources.
Dynamic adaptation to your content preferences.
Enable crowdsourcing across your organization.

2. Discover Fresh Content

Curata’s engine employs natural language processing to adapt to your preferences.
Fine-tune content flow by refining sources and focusing on preferred platforms like social media.

3. Curate on the Fly

Instantly curate content while browsing with a convenient browser plugin.
Empower your team through crowd-sourced curation and content suggestions.

4. Quality over Quantity

Curata’s engine programmatically filters out outdated, multilingual, or duplicative content.
With Curata, transform curation into a seamless three-step process: Find, Curate, Share.

More info: Curata

Pocket

Pocket is a content curation tool that allows users to save, organize, and manage articles, videos, and web pages from the internet for later consumption.

Its main function is to provide a convenient way to store content that users find interesting but may not have time to read or view immediately. Users can save content directly from their browser or through apps like X (Twitter), Flipboard, Pulse, and Zite, making it accessible from any device with an internet connection.

Once saved, content can be tagged for easy sorting and retrieval, although Pocket does not offer organizational tools such as collections, unlike some other curation tools like Feedly.

It also curates guides to the best of the web, featuring top-saved stories from its user base, which showcases popular and trending content across various topics.

Overall, Pocket serves as a personal content library where users can accumulate a personalized mix of content tailored to their interests and preferences, which they can access and read at their convenience.

Feed Readers

Feed Readers save you time visiting all of the different sites you like to keep up with when searching for new content posted on these sites, by allowing you to view all of the content on your desktop or phone from a single source.

Feedly

Feedly is a content aggregation and curation tool designed to help users streamline their process of accessing, organizing, and sharing content across various topics. It functions primarily as a news aggregator, allowing users to subscribe to multiple online sources and organize articles into collections based on topics of interest.

This tool is particularly useful for social media content curation, as it enables users to create feeds tailored to specific content themes, making it easier to share relevant content across social media platforms.

Feedly employs AI to enhance its curation capabilities, suggesting content based on the user’s preferences and previous interactions. This AI component helps in discovering and following favorite sources and topics more efficiently, thereby keeping the user’s feed fresh with highly relevant content.

Additionally, Feedly integrates with various other tools and platforms, enabling a smoother workflow for gathering, reading, and distributing content.

Feedspot

As the video below states…“things move fast on the web and it’s hard to keep up with your favorite sites by visiting each of them separately. Feedspot lets you subscribe to websites so new content comes to you when it’s posted.”

Like most feed readers, Feedspot lets you add feeds from different sites to its service, as well as feeds from blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, news sites, and RSS feeds. You then view the aggregated content from the tool’s content reader.

Watch the video below for an overview of Feedspot:

More info: Feedspot

Reports, Case Studies & White Papers

Get valuable insights into the latest trends, research reports, case studies, and white papers by performing a Google search for:

Reports: [your industry] + [research report].
Case Studies: [your industry] + [case study].
White papers: [your industry] + [white paper].

You can also link to tweets, papers, or reports from industry professionals and subject experts.

Subject Matter Experts (SME)

“A subject matter expert is a professional who’s cultivated a deep well of knowledge. They may be knowledgeable about a niche topic, a skill, a process, or a particular set of technologies, machinery, or materials.”

ConstantContent

As part of your content research, you can find and follow influential people, interview subject experts, or reach out to social media influencers in your industry.

Following influential people can provide you with timely news, quotes, and more.

Interviewing subject matter experts is a great way to create content like videos, podcasts, and blog transcripts. Before interviewing a subject matter expert, make sure you’ve prepared your interview questions.

Social media influencers can ask your target audience questions about specific pain points and frustrations that your content can then address.

You can find subject experts and social media influencers on websites, social media platforms, forums, networking events, and many other places.

Let’s explore some of these places…

LinkedIn is an excellent resource for finding subject matter experts and doing content research.

For example, LinkedIn lets you explore trending topics, news, and popular questions in your industry or niche.

Use LinkedIn’s content suggestions feature to research and discover new content ideas from areas like Trending Articles (shows suggested content based on current trends across LinkedIn), and Company News (shows content suggestions based on your organization’s mentions in the news).

More info: LinkedIn

Twitter

Twitter is another great place to find and follow influential people and reach out to SMEs.

To get the most out of Twitter as a content research tool, make sure to read Twitter’s Getting Started Guide.

More info: Twitter

Hashtagify

Hashtagify is an advanced Twitter hashtag tracking tool that lets you find hashtags to enhance your social media strategy through hashtag marketing, reach your audience, get custom suggestions, and analyze influencers’ and competitors’ strategies.

You can search real-time data and gain insights about Twitter hashtags (popularity ranking, related hashtags, trends, etc.), track hashtags, follow and analyze Twitter users and trending hashtags, monitor relevant content, and find influencers.

The tool also provides data in easy-to-read dashboards and charts, so you can audit performance, monitor aggregated analytics, and build custom reports.

Visit the site: Hashtagify

Twitter Polls

Twitter Polls is a feature of Twitter that lets you create polls to research opinions and gain insights from other Twitter users.

You can use Twitter polls to get customer feedback about upcoming events, new content, new product launches, rebranding, new releases, etc., curate industry-relevant discussions, and test how your audience feels about a certain topic before creating your content.

More info: Twitter Polls

Forums

Forums are a great place to research information, especially if you are creating content designed to solve problems or looking for ideas to develop new products or services.

Often, you can find answers on forums that you cannot find by searching on Google. Forums allow you to engage with people, so if you type in your topic and find that an answer doesn’t exist, you can always ask the question.

Here are some popular forums and forum-like sites:

Quora

Quora is a question-and-answer social media and research website where users answer each other’s questions about all kinds of topics.

Quora has over 300 million monthly active users and over 400,000 topics to explore, so it’s a great site to research topics and questions people are asking and use the information to develop new content ideas relevant to your industry.

More info: Quora

Reddit is another commonly used platform where you can find answers that will help you with your content research.

Reddit is a social networking site where over 300 million monthly active users (known as Redditors) share, interact with, and consume the latest news and trending topics. If you are unfamiliar with using the platform, see this Beginner’s Guide To Using Reddit before engaging with the community.

More info: Reddit

Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow is a question-and-answer website for professional and enthusiast programmers.

It’s the leading community for developers and a great place to research content related to programming, web development, and emerging technologies.

More info: Stack Overflow

In addition to the above, you can join various social media groups and participate in communities of like-minded people across many different social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.

Content Idea Generation Tools

Below are some tools you can use to help you generate new ideas for content.

Infinite Content Creation Course

We provide a comprehensive 120-lesson FREE content creation email course right here on ContentManagementCourse.com, so make sure to sign up below to learn how to never run out of content ideas for your blog, website, or newsletter:

Keyword Magic Tool

Keyword Magic Tool lets you find and explore millions of keywords for content ideas and SEO.

Note: You will need to set up an account with SemRush to use this tool.

Simply enter a target keyword related to your product or service into the tool and the Keyword Magic Tool will return a list of related keywords and metrics like average search volume, keyword difficulty, and additional features included on the SERP page for your keyword.

For example, suppose you are looking for content ideas to write about air fryers.

Go to Keyword Magic Tool and search for the phrase “air fryer” …

Keyword Magic Tool - Search Results — Keyword Magic Tool provides detailed keyword search results.

Next, select the “Questions” option in the toolbar to filter the results to questions, and you’ll see a list of the most frequently searched question-based results related to your search that contain your seed keyword.

Keyword Magic Tool - Question-Based Search Results — Keyword Magic Tool returns a list of question-based search results.

In the above example, “how to clean air fryer” is searched 9,900 times per month. This indicates that users searching for this phrase may have a problem cleaning their air fryers or are beginning their buyer’s journey into buying one and are looking for help or solutions.

You could use this information to educate or engage your audience and provide them with advice or a solution. For example, you can create a guide on air fryer maintenance, or an article or video on cleaning air fryers and promote air fryer cleaning equipment or products, etc.

More info: Keyword Magic Tool

AnswerThePublic

AnswerThePublic.com is a free tool that you can use to research new topic ideas for content marketing, SEO, etc.

Simply enter 1-2 words to describe a topic, band, or product, and click on the Search button.

The tool then explores autocomplete data from search engines like Google and returns ‘mindmap’-like visualization charts with useful search phrases related to questions people are asking around your keyword (e.g. where, what, how, why, etc.), searches based on your keyword+prepositions (e.g. near, for, with, to, etc.), and even comparisons (great for creating review articles).

AnswerThePublic - Visualization data chart — Use AnswerThePublic’s visualization charts to explore ideas for new content.

The tool also provides a downloadable list of results segmented alphabetically.

AnswerThePublic - Alphabetical search results. — Generate lots of great content ideas quickly with AnswerThePublic’s free tool.

Use this tool to generate and brainstorm useful new content topic ideas, and even to help you develop new products and services based on what consumers are searching for.

More info: AnswerThePublic.com

Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest is a keyword research and SEO tool that lets you generate content and keyword ideas, track your rank daily, do a competitor analysis, conduct a site audit, and more.

Ubersuggest results screen. — Get useful search results for content ideas.

Ubersuggest’s domain tool lets you reverse engineer your competitors’ SEO, content marketing, and social media marketing strategy, so you can get insight into strategies that are working for others in your market.

The tool’s Top SEO Pages report is an SEO analyzer that lets you see which of your competitor’s pages are ranking for popular organic keyword phrases and getting attention on sites like Facebook.

Use the free keyword research tool to research hundreds of suggestions for keyword ideas, from head terms to long-tail phrases, with analytic results for volume, competition, and seasonal trends for each keyword. You can also generate a list of keywords that let you see what is working for your competitors and what people are typing into Google.

Additional features include results for top-performing content pieces for your searched keywords with social shares and check for backlinks in your niche.

Ubersuggest keyword and content ideas. — Ubersuggest provides keyword and content ideas based on your search.

Additionally, Ubersuggest integrates with an AI content writing tool, allowing you to create AI-generated content from your keyword searches.

Ubersuggest AI content writer — Generate SEO-optimized content from your search results using an integrated AI content writer.

More info: Ubersuggest

Keywords Everywhere

Keywords Everywhere is a browser addon (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) that lets you perform SEO, content marketing, competitor research, PPC and social media marketing while browsing the web.

It adds the following functionality to your browser:

Free version:

ChatGPT Prompt Templates
Instagram Hashtag Generator (no volume data)
Pinterest Insights and Trend widgets (no volume data)

The paid version includes everything in the free version plus accurate monthly search volume, CPC, competition & 12-month trend data.

Additional features of the paid version include:

Related keywords on Google & Bing, People Also Search For (PASF) keywords on Google.
Trend chart in Google & YouTube.
YouTube insights & YouTube Tags.
Monthly estimated traffic & the top 10,000 keywords that any URL ranks for
URL Analysis to get the list of keywords in the content of the page, and the density of those keywords.
Historical volume data in the trend charts for Google & YouTube (from 2004).
Support for 15+ websites, including Google, YouTube, Amazon, Bing, Google Search Console, Google Analytics.
Import keywords for accurate monthly search volume, CPC, and competition analysis.

More info: Keywords Everywhere

For more tools to help generate ideas and topics for your content, go here: Content Idea Generation Tools.

Organizing Your Content Research

Having a huge library of content research tools and resources at your disposal is great, provided you can access these quickly and efficiently.

Here are some tools and resources that will help you save time accessing your content research tools.

Web Browser – Bookmarks

You can speed up your content research simply by organizing and storing access to the URLs of the sites, platforms, services, and tools you regularly use in your web browser’s bookmarks…

We recommend planning your bookmarking folders first so that when you come across content you want to save to research later, you have an organized way to retrieve it.

Example of bookmarking content. — Planning your bookmarking folders will make it easier to find stored bookmarks later.

Additionally, you can edit the bookmark name to suit your own needs.

Edit bookmark example. — You can edit your bookmarks if it helps to improve your content research process.

See these guides to using bookmarks in different web browsers and devices:

We cover using bookmarks in more detail in this section.

Content Organization Tools

You can also use content organization tools or apps to build up a collection of research notes, copy and paste snippets, ideas for blog posts or web pages, etc.

One Note

Microsoft OneNote is a digital notebook that lets you store and organize all of your notes into sections and pages and share these across all of your devices.

You can also highlight important and “to-do” notes, draw and annotate your notes using a stylus or your finger, record audio notes, insert online videos, add files, save content with one click, and share notebooks with your coworkers.

Simplenote

Simplenote is a free cross-platform note-taking tool that lets you organize your thoughts and content ideas, add tags to find notes quickly with instant searching, share to-do lists, post instructions, and publish your notes online.

Your notes automatically stay updated across all your devices, in real-time, and get backed up with every change you make.

MyInfo

MyInfo is another tool you can use to collect, store, and organize your content ideas, research notes, lists, links, to-dos, etc.

MyInfo - comiplation of screens from the application — Some screens from the MyInfo application.

The tool lets you collect and organize information in a number of ways, including assigning tags and attributes, using entry forms or typing free text, creating notes from templates or from scratch, and using search filters.

Text Editors

Built-in Plain Text Editor

A plain text editor lets you create draft content without distractions — A plain text editor lets you save content research notes and create draft content without distractions.

Your computer’s built-in plain text editor like Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Apple) is a great tool to jot down and save your content ideas, rough notes, snippets, swipe files, research, quotes, link or image URLs, write an outline of topics, and organize your content research.

It also lets you quickly create content drafts without distractions (like formatting or styling text) so you can focus entirely on what you want to say and get your ideas or points across.

NoteTab – Text And HTML Editor

NoteTab Pro - Text And HTML Editor — NoteTab Pro – Text And HTML Editor

While using a plain text editor is great, sometimes you may want to have multiple text files open while you work.

For example, let’s say that you are editing multiple articles or snippets of content on multiple text files and decide that you need to perform a search and replace operation across some or all of these files.

Being able to do one search and replace across all files would be a huge time saver. With your computer’s built-in plain text editor software, however, you can’t do this unless you merge the content of all your files together.

NoteTab is a powerful text and HTML editor tool that lets you edit multiple text files simultaneously, strip HTML from code, and a whole lot more. You can even use it to perform search and replace operations across multiple text files at once.

It’s a great content editing tool that will improve your productivity and help speed things up, especially when working with text or HTML snippets.

NoteTab Features

NoteTab is available in three versions: NoteTab Pro, NoteTab Standard, and the freeware NoteTab Light.

We recommend downloading and using the PRO version.

NoteTab Pro offers great features like:

Multiple-level undo/redo
Fast and flexible search & replace tools
Easy-to-use wildcards for searching (like * and ?)
An integrated two-pane outliner
Real-time word count (NoteTab or Microsoft Word method)
Text statistics for SEO (HTML code automatically ignored)
Support for HTML5 and CSS3
Support for Twitter’s Bootstrap toolkit
Syntax highlighting for HTML, XML, and CSS files
A multilingual spell checker and thesaurus
Customizable menu shortcuts and toolbars

The table of features below shows the differences between the three versions.

NoteTab - Feature Comparison — NoteTab – Feature Comparison

If you need to get more done in less time, NoteTab is fast, handy, reliable, and packed with time-saving productivity tools not found in other text editors.

More Info: NoteTab Pro

To learn how to copy and paste text from images into a text editor, see the Content Management Tips & Tricks section.

Swipe File Folders

Electronic folders are great tools for keeping your content research files organized.

By creating a hierarchy of nested folders mirroring your content structure, you can build an effective archive for your content research notes and files. This also lets you quickly locate archived files in the future should you ever need to retrieve these later.

Additional Content Research Tools

Content Idea Generation Tools – Resources for generating new content ideas.

Additional Sites For Content Research

The sites below provide additional useful resources for your content research.

Statistics & Data

Visit sites like the ones listed below for statistical data and information to validate your articles when getting your point across and adding credibility to your content:

Statista -Statista is one of the leading sites for market and consumer data.
Marketing Trends (HubSpot) – The latest marketing trends.
Top U.S. Market Research and Data Analytics Companies – Top market research and data analytics companies in the U.S.
Marketing Statistics (CoSchedule)- Marketing strategy trend report.
Gartner – Technology data
IQVIA – Healthcare data
NCBI – The National Library of Medicine’s National Center for Biotechnology Information site, which provides access to biomedical and genomic information to advance science and health.
JSTOR – JSTOR provides access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, and primary sources in 75 disciplines.

Idea Sharing Sites

These sites attract subject experts and independent authors willing to share their ideas on a wide range of topics:

Ted Talks – TED talks are short, online video talks and presentations designed to inform and educate global audiences by presenting “Ideas Worth Spreading.” TED Talks provide access to new knowledge and innovative research from experts across a wide range of fields, including science, technology, business, art, design, and more.
Towards Data Science – a site where independent authors publish work and share concepts, ideas, and codes on data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and programming.
Start it up – This site is aimed at the “creator economy” and focuses on all things that help people “get smarter at building their thing” through newsletters, podcasts, self-published books, online courses, social media channels like YouTube, TikTok, Clubhouse, etc.
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange – This is a “question and answer” site designed to provide detailed answers to every question about English language and usage. There are no “chit chats” or discussions on this site. Simply ask your question and you’ll get an answer.
Substack – Substack is a site where independent writers and podcasters publish directly to their audience and get paid through subscriptions.
Codeburst.io – If your content targets developers, coders, or programmers, this site provides an abundance of tutorials and ideas for technical content writers.

Video Courses For Beginners – Content Research

The video courses below cover basic areas of content research and are ideal for beginners (note: you can access all of the video courses below with a single all-access pass):

Keyword Research Tools

Learn how to do keyword research using tools like Google’s Keyword Planner.

More info: Keyword Research Tools

Google Tools

Learn how to use Google Tools like Google Analytics & Gmail.

More info: Google Tools

Using Password Managers

Password Managers provide an easy and secure way to keep track of all your passwords. This video course shows you how to use powerful and FREE password management tools.

More info: Using Password Managers

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For more video courses, see this section: Digital Business Video Courses

Summary

The World Wide Web is a huge library of content research. All you need are the right tools to perform your research effectively. This section provides a list of time-saving content research tools and resources.

Action Steps

Use the content research tools, sites, and resources listed on this page to save time researching content ideas and to help you and your team with your content planning and content production.

Resources

Subject Matter Expert Interview Template (CoSchedule) – If you plan to interview subject matter experts, this question and note-taking template can help you during your interview.
Search Intent Keyword Classifier – Download this free search intent template for content creation using Looker Studio (formerly Google DataStudio) from Lazarina Stoy.

References

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Return To The Main Tools And Resources Section

Images: Laptop

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