Best Tools for Content Agencies in 202328 min read

August 13, 2023
Anna Chmielewska
Content Marketing, tools
content marketing tools, tools for content agencies, tools for content marketing agencies

Are you running a content agency and feel like you’re spinning your wheels? Leads falling through the cracks, missed deadlines, content that wasn’t published, or links that weren’t tracked and are suddenly missing? Looks like you need to go shopping for some new tools for content marketing agencies 🙂

In the article below, we will discuss the best tools for content agencies in 2023, divided into handy categories by Jobs-To-Be-Done:

CRM & Project Management tools for content marketing agencies
Keyword Research & Content Planning tools for content marketing agencies
Content Management tools for content marketing agencies
AI writing tools for content marketing agencies
Link Building tools for content marketing agencies
Writer Hiring tools for content marketing agencies
Graphic design tools for content marketing agencies

Let’s dive straight in!

Try the best tool for your content agency for link building campaigns! CRM + Link Monitoring + Reporting

TLDR – what are the best content marketing tools for agencies in 2023?

Project Management Tools:
- Asana:
  - Task assignment, collaboration, timeline views, and integrations.
- ClickUp:
  - Dedicated spaces for clients, custom fields, calendar views, and robust commenting.
- Airtable:
  - Merges spreadsheets with databases for content scheduling and ideation.

Content Management Tools:
- StoryChief: Dedicated tool for content agencies.
  - Centralized content management hub.
  - Overlay for CMS with commenting/editing.
  - Collaboration with writers and proofreaders.
  - Built-in SEO tools.
  - Multi-platform content distribution.
  - Analytics dashboard for performance insights.
AI Writing Tools:
- Streamline operations and optimize content.
- SurferSEO – Surfer AI:
  - Generates articles from scratch or outline.
  - Part of SurferSEO’s Content Editor.
  - SEO-focused with built-in plagiarism checker.
  - Priced at $69 + $29/article.
- Byword.ai:
  - Uses chatGPT.
  - Generates content based on keywords/topics/outlines.
  - Bulk-content generation feature.
- Copy.ai:
  - Diverse content options.
  - User-friendly interface similar to Google Docs.
  - Projects area for organization.
  - Pricing from free to $49/month.
Link Building Tools:
- BacklinkManager:
  - Monitors and analyzes backlinks.
  - First Link Building CRM.
  - Manages relationships with clients, link builders, and vendors.
  - Features like live chat, comments, link partnership scorecard.
  - Pricing from free to $500/month.
- Buzzstream:
  - CRM for link building outreach.
  - Features include Buzzmarker Chrome extension and Custom Fields.
  - Pricing from $24 to $999/month.
- RankTracker:
  - All-in-one SEO platform.
  - Features like Rank Tracker, Keyword Finder, SERP Checker, Web Audit tool, and Backlink Checker.
Writer Hiring Tools:
- Workello:
  - ATS and skills testing platform.
  - Features like 1-Click skills tests and Hiring Library.
  - Pricing from free to $124/month.
Graphic Design Tools:
- Canva:
  - Design platform for non-designers.
  - Vast template library.
  - Collaborative features.

CRM & Project Management tools for content marketing agencies

CRM and Project Management tools are crucial for content marketing agencies. CRMs let agencies track and nurture client relationships, ensuring content marketing efforts always hit the mark. On the flip side, Project Management tools streamline content creation, making collaboration and deadline tracking a breeze. Together, they help agencies run smoother campaigns and boost their ROI.

Let’s see which Project Management tools are liked most by content marketing agencies:

Asana
ClickUp
Airtable
BacklinkManager

Asana

Asana is a versatile project management and task tracking tool designed to help teams organize, track, and manage their work. It provides a centralized platform where teams can collaborate, set goals, assign tasks, and monitor progress in real-time. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Asana has become a go-to solution for businesses of all sizes to streamline their workflows and ensure that projects are completed efficiently.

How to use Asana for project management in content marketing agencies?

For content marketing agencies, Asana can be a game-changer. Here’s how to leverage its features:

Project Creation: Start by setting up a new project for each content campaign or client. This will serve as the main hub for all related tasks and discussions.

Task Assignment: Break down the project into individual tasks such as content creation, editing, graphics design, and distribution. Assign these tasks to team members with due dates.

Collaboration: Use the comment section under each task to discuss details, share feedback, or ask questions. This ensures that all communication is centralized and easily accessible.

Timeline View: Utilize Asana’s timeline feature to visualize the entire project’s flow, ensuring that deadlines are met and tasks are progressing as planned.

Integrations: Connect Asana with other tools like Google Drive or Dropbox to easily share and access content files.

Conent Marketers on using Asana as a project management tool:

“We’ve used Asana for project management in our content department for several years now. We’ve divided our content plan into clusters based on pain-points/features, and created milestone tasks. Then, we’re adding each blog post as a subtask. We write all the necessary details in the task description, assign the tasks to writers, and then move them along To-Do, In-Writing, Editing, Proofreading, and Published on the Kanban Board.”

-Emilia Korczynska, Head of Marketing at Userpilot

ClickUp

ClickUp is a versatile project management and productivity tool designed to help teams streamline tasks, collaborate efficiently, and achieve their goals. For content marketing agencies, ClickUp can be a game-changer. To leverage ClickUp for a content marketing campaign, agencies can create dedicated spaces for each client or project, utilize custom fields to track content types and stages, set up workflows that mirror the content creation process, and use the calendar view to manage editorial schedules. The platform’s robust commenting and collaboration features ensure that team members and clients can communicate seamlessly, reducing the chances of miscommunication or missed deadlines.

ClickUp even has a template for Content management for content marketing agencies– you can find it here.

How to use ClickUp for project management in content marketing agencies?

Let’s break down ClickUp’s features and how they can be utilized specifically for content marketing agencies:

Spaces & Folders:
- Description: ClickUp allows you to create dedicated spaces for each client or project. Within these spaces, you can further organize tasks into folders and lists.
- Application: Create a space for each client, and within that space, set up folders for different content types (e.g., blog posts, social media, newsletters).
Custom Fields:
- Description: You can customize tasks with specific fields that suit your workflow.
- Application: Track content types, stages of production, target publish dates, or any other specific data relevant to your content creation process.
Workflows & Statuses:
- Description: ClickUp allows you to set up custom workflows that mirror your content creation process.
- Application: Define statuses like “Idea”, “Drafting”, “Review”, “Ready for Publishing”, etc., to track where each piece of content is in the production pipeline.
Calendar View:
- Description: Visualize tasks on a calendar, making it easier to manage editorial schedules.
- Application: Plan and track publishing dates, ensuring a consistent content release schedule.
Collaboration & Commenting:
- Description: Team members can comment on tasks, attach files, and even chat in real-time.
- Application: Facilitate discussions about content pieces, gather feedback, and make collaborative edits.
Time Tracking:
- Description: Track the time spent on tasks directly within ClickUp.
- Application: Monitor the time spent on content creation, helping in resource allocation and billing.
Integrations:
- Description: ClickUp integrates with various tools, including Google Docs, Trello, Slack, and more.
- Application: Seamlessly move content between ClickUp and your preferred writing or communication tools.
Gantt Chart View:
- Description: Visualize your project timeline and dependencies.
- Application: Plan long-term content strategies, ensuring that prerequisites for content pieces are completed in order.
Docs & Wikis:
- Description: Create and store documents directly within ClickUp.
- Application: Maintain content guidelines, client briefs, and other essential documents for easy reference.
Notifications & Reminders:

Description: Receive notifications for upcoming deadlines, comments, or any changes to tasks.
Application: Ensure that no deadlines are missed and that team members are always updated on any changes or feedback.

By understanding and leveraging these features, content marketing agencies can streamline their processes, enhance collaboration, and ensure timely and high-quality content delivery.

Airtable

Airtable is a versatile platform that combines the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the complexity of a robust database. It allows users to organize tasks, projects, and more in a visual and customizable manner. For content marketing agencies, Airtable can be a game-changer. By setting up bases tailored to content creation and distribution, agencies can track the progress of various content pieces, from ideation to publication. With its grid, kanban, calendar, and gallery views, content marketers can visualize their workflow, ensuring timely and organized content delivery.

How to use Airtable for project management in content marketing agencies?

Let’s delve into the features of Airtable and how they can be beneficial for content marketing agencies:

1. Grid View: At its core, Airtable offers a Grid View that resembles a spreadsheet. This view is perfect for content marketers who want to input, organize, and view content ideas, topics, and relevant details in a familiar format. It’s the starting point for most Airtable workflows.

2. Calendar View: For agencies that rely heavily on deadlines and scheduling, the Calendar View is invaluable. It provides a visual representation of the content schedule, making it easier to manage and track deliverables. Content marketers can view upcoming content on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, ensuring timely publications.

3. Kanban View: Inspired by the Kanban methodology, this view allows content pieces to be represented as cards. As content progresses from ideation to publication, cards can be moved between columns like “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Published.” It’s a dynamic way to visualize the content creation process.

4. Gallery View: For content that’s more visual, like images or videos, the Gallery View showcases assets as thumbnails. This is particularly useful for content marketers who need to quickly scan through visual content, making it easier to find, categorize, and utilize the right assets.

5. Form View: Collecting ideas or feedback? The Form View turns Airtable into a data collection tool. Content marketers can create forms to capture pitches, feedback, or any other type of input, which then gets automatically added to the base.

6. Customizable Fields: Airtable allows for a variety of field types, from simple text and numbers to date pickers, dropdown lists, and even attachment fields. For content marketers, this means being able to tailor the platform to capture specifics like content titles, target keywords, target audience, publication dates, and more.

7. Integrations: Airtable can be integrated with various tools, making it a central hub for all content marketing automation activities. Whether it’s syncing with Google Calendar, automating tasks with Zapier, or integrating with a CMS, the possibilities are vast.

Cory Shrecengost, a Content Producer at Dropbox, said: “Airtable has made it possible for us to streamline our processes so that we can think about our content at a much higher level, and ultimately serve our customers better.”

BacklinkManager

BacklinkManager may not be your regular project management or CRM, but it pioneers as the first Link Building CRM on the market, providing an efficient platform for managing relationships with clients, freelance link builders, and vendors.

Linkbuilding Client Relationship Management: The tool allows users to monitor links built for a specific client and delegate client management to different team members, ensuring effective organization and tracking.
Link Vendor & Freelance Link Builder Relationship Management: BacklinkManager simplifies the management of link exchanges and guest posting partnerships, eliminating the need for multiple link exchange sheets and allowing goal setting for each party involved.
Chat and Comments: The tool includes a live chat and comments feature, allowing users to communicate directly with link-building partners and vendors on specific partnership and link-building target pages.
Link Partnership Scorecard: BacklinkManager’s partnership scorecard automatically tracks the status of link exchanges, providing a clear view of link contributions and enabling users to request owed links directly through the live chat.
Link Matchmaking Tool (Coming Soon): BacklinkManager plans to introduce a Link Matchmaking Tool, which will enable users to match with other link builders who offer link exchanges on domains related to their niches.

BacklinkManager, as a full solution for link-building operations, provides more than just CRM functionalities. It equips users with comprehensive tools to monitor links, generate reports, set goals, and share interactive dashboards, making it a powerful asset for effective link-building strategies.

Try BacklinkManager and see how it can help you efficiently manage your link-building relationships with its Link Building CRM feature. The Link Building CRM for Link Partnership Management enables you to keep track of all your link exchange and guest posting partnerships in one place, making it easier to communicate and manage link-building goals with your partners.

Manage your link exchange partnerships with BacklinkManager for FREE!

Keyword Research, Content Planning and SEO optimization tools for content marketing agencies

Keyword Research and Content Planning tools are essential for content marketing agencies. Obviously, you need good keyword research and competitive gap analysis tools to create winning content strategies and plans for your content clients. Content planning tools, on the other hand, optimize content scheduling and your content marketing strategy, ensuring timely and impactful delivery. Together, these tools guide agencies in producing content that drives traffic and engages consumers effectively.

Ahrefs – for keyword research and competitive gap analysis

Ahrefs is a comprehensive digital content marketing tool and analysis tool, renowned for its extensive backlink database and SEO capabilities. Content marketing agencies frequently leverage Ahrefs for keyword research, tapping into its vast keyword database to identify high-volume terms, gauge keyword difficulty, and understand search intent, all of which aid in crafting content that aligns with audience queries. Additionally, Ahrefs is instrumental in competitive gap analysis. Agencies can analyze competitors’ websites to uncover content topics they might be missing, identify backlink opportunities, and discern strategies that competitors are employing successfully. This dual functionality allows agencies to refine their content strategy and stay ahead in the digital landscape.

Let’s look at how the two flagship features of Ahrefs – 1) Keyword Explorer and 2) Competitive gap analysis – can they be used by content agencies to create content plans for their clients:

Keyword Explorer:Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer is a robust feature that delves deep into keyword data, providing insights that are invaluable for content agencies. It offers a detailed analysis of search volume, keyword difficulty, and click metrics for any given term. Beyond just raw data, it reveals search intent by categorizing keywords into segments like “transactional,” “informational,” or “navigational.” For content agencies, this means they can craft content that precisely matches what users are actively seeking. By understanding the potential traffic and competitiveness of a keyword, agencies can prioritize their content creation efforts, ensuring they target terms that offer the best ROI for their clients.
Competitive Gap Analysis:This feature in Ahrefs allows agencies to directly compare their client’s website with competitors. By doing so, they can identify content topics or keywords that competitors are ranking for, but their client is not. This “gap” represents untapped potential. For instance, if a competitor is ranking well for a set of keywords that the client’s site hasn’t addressed, it signals an opportunity to create content around those terms. Moreover, the tool can highlight backlink opportunities, showing where competitors are earning links but the client’s site is lagging. By understanding these gaps, content agencies can devise a more comprehensive content plan, ensuring their clients not only match but surpass their competition in the digital arena.

SEMrush – for keyword research and competitive gap analysis

SEMrush is a multifaceted digital marketing platform known for its prowess in SEO, PPC, and content marketing strategy and analysis. For content agencies, SEMrush’s keyword research capabilities are a goldmine. The platform provides insights into keyword volume, difficulty, and competitive landscape, enabling agencies to pinpoint terms that resonate with their target audience and have the potential for high ROI. Beyond individual keyword insights, SEMrush’s competitive gap analysis is a game-changer. Agencies can juxtapose their client’s website against competitors to unearth keywords and content topics that the competition is capitalizing on but their client might be overlooking. This comparative analysis not only reveals untapped content opportunities but also offers a strategic vantage point, ensuring that the agency’s content plans are comprehensive and poised to outperform in the market.

What’s the difference between SEMrush and Ahrefs as content marketing tools for 2023?

Primary Focus for Content Planning:
- Ahrefs: Originally recognized for its backlink prowess, Ahrefs has evolved to offer robust keyword research and content exploration tools. Its vast backlink database can also inform content strategies by identifying where competitors are earning authoritative mentions.
- SEMrush: While it covers backlink analysis, SEMrush’s strength lies in its comprehensive keyword research capabilities and competitive intelligence. Its origin as a keyword tool means it’s finely tuned to offer insights that can shape content strategies.
Content Gap Analysis:
- Ahrefs: Ahrefs allows agencies to compare multiple websites side-by-side to identify content gaps and opportunities, making it easier to spot areas where a client might be lagging.
- SEMrush: SEMrush’s competitive gap analysis is intricate, enabling agencies to not only spot missing keywords but also to understand the content landscape in terms of topics and subtopics where competitors might be excelling.

SurferSEO – for content planning and SEO optimization

SurferSEO is a different type of content marketing tools yet. It’s a cutting-edge SEO tool designed to analyze and optimize on-page content by comparing it with top-ranking pages in search results. For content agencies, SurferSEO serves as a potent ally in planning and refining their clients’ content.

By analyzing the key on-page elements of top-performing content, SurferSEO provides actionable insights into the ideal keyword density, content structure, and other critical factors that influence rankings. This means agencies can craft content that’s not only engaging but also perfectly aligned with SEO best practices.

Using SurferSEO’s Content Editor for optimizing blog posts has become kind of a golden standard for content agencies to make their clients’ content really competitive in SERPs:

Another useful feature of SurferSEO is its audit feature – for content audits. It offers recommendations for existing content, pinpointing areas of improvement to boost its SEO performance.

SurferSEO is one of the best content marketing tools for content agencies to create and optimize content that stands a better chance of achieving top rankings, ensuring their clients’ messages reach the intended audience effectively and their Google Analytics account makes them smile every time 🙂

Try Surfer here.

Content Management tools for content marketing agencies

While there are very few project management tools designed specifically for content marketing agencies, there is one that really stands out:

StoryChief

StoryChief is probably the only dedicated Content Management tool for content agencies on the market. It’s definitely the best content marketing tools for 2023 in terms of content management and distribution.

It’s a comprehensive content marketing platform designed to streamline the process of creating, managing, and distributing content across various channels. For content agencies, StoryChief acts as a centralized hub for content management.

Storychief is an overlay for your CMS with commenting and editing functions. It allows content agencies to collaborate on content creation for their clients with multiple freelance writers and proofreaders, with real-time editing and feedback, ensuring consistency and quality. Its built-in SEO tools help optimize content for search engines right from the drafting stage.

Once the content is ready, StoryChief’s distribution feature allows agencies to publish it simultaneously across multiple platforms, from blogs to social media, ensuring a wider reach. Additionally, its analytics dashboard provides insights into content performance, enabling agencies to refine their strategies based on real-world data.

In essence, StoryChief offers content agencies an all-in-one solution to manage, optimize, and distribute content efficiently and effectively.

AI writing tools for content marketing agencies

Whether you like it or not, your competitive content agencies are using AI writing tools. While they may not be good enough to write complete blog posts for your clients yet, they do offer content agencies a number of benefits: they can help you streamline your operations, save time and money on first drafts and research, and help you paraphrase and fix grammar super-fast.

AI tools can also help you rapidly generate content ideas, draft articles, and suggest optimizations, significantly reducing the time and effort traditionally required in the content creation process. Additionally, AI tools can personalize content for different audience segments, enhancing engagement and conversion rates. So let’s have a look at a few good ones:

SurferSEO – Surfer AI

SurferAI is a new AI content writing tool that is going live as part of SurferSEO‘s Content Editor on 23 May. Basically, it’s generating the whole article for you from scratch (you can feed it with an outline though).

Surfer AI is the latest addition to the Surfer SEO suite, aiming to make a mark in the saturated AI writing tools market. This feature not only offers standard perks such as keyword research and auditing but also specializes in content writing to enhance search engine rankings.

A hands-on test of the tool, using the topic “how to protect yourself from inflation,” produced pretty impressive results. The generated article was highly optimized and managed to bypass AI detection tools. An added advantage is its built-in plagiarism checker. When cross-checked with external tools like Grammarly, the content displayed a minimal 4% plagiarism. For more niche topics, e.g. related to B2B SaaS, your content marketing agency may need to put in more effort into editing the content to make it publishable for its clients.

SurferAI pricing

In terms of pricing, users need an active Surfer SEO subscription to access Surfer AI, starting from $69 for the essential plan, and then need to pay for each AI-generated article, which is priced at $29 per article. However, for those looking to invest in bulk, discounts are available, making it a cost-effective solution.

For those exploring alternatives, there are options like Longform AI by SurgeGraph and Content at Scale. In essence, Surfer AI stands out as a promising tool for anyone keen on scaling their content production with a strong focus on SEO.

Byword.ai

Byword.ai is another AI generation tool based on chatGPT, so it may not be as accurate as SurferSEO which uses a proprietary technology, is based on SERPs, and also leverages SurferSEO’s content editor features. But unlike SurferSEO, Byword offers a few interesting features that your content marketing agency may be interested in:

1) Generating content based on not only keywords, but also topics and even whole outlines:

2) Bulk-content generation based on keywords:

The outputs, however, may sometimes be disappointing, according to reviews, e.g. this one on G2:

Copy.ai

Copy.ai emerges is a promising AI writing tool, especially for content agencies aiming to produce both long- and short-form content without breaking the bank.

The platform’s standout feature is its ability to generate diverse content options with a simple press of the Tab key, offering users a variety of outputs to choose from. This, combined with a plethora of templates and an always-free plan, makes it an attractive option for agencies.

The interface, reminiscent of Google Docs, is user-friendly; once you’ve pasted your outline and adjusted the headings, generating text is a breeze. The platform also boasts a Projects area, streamlining organization and saving of documents, a feature not universally found in AI tools.

Copy.ai‘s content is impressive,but be cautious: during tests, some math figures were off. It’s a good idea to have a team double-check AI-created content before sharing it.

CopyAI pricing

When it comes to pricing, Copy.ai keeps it straightforward. They offer a free plan, allowing users to generate up to 2,000 words monthly. For those needing more, the Pro plan starts at $49 per month for 40,000 words, with the price adjusting based on word count requirements. In conclusion, for content agencies, especially those mindful of their budget, Copy.ai is a good blend of quality, versatility, and affordability.

Link Building tools for content marketing agencies

BacklinkManager – the best platform for link-building partnerships and CRM for content and SEO agencies

BacklinkManager is a tool used to monitor and analyze the backlinks of a website. It helps to identify the quality of the backlinks, detect any malicious links, and track the progress of the website’s backlink profile. It can also be used to generate reports and track the performance of the website’s backlinks.

BacklinkManager pioneers as the first Link Building CRM on the market, providing an efficient platform for managing relationships with clients, freelance link builders, and vendors.

Linkbuilding Client Relationship Management: The tool allows users to monitor links built for a specific client and delegate client management to different team members, ensuring effective organization and tracking.
Link Vendor & Freelance Link Builder Relationship Management: BacklinkManager simplifies the management of link exchanges and guest posting partnerships, eliminating the need for multiple link exchange sheets and allowing goal setting for each party involved.
Chat and Comments: The tool includes a live chat and comments feature, allowing users to communicate directly with link-building partners and vendors on specific partnership and link-building target pages.
Link Partnership Scorecard: BacklinkManager’s partnership scorecard automatically tracks the status of link exchanges, providing a clear view of link contributions and enabling users to request owed links directly through the live chat.
Link Matchmaking Tool (Coming Soon): BacklinkManager plans to introduce a Link Matchmaking Tool, which will enable users to match with other link builders who offer link exchanges on domains related to their niches.

BacklinkManager also makes it easy to report on your link building campaigns to your clients:

BacklinkManager pricing

BacklinkManager offers three pricing plans to help you streamline your backlink building operations. You can start for free without a credit card, and each plan comes with different features and limits:

Free: Monitor and manage up to 250 backlinks, 50 targets, and invite 3 team members. Start for free.
Pro: $49/month billed annually – Monitor and manage up to 2,500 backlinks, 100 targets, invite 15 team members, and receive priority support. Start for free.
Enterprise: $500/month billed annually – Monitor and manage up to 50,000 backlinks, 10,000 targets, invite 30 team members, whitelabel reporting, and priority support. Start for free.

Choose the plan that best fits your needs to effectively monitor and manage your backlink building operations. To learn more about each plan and get started, visit BacklinkManager’s pricing page.

Buzzstream – a sophisticated all-in-one outreach + CRM for content agencies

BuzzStream is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool specifically designed for link building outreach. It helps you stay organized by tracking conversations and managing campaigns across multiple projects. Instead of using spreadsheets and random Gmail inboxes, BuzzStream provides a centralized platform for all your outreach activities.

One of the standout features of BuzzStream is the Buzzmarker Chrome extension. This extension automatically scans the website you’re on for any email address or contact page, making the process of finding contact information much easier and more efficient.

Another significant feature is the Custom Fields. This feature allows you to organize and customize marketing campaigns in any way you want. For instance, you can use the Relationship Stage field to track the current status of your relationship with a particular contact.

On the flipside: some Buzzstream users complain that the tool is cumbersome, hard to use, and very expensive:

Buzzstream pricing

BuzzStream offers a range of pricing options, starting from $24 to $999 per month, making it accessible for different budgets. In summary, if you do a lot of outreach or work with a team of link builders, BuzzStream can help you keep track of your outreach and stay organized.

RankTracker- Best link building platform for link tracking

Ranktracker is an all-in-one SEO platform designed to help you rank higher and drive more traffic to your website. Used by marketers from leading companies such as RedBull, Apple, Adidas, and more, Ranktracker offers a comprehensive suite of SEO tools to optimize your search performance.

With Ranktracker, you can:

Track your keyword rankings and monitor your SEO progress with the Rank Tracker tool
Discover new keywords that will bring more visitors to your site using the Keyword Finder
Research the competition and identify the best opportunities for ranking your website with the SERP Checker
Conduct a thorough website audit to identify and fix SEO errors using the Web Audit tool
Analyze backlinks and monitor linking pages with the Backlink Checker and Backlink Monitor

Ranktracker provides you with the foundations of a powerful SEO strategy, offering features that allow you to track important metrics, analyze competitors, and optimize landing pages on your website for better search engine visibility. With Ranktracker, you can gain an SEO advantage at every stage of optimization.

While Ranktracker offers a comprehensive set of SEO tools, it’s important to explore different options to find the best fit for your specific needs. One alternative tool you may consider is BacklinkManager.io, which specializes in managing backlinks and can complement your link building efforts.

Writer Hiring tools for content marketing agencies

Hiring tools, especially those tailored for content marketing agencies looking to hire writers, are crucial for several reasons:

Efficiency in Screening: With the vast number of writers available in the market, it can be overwhelming to sift through each application manually. Hiring tools can automate the initial screening process, ensuring that only qualified candidates move forward.
Skill Assessment: Many hiring tools come with built-in tests or assessments that can gauge a writer’s proficiency in grammar, style, and other essential writing skills. This ensures that the agency hires writers who meet their standards.
Portfolio Management: These tools often allow writers to upload or link their portfolios. This makes it easier for hiring managers to review a candidate’s previous work and determine if their style aligns with the agency’s needs.
Cultural Fit Assessment: Beyond just skills, it’s essential to hire writers who fit well with the agency’s culture and values. Some hiring tools have personality tests or other assessments to gauge cultural fit.
Time-saving: Automating parts of the hiring process, like initial CV screenings or skill tests, can save significant amounts of time. This allows the hiring team to focus on more in-depth evaluations and interviews.
Consistency: Using a standardized tool ensures that every applicant goes through the same assessment process, reducing biases and ensuring fairness.
Integration with Other Tools: Many hiring tools can integrate with HR software or other tools used by the agency. This seamless integration can make the entire hiring process more streamlined.
Data-Driven Decisions: These tools often provide analytics and data-driven insights, helping agencies understand where their best candidates are coming from, which skills are most common, and other valuable metrics.
Collaboration: Hiring is often a collaborative decision. These tools can allow multiple team members to provide feedback, rate candidates, and come to a consensus on hiring decisions.
Cost-Effectiveness: While there’s an upfront cost associated with many hiring tools, the time and resources saved in the long run often make them a cost-effective solution. They can reduce the chances of making a bad hire, which can be costly in terms of training and potential re-hiring.

Now let’s have a look at the writer hiring tools themselves – and there aren’t that many ;D

Workello: The Premier Content Writer Hiring Tool for Content Agencies

Workello is an Applicant Tracking Systm and skills testing platform designed to help content agencies identify and hire the top 1% of their content writing applicants.

One of Workello’s standout features is its 1-Click skills tests. Research has shown that pre-hire skills tests are the most accurate predictors of post-hire performance, surpassing traditional metrics like CVs, interviews, and even years of experience.

This means that agencies can rely on Workello’s testing mechanism to sift through the vast pool of applicants and pinpoint those who truly have the skills to excel in content writing roles.

Beyond skills testing, Workello offers a comprehensive Hiring Library, complete with templates crafted by industry leaders. These templates encompass everything from engaging job descriptions and predictive skills tests to interview questions and candidate emails.

Workello’s structured approach to applicant management means that hiring managers can keep track of all candidates from various channels in one centralized location.

Lastly, Workello’s pricing model is both competitive and flexible. With a “Free Forever” plan that allows agencies to receive unlimited candidates and send out unlimited assessments, smaller agencies or those just starting can benefit without any financial commitment. For those looking for more advanced features, the platform offers tiered pricing, with the “Scale” plan allowing agencies to review up to 1,000 skills tests per year at just $124 per month.

Graphic design tools for content marketing agencies

Obviously, unless you have an in-house graphic designer, your content agency will somehow need to supply graphics for your blogs featured images and body images, as well as custom infographics and social media posts. You can of course outsource that, which might be expensive, or use some free content marketing tools for image editing – such as our beloved Canva.

Canva

Canva is a versatile graphic design platform that probably doesn’t need introductions anymore – it has been a game-changer for content agencies around the world. At its core, Canva democratizes the design process, allowing even those without a background in graphic design to produce professional-quality visuals. For content agencies, this means the ability to rapidly create and iterate on designs without the need for specialized software or extensive training.

Whether it’s social media graphics, infographics, presentations, or print materials, Canva’s vast library of templates and design elements provides a starting point that can be customized to align with a brand’s identity.

Furthermore, Canva’s collaborative features are a boon for content agencies that often work in teams. Multiple members can work on a design simultaneously, leave comments, and make real-time edits.

Conclusion

Hopefully you found this list useful – this is a must have stack of content marketing tools for 2023 that we think every content marketing agency needs to succeed!