The problem with many content creation tools is that they have so many features, it can be hard to find the one you need. For example, let’s say you’re a marketer looking for a content generator to help you with SEO—if you do a search for “content creation tools,” you’ll get results ranging from online whiteboards to grammar checkers.
How would you know which of those tools was the best choice for your needs? Sure, you could read reviews or try out various platforms, but who has time for that?
That’s why we’ve put together this list of content creation tools that are specifically aimed at marketers. Check out our picks below, and then get back to crushing your goals!
Content Creation Tools Google Sheets
If you consider yourself a content marketing professional, there’s a good chance you already use Google tools the make your life easier.
But regardless of how much experience you have and the results you’ve achieved in the past, you know there are always new ways to boost your performance.
Social media, just the right keyword tool, Google’s Keyword Planner, honing your search term — these things can all have a big impact on your volume and your success as a content marketing pro.
Many people look at Google and see nothing more than a search engine. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to see your website at the top of the search engine giant’s results, you can’t ignore the process for reaching this goal.
When it comes to content marketing, the tools you use, and the strategies you employ will greatly impact the end result.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a content marketing beginner or have many years of experience under your belt, this post could change your approach.
Below, I’ll discuss 10 free Google tools that all content marketers should use.
You may not use all of these tools, and some might not suit your marketing strategy. Even so, I’m confident that you’ll find one or two that can alter your approach for the better.
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- Google AdWords: Keyword Planner
Are you seeking a tool that helps you find and target the best keywords for your business?
While there are many to choose from, the Google Keyword Planner remains one of the best ways to conduct keyword research.
There’s a lot to like about this free tool, including the fact that it’s extremely simple to use.
As a content marketer, you should always be searching for keywords that can give your website or a particular blog post a boost.
My top suggestion for using this keyword tool is simple: experiment, experiment, and then experiment some more.
The more searches you run, the more you’ll understand how the tool works. Also, multiple searches give you a better idea of which keywords best suit your site.
For example, “content marketing” may be your primary keyword. In a perfect world, you’d rank at the top of Google for this term.
However, you know that this will be difficult. You also know that there are long-tail terms that can increase your search results.
This tool helps you uncover these terms. Check out this screenshot:
google tools example google keyword planner
With this in mind, you now have a better idea of what to do next. Maybe you find that “b2b content marketing” is a keyword that makes sense for a future blog post.
At that point, you can plug the term, in as your primary keyword, to dig up even more long-tail ideas.
Even though Google Keyword Planner appears to be nothing more than a basic tool, it does everything right for content marketers who want to uncover keywords that can improve the bottom line: the search result it delivers.
Pro tip: If you want more information, try a dedicated keyword planner like my tool Ubersuggest.
- Google Analytics
What goals have you set for your content marketing strategy?
If you don’t know the answer to this question, now’s the time to take a step back and reassess your situation.
If you’ve already set a few goals, there’s a good chance that many of them are based on search engine results and related statistics. If so, you need to become familiar with the inner workings of Google Analytics.
No two people use Google Analytics in the same manner. But, there are several things to keep in mind if you’re a content marketing professional.
To start, you can use this tool to get an instant snapshot of your performance over a particular period of time.
google tool example google analytics
This alone will give you a clear idea of whether or not you’re on track to achieving your goals.
From here, you have the ability to dig deeper for more data.
google tools google analytics example
As you click-through to each section, you’ll find yourself digging deeper and deeper. For example, I always enjoy checking out my top pages for a particular time period.
google tool example GA dashboard
This gives me a clear idea of what’s working and what isn’t, in regards to topic selection, the type of content that I’m providing, and whether readers are sticking around to see what I have to say.
The more you use Google Analytics, the easier it is to focus your time on the data that has the biggest impact on your site.
- Google Search Console
Similar in many ways to Google Analytics, the time you spend with this free tool is never a waste.
There’s so much to learn from the Google Search Console. You could soon find yourself spending hours combing through data.
In addition to reviewing your site’s overall health, there are several other things you can do with this tool.
My favorites are all listed under the Search Traffic drop-down:
google tool google search console.
For example, Search Analytics allows you to quickly analyze your performance on Google Search.
google tools search analysis example
If you’ve ever wondered how your keywords are performing, you can click the Position box to learn more. This will show you the average position for all of the keywords that appear in Google Search.
google tools google position box
Content marketers should become familiar with everything the Google Search Console can do for them. Even if you only use it to track a few key metrics, it’s well worth it in the long run.
- Google Trends
Do you find it difficult to continually generate fresh ideas for your blog and other content marketing opportunities?
There’s no denying the fact that the search engine giant’s Keyword Planner provides hundreds of keywords related to your business and industry. Even so, this isn’t always good enough, when it comes to creating compelling content. In other words? You need another way to perform keyword research.
This is why I make it a habit of checking Google Trends, when I’m brainstorming new blog ideas.
With this tool, you can explore any topic to see what’s trending. You can also view “stories trending now,” to see if there’s anything that matches your industry and the approach that you want to take.
For example, the upcoming World Cup is sure to be a hot topic.
google tools use google trends
Is there a way to tie this into your blog or other content marketing efforts?
If you write about sports, you know there’ll be plenty of information to keep you busy. But, even if you don’t, you can use Google Trends to help you get creative.
Sticking with the example above, maybe you could write a blog post entitled: “How the World Cup is Using Marketing to Drive Views.”
With this title, you’re providing your audience with targeted information, while harnessing the power of a trending topic. It’s the best of both worlds.
You don’t need any experience or much time to use this tool. Simply type in your topic and review what Google spits out. From there, let your creative juices point you in the right direction.
- Google Sheets
Content marketers need a system for recording and tracking data. Furthermore, there may be times when you want to share this information with other team members.
I’ve found Google Sheets to be one of the simplest and most efficient ways to record data, track changes, and collaborate with others.
Here’s an example. I’m often asked about the best way to track email outreach campaigns. While there are many software tools for this, some of which provide a high level of features, some people don’t want to part with the money.
While Google Sheets may not offer the exact same functionality as these tools, it’s still one of the best ways to remain organized. It still has plenty of advanced features, such as the ability to create pivot tables and sort data.
As long as you’re on-board with the idea of regularly updating your spreadsheet, it’s powerful enough to have a positive impact on your content marketing efforts.
Pro tip: you can also use Google Sheets to create a to-do list, which is something most content marketers heavily rely on. Even with a basic list, you’ll always have a clear idea of what you need to accomplish.
Google tools google sheets
- Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a Google tool that makes it easy to monitor the web for brand mentions, interesting new content, and news. Then, Google sends you an email once a day or once a week — your preference — with a notification if keywords you are interested in are mentioned.
In short, Google Alerts makes it easier to stay on top of news and new content without spending hours a day on social media.
For example, I could set a Google Alert for my name:
Google tool example google alert
As a content marketer, I suggest setting alerts for:
Your brand name
Your personal name
Key industry terms
Major competitors
These alerts will help you see new trends fast and might even give you some great content to share on your social media channels.
- Gmail
A big part of content marketing is getting in touch and staying in touch with a variety of contacts.
There will be times when you spend hours sharing a new blog post with influencers in your space. Since email is one of the best ways of doing so, you better be comfortable with the application you’re using.
Gmail has long been my favorite email client, thanks in large part to the built-in functionality. That being said, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
I use a variety of plugins to ensure that my Gmail account does exactly what I need. For example, WiseStamp helps me to create a custom signature. Along with this, I use FollowUp.cc, so that I never forget to follow-up on an important email related to my content marketing efforts.
google tools example of email
You don’t have to use Gmail as your email provider, but I strongly suggest giving it a second look, if you’re open to making a change.
With so many plugins to choose from, you should be able to customize your inbox to meet your every need as a content marketer. This alone can save you quite a bit of time and money.
Pro tip: Even if you prefer another email provider for daily communication with coworkers and clients, you can still use a Gmail account to carry out many aspects of your content marketing strategy.
- Google My Business
For some companies, GMB isn’t a big deal. For others, such as local businesses, this is not something you don’t want to overlook.
With Google My Business, you can easily get a free business listing on Google. Better yet, this gives you the opportunity to provide a variety of information, including, but not limited to, your phone number, address, and business category.
The benefits of using Google My Business include:
The opportunity to get your business in front of customers interested in what you have to offer.
People can learn more about your company, based on the information that you provide.
Use images to show how your company is unique.
Show off customer reviews.
Remember, there is more to content marketing than producing high quality blog posts.
Think about the word “content” for a second. Anything you write about your company and/or anything you can share with others can be a big part of your content marketing plan.
Since Google My Business listings are front and center in the search results, you probably want to use this as part of your content marketing strategy.
google tool google my business example
- Google Docs
If you stay current with my blog, you know I do my best to publish new posts as often as possible.
There’s a lot that goes into creating high-quality blog posts, so I’m always seeking new ways to improve my efficiency.
While I’ve used many tools over the years, to improve efficiency, Google Docs remains one of my favorites. Not only is it free, but it’s extremely simple to use. On top of this, there are tons of features and plugins to experiment with.
Here are some of the things that Google Docs as I work through the creation of a blog post:
Checks for spelling errors.
Provides an accurate word count.
Allows me to easily insert screenshots.
Makes it simple to share the document with the rest of my team, such as my editor.
As you know, a big part of content marketing is content creation. If you’re doing a lot of writing, make sure you’re 100% comfortable with the tool that you’re using.
There are other options out there, such a Microsoft Word, but Google Docs has been my top choice for many years.
google tools use google doc for content marketing
- Google Calendar
How do you organize your day, as it relates to content marketing? What steps do you take to ensure that you’re maximizing the use of your time?
Google Calendar is one of the top organization tools among marketing professionals. It doesn’t have all of the features included in some of the paid tools, but it provides more than enough to keep you on track at all times.
Here are some of the ways that I like to use this free tool:
Create events for important marketing tasks.
Share my availability with team members.
Better understand “open spots” in my schedule, as this allows me to make the most of each day.
I don’t use Google Calendar as often as some of the other tools on this list, but it has definitely improved the way I organize my day.
As somebody who understands the demands placed on a marketing professional, I suggest looking into what Google Calendar offers. It may improve the way that you operate.
google tools use google cal
Conclusion
With only 42 percent of B2B marketers claiming they have a sophisticated content marketing strategy, it goes without saying that there’s always room for improvement, from keyword research that can boost your search volume to using long-tail keywords in your blog posts.
Personally, I enjoy every tool developed by Google. Some are more effective and powerful than others, but each one deserves a second look.
google sheets content calendar template 2022
Being a content creator isn’t easy. There’s a lot of planning to do before publishing our posts. And one of the struggles we face as content creators is organizing our content. Having a content calendar to help you sort things out will make things much more manageable for you.
Even better, you can use our 2022 content calendar template for Google Sheetsto get the ball rolling.
NOTE: Click on File > Make a Copy to be able to edit your template. DO NOT request edit access!
Table of Contents
What Is A Content Calendar?
Why Use A Content Calendar?
- It Makes You More Productive
- It Will Help You Publish Content Consistently
- It Will Help You Be Organized
- It Will Help You Strategize Better
- It Allows You To Collaborate
Why Use Google Sheets As Your Content Calendar?
You Can Access It on Any of Your Devices – Anywhere, Anytime
It Is Free
You Can Have It Designed Based on Your Needs
It Lets You Install Add-Ons That Can Be Helpful for Your Work
It Allows You to Collaborate With Other People, Real-Time.
Free Content Calendar Template for Google Sheets for 2022
What’s Inside the Free 2022 Content Calendar Template
How To Use the Free 2022 Content Calendar Template
Tips On Using The Free 2022 Content Calendar Template
Conclusion
Related posts:
What Is A Content Calendar?
A content calendar is an arrangement of your content, whether it is a new one or an update of another article. It contains the schedule of when and where you plan to publish your content and other details such as the type of post, meta description, a list of keywords, and partners.
A content calendar is basically the “second brain” of every content creator out there. It is an essential tool that lets you organize all your ideas, plan your contents, and keep track of them.
Why Use A Content Calendar?
Keeping a content calendar is a must-have if you’re a blogger, a content marketer, a social media content creator, a podcast creator, or a YouTube vlogger. This powerful tool will just make everything easier for you.
Here are the top five reasons why you should use a content calendar.
- It Makes You More Productive
It is easier to plan and see all your content in one place. Having a content calendar will save you time by being productive. You don’t need to switch between different windows to plan your content. Everything you need will be there in your content calendar.
Many would think that content creators just write and publish content. They don’t know that a lot is actually being done behind the scenes. As a fellow content creator, I can totally relate to you. One of the many ways to be more productive in creating your content is batching.
Batching is grouping similar tasks so you can stay focused and be in the “groove.” When you’re jumping from one window to another during work, chances are you’ll feel more disorganized. Batching is a beneficial strategy you can use to avoid situations like that. Keeping everything in one content calendar means you’ll be batching automatically.
- It Will Help You Publish Content Consistently
Whether you’re planning to publish content every day, every other day, or every week, having a content calendar will let you see the overview of your schedule, so you’ll be able to publish your content consistently. It will also help you avoid missed deadlines and be more accountable.
Publishing content in a consistent manner will help you build readership. It will make your readers feel like you’re indeed serious about producing content for them.
- It Will Help You Be Organized
Having everything in one place allows you to stay organized. For instance, you may need to find the details of previous content. You can just open your content calendar, and you’ll find whatever you need in there.
With a content calendar, linking back old content will also be easier for you. This way, you can improve your SEO and attract more readers. Generally, being organized can help you grow your brand faster.
- It Will Help You Strategize Better
A content calendar will allow you to be more strategic. You can easily compare your content and see what worked and what did not. It will let you know what you need to improve your content and what mistakes to avoid in the future.
Moreover, the sheet can update you about the upcoming events that you plan to write about. Just schedule the content ahead of time in your content calendar, and you’ll be less likely to forget about them.
- It Allows You To Collaborate
Managing a personal blog is challenging, but it can be even worse if you work with a team?
Having a content calendar makes it easier to collaborate with other people. With this, everyone will be updated about each of their tasks and what’s going on in general. There will be less room for mistakes, and the flow of making the content will be smooth.
Why Use Google Sheets As Your Content Calendar?
With the reasons mentioned above, maybe you’re convinced about using a content calendar. But now, the real question comes. What can you use to make a content calendar, and how do you make one?
There are tons of applications that you can use as your content calendar. But the best will probably be Google Sheets. Let me tell you why.
You may think that Google Sheets can only be filled with numbers and is used mainly by big companies. Well, it can also be your personal content calendar!
Google Sheets offers you a lot of advantages. Here are some of the reasons you should use Google Sheets as your content calendar.
You Can Access It on Any of Your Devices – Anywhere, Anytime
What if you’re on a beach or just taking a walk outside, and suddenly, a great content idea comes to mind? You don’t need to get a pen and paper just so you can’t forget about it. Just open your phone or any device you have with you, open your content calendar in Google Sheets, and input whatever you need. As easy as that.
It Is Free
Google Sheets is all for free. You don’t need to pay a monthly or annual subscription just to manage your content. All you need is a device and an internet connection, and you can use Google Sheets as much as you want. It’s also fast to navigate with keyboard shortcuts, once you get used to them.
You Can Have It Designed Based on Your Needs
Google Sheets lets you have the freedom to customize everything according to your needs. For instance, you can use different colors for different categories or use a theme that goes along with your brand. There are also lots of functions you can use to make planning faster.
It Lets You Install Add-Ons That Can Be Helpful for Your Work
Google Sheets has a feature that lets you install and use add-ons. You can use these to speed up and automate your work. A great example would be adding some text tools that can help you further customize your content calendar.
It Allows You to Collaborate With Other People, Real-Time.
Google Sheets is known best for its ability to let people collaborate in real-time with each other. This is a really helpful feature for content creators, especially when you’re working with a team. Assigning tasks can be a lot easier. In addition, every team member can add comments on the spreadsheet.
Free Content Calendar Template for Google Sheets for 2022
2022 is just around the corner. And if you want to kickstart your brand in the upcoming year, it’s best to plan ahead.
Worry no more about creating your content calendar and starting from scratch.
Here is a free 2022 content calendar template in Google Sheets that every social media content creator, blogger, or any other type of writing team can use. You can adjust it based on your needs and start planning your content right away.
NOTE: Click on File > Make a Copy to be able to edit your template. DO NOT request edit access!
Say if you needed a social media content calendar template for Google Sheets in 2022. You could easily edit or add a column to indicate which social network each post should go on.
What’s Inside the Free 2022 Content Calendar Template
Here’s an overview of what’s inside the Free 2022 Content Calendar Template.
content calendar 2022 google sheets
Let’s look closely at each of its contents.
A small calendar on the left corner to let you have an overview of the month.
january calendar view
A heading containing the details of your content:
Due Date
Title
Format
Meta Description
File Link
content calendar details
A checklist to help you track if everything is ready before you publish your content:
Content
Images
Design
Proofreading
Email
checkboxes
A drop-down option to help you visualize the status of your content, labeled as:
Published
Ongoing
Pending
status of content
A “Notes” section where you can add other details for your content.
Notes section in the google sheets content calendar
How To Use the Free 2022 Content Calendar Template
Click this link to go to the free 2022 content calendar template.
Make a copy by clicking on File > Make a copy.
Make a copy
Rename the file or just leave it as is.
Rename your content calendar
Finally, click on “OK” to save the file to your drive.
Now, you have your own content calendar. You can immediately start planning your 2022 content and see your brand grow successfully.
Tips On Using The Free 2022 Content Calendar Template
After copying the content calendar on Google Sheets, you’ll see that each month is set out for you in individual sheets at the bottom of the page, so you can plan months in advance if you’d like to.
monthly tabs
If you’re working with a team, you can modify the content calendar like this:
Assigned tasks
As you can see, instead of checkboxes, we’ve replaced the data in the cells with names. You can use this method to assign team members for each task. They can just put a checkmark beside their name or highlight the cell if they’re done. This way, you can easily see the progress of the content.
Conclusion
Having a content calendar is very helpful for every content creator. Your ideas can be more organized, and publishing the content will be a lot easier.
Now that you’ve learned how to use a content calendar template for Google Sheets we’ve provided, you can start planning your content. Check out some of the other ways Google Sheets can help your business by visiting some of our other articles or joining a course.
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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