I’ve spent the last 6+ years deep in the trenches of content creation, testing just about every tool out there: from scheduling platforms and content calendars to writing assistants and SEO plugins.

But here’s the thing: complexity kills momentum.

So I built a simple, streamlined content marketing stack that works, tools I use every day to take an idea from keyword to published post (like this one) at lightning speed.

No fluff. No shiny tools collecting dust. Just the ones that drive real results.

This isn’t just a list. It’s my content playbook.

Why I’m Picky About My Content Marketing Tools

I evaluate every tool thinking about how easy it will make my workflow.

Here’s what I look for before I add anything to my stack:

• Ease of use: I don’t want to go through a 3-hour onboarding video.

• Speed: If it’s not saving me time, I’m out.

• Integrations: It needs to play nicely with my current workflow (Docs, Notion, beehiiv, Buffer, etc.).

• Cost vs ROI: I’m happy to pay, but only if the tool pays me back in time, traffic, or insights.

If a tool adds friction or complexity, it doesn’t stick.

My Personal Toolkit For Content Marketing Success

Let me walk you through what I use at each step of the content process.

Tools I Use For Topic And Keyword Research

1. Ahrefs

My go-to for keyword ideas, volume, and difficulty.

• I use the Content Explorer to reverse engineer what’s ranking.

• The Site Explorer helps me spy on competitors and find gaps.

• I track every post I publish through their Rank Tracker.

2. Google Trends

I use this to catch spikes before they become saturated. It’s especially useful when deciding between two similar angles.

3. AlsoAsked + AnswerThePublic

These two help me understand the language of the reader. If I’m stuck on H2s or FAQs, I plug in a keyword and grab ideas from real searches.

4. beehiiv’s blog + newsletter

Whenever I want to stay ahead of newsletter trends, what’s working, what’s changing, and what top creators are doing, I turn to beehiiv’s blog. From smart internal linking and clean structure to high-density insights, their content consistently gives me fresh ideas and strategic direction.

Tools I Use For Writing And Editing

1. Google Docs

Every draft starts here. It’s fast, real-time, and integrates perfectly with the rest of my stack.

2. Notion

I use this for storing swipe files, brainstorming angles, and outlining content calendars. If I have 50 headline ideas, they live here.

3. Grammarly + Hemingway Editor

I write in my voice, but these tools help tighten it up. Hemingway helps remove fluff. Grammarly catches blind spots. I especially like using Grammarly’s browser extension for seamless, in-the-moment edits across any writing app.

4. ChatGPT

I like to think of ChatGPT as my writing assistant.

• Generating outlines from bullet points

• Providing different perspectives for content angles

• Creating variations for titles or headlines

It’s more useful as a thinking partner than a content generator. You still have to drive the narrative.

Tools I Use For Visuals And Design

1. Canva Pro

Hands down, the most valuable design tool in my stack. I use it to:

• Create my newsletter thumbnail images

• Build social posts

• Design newsletter headers

2. Memelord Tech

Memelord Tech is my playground for creating sharp, funny, and shareable memes.

Here is a recent one I created for the monthly beehiiv bulletin. Subscribe here for monthly recaps on top resources for newsletter creators.

3. Figma

I use it mostly when collaborating with designers. For solo work, Canva gets 80% of the job done.

Tools I Use For Scheduling And Publishing

1. beehiiv

I use beehiiv to schedule and send newsletters. What I love:

• Landing pages are clean and convert well.

• Confirmation emails are customizable.

• Sender name best practices can be tested easily.

• Segmentation and automations are improving fast.

2. Typefully 

For social scheduling. It’s lightweight and does the job. I’ve used other tools, but Typefully is easier for multi-channel posting as well as writing and drafting tweets.

Tools I Use For Performance Tracking

1. Google Search Console

The best free tool for monitoring traffic, click-through rates, and indexing issues. I check it daily.

2. Ahrefs (again)

I use it for tracking keyword rankings, domain health, and competitor performance.

3. beehiiv Analytics

If you’re running newsletters, the built-in analytics are gold. You can compare open rates using this guide and tweak campaigns based on what lands.

Free Tools I Still Use Regularly

Some tools are too good to drop — even if they’re free.

• Google Docs — still unbeaten for writing

• Google Trends — for real-time interest

• AnswerThePublic (free version) — enough to spark solid FAQ sections

Tools I Tried But Didn’t Stick With

I’ve tried dozens of tools. These didn’t cut — and here’s why.

1. Surfer SEO

It sounded promising. But I found myself spending more time chasing a score than thinking about the reader. It felt robotic.

2. Jasper AI

Honestly, it’s great for bulk content, but I don’t write content in bulk. I prefer keeping a human edge.

3. Later (social scheduler)

It’s beautiful but too slow. Typefully gives me a faster UI and fewer bugs.

4. Trello

I switched to Notion because it’s more customizable and better suited for tracking an entire content pipeline.

That said, I know people who swear by these. It comes down to workflow style.

Final Advice For Picking The Right Content Marketing Tools

Here’s what I’ve learned after building and rebuilding my stack over the years:

• The best tools are the ones you’ll actually use consistently

• More tools don’t equal better output — they often slow you down

• Start free, upgrade when your workflow demands it

• Reevaluate your stack every quarter. What’s still helping? What’s just sitting there?

It’s easy to get obsessed with features. But what matters is how the tool fits into your system. Not theirs.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t build this stack overnight. It evolved post by post, failure by failure, campaign by campaign.

If you’re overwhelmed by content marketing tools, here’s what I recommend:

1. Pick one tool per stage of your process.

2. Use it for 30 days.

3. Then reassess.

This post wasn’t written for the sake of traffic. It was written the same way I write everything — for the one person who wants to stop wasting time and start scaling their content the right way.

And if that’s you? Bookmark this. Come back to it. Test it out.

Because when your tool stack supports your strategy, not distracts from it, growth gets a whole lot easier.

I might be biased, but beehiiv is the best newsletter platform to start your newsletter. I have been writing my newsletter for the last 6 months, and it took me not more than 45 minutes to build my newsletter. 

But you don’t have to take my word for it, start a free trial today and try it for yourself!