Novelty always inspires us. Addiction to new tools is a constant thrill of seeking a more productive user experience and productivity flow. That is why we will try dozens of apps, even when We are happy with the current setup. Creating content is a part of the daily routine for an online business. Content is a bloodline for every SEO practitioner that wants to get great at attracting customers for their organization. Besides technical SEO, two other components include content and backlinks, and both deserve all the attention you can give them. 
In this piece we will cover all the ways you can organize your content creation workflow. Sit tight, because we’re packing a lot of guides on how tools help us create more and create better.
What are the most productive writing apps?
Our writing toolset is especially massive, and here is a list of apps that keeps us slightly disorganized, yet continuously on the move to create more:
- WordPress – This platform is the whole reason why it is easy for me to tackle such large amounts of texts and be able to develop a mobile blogging workflow that works. Also, when it comes to SEO, WordPress makes a breeze to manage and optimize the content.
- Drafts – my go-to text creation app, but as I use it so much, I try to start ideas inside of it, then move it to their designated locations
- Byword – for all my go-to quick and dirty writing that goes to my blog
- Ulysses – a new addition to the toolset that keeps me going when I am getting winded from other tools.
- Evernote to store quick ideas I am starting in Drafts
- Google Docs – My content creators are numerous, and they are fantastic people. The best way to keep track of their work is by utilizing the app, such as Google Docs. It starts as a free collaborative environment that operates like a regular web app with a link. Despite Google doc’s problems with the way it works on iOS, it’s still my go-to when it comes to collaboration with other people.
- Scrievener – for my larger writing projects, I like to separate them out in a robust app where I can centralize my thoughts and notes separated out from
- Grammarly – gets each and every copy you produce, and makes it right. Me being a foreigner, I have a lots of problems with articles and their positioning.
What are the best writing tools that can streamline your writing & SEO?
These writing apps require a few tools to tie them together:
- Markdown is a powerful syntax that transcodes your writing into clean HTML code. A compelling way to keep your writing mobile and on the go, without sacrificing HTML. Markdown has been a part of my writing workflow for almost a decade, and I can’t imagine blogging without it.
- Dropbox serves as storage for Byword and Ulysses, a place where a lot of my storage files live and reside, and sync between various apps that can access my online folder.
- Jetpack for Markdown – if you are blogging on WordPress as our SEO agency from Chicago does, this could be interesting, notably if your tech stack doesn’t support Byword & Ulysses, and relies on WordPress on the web
- Text Expander, in combination with Markdown, is making a mobile blogging workflow a streamlined reality. I wouldn’t be able to pull this blog post on a mobile device if I didn’t have it. Additionally, it works with Drafts app, Byword as well as Ulysses. It essentially allows you to create keystrokes for your writing. It also works on your laptop or computer.
- Yoast Plugin – this long-standing tool has stood the test of time, and many people are absolute fans of it. It is a helpful plugin that ties seamlessly into your WordPress publishing floe
The Best Hardware for writing
Hardware helps with outputting higher quality content. Here are the hardware gadgets that changed the way we produce content:
- iPad Pro 11” 2019 – tablets are great tools for digital writers, as they achieve mobility yet don’t sacrifice the screen size. Over the course of years, I’ve relied on tablets to replace laptops when it comes to writing work.
- iPad Pro keyboard is one of the best things to ever happen to my writing flow. Relaxing on the couch with the iPad keyboard on my lap has been a profound game-changer to transforming writing into a leisure productivity environment. Changing your leisure environment into a comfortable writing place where your mind is at ease, as well as best at creating, is one of the biggest game-changers I’ve seen in 2019.
- iPhone 11 Pro/XS Max Size – writing on the iPhone helped me squeeze productivity hours in times that would have been completely wasted. During Uber rides, waiting in line, and many other instances where, instead of grabbing social media, I went straight to productivity mode. Larger sized iPhone pros have the necessary screen size that helps you type with ease and comfort.
- MacBook Pro – Laptop can be an amazing companion when it comes to dishing out content. Where iPad is great for monotasking and “writing only” environment, laptop can be a research powerhouse.
- Desktop computer – I rarely find myself writing in front of a desktop, but if you focus on creating it as a native writing environment, you can utilize the big screen to put your words front and center.
Shiny Objects Matter if they make you write more
Switching from one app to the next may seem counter-intuitive, but for writers, we all crave the new work environment that can get our creative juices flowing. If your mind is remotely wired like mine, and if this is what makes it produce, then it’s not a big deal growing a few app subscriptions that guide you towards finaliozed content. This especially works if you do writing for a living. You may spend hours on end inside of this software, so getting the app that is a perfect fit for your creativity is a worthy investment. In my case, it makes it appealing to me to cover the UX of all these apps and how well they tie together.
How To Connect Writing Apps Into A Blogging Empire System
These apps need to work together for you to experience the most optimal workflow. For example, I like to start my content in Drafts, but then I realize that I want some of my content writers to finish up my content. Midstream of making this decision, I’ve connected Drafts to Google Docs folder and Trello, so that my team can tackle my half-finished idea, and turn it into a fully completed blog post. The center piece of the entire system is Text Expander coupled with breath taking Markdown shortcuts. Text Expander works well with all three apps that I utilize: Byword, Ulysses and Drafts App. Not surprisingly, all three of these apps also support Markdown. This means that I can write fully HTML optimized content without utilizing the clunky HTML layout for my writing. When it comes to getting these types of articles published on the web, you are getting a finished articles that don’t fall apart. If you did something similar in Google Docs or Microsoft Word, and merely copy pasted the content, you would pull weird HTML formatting that would break down your article layout, making it look awkward. Markdown completely eliminates this problem, and also allows you easy link insertion into your articles. One of the things that works for me personally is rotating between all these apps. While organizationally doesn’t make sense, the sheer volume of new content makes it worthwhile. Yet some of these tools are a constant and are a part of a bigger picture road map. You can see for example how Text Expander works with both Byword and Ulysses, and both are connected via Dropbox folder sync.
Beyond writing: Why Mobile Content Creation Is A Key Element of Building A Powerful Blog
The smartphone is the essential component of our life, and if you don’t know how to be an iPhone Power User, you should check our guide on how to do so. iPhones allow us to mass-produce great content for our websites, be it writing, video creation, or shooting amazing photography. This makes your phone the most powerful creation tool. As a content creator you are getting the best ideas when your mind is idle, so the best writing tool is the one that is always with you. Having a smartphone while I am casually resting on the couch, getting great ideas that I can start on the phone, and then finish on some other device. Being able to capture your writing ideas while on the go is extremely valuable. Streamlined idea collection process is a game changer for every writer. In my case all ideas start in Drafts, as it is the fastest way to open a tool that puts you in a drivers seat from the first tap.
Procrastination and tool crave
Desiring beyond what you already got is a form of Procrastination, but indulging in a new creative environment is a sweet sin that frequently works for creatives of all types, be it writing or something else. If tools help you curb your procrastination and writer’s block, it is okay to get a new app, change things around. Novelty brings fresh ideas. While new apps can be great, try to pace yourself. See if your follow-through on a novel is bringing you the return on your investment.
Closing thoughts
Weather it is client work, your own blog, or just trying to get your book rolling, having plenty of tools at your disposal makes sense if you are legitimately doing a lot of writing. Obviously this is an advice for professional content creators that legitimately spend a lot of time creating content and aspiring authors & content marketers. Everyone just starting out will be perfectly happy if they start small and start stacking tools that play nice together, and slowly expand from there if it keeps making sense. Happy creating!
