The Best Content Planning Tools for Organizing Your Ideas
Have you ever written down an amazing idea on a piece of paper, only to forget about it the next day? If you’re someone who is constantly on the go and working on multiple things at once, you’re all too familiar with this scenario. Disorganization is the enemy of any creative entrepreneur because, without order, your goals can go missing or feel as though they are always out of reach. So, even if you’re a pen and paper kind of creator, the best content planning tools can provide solace and keep you from overworking.
Our favorites range in complexity and price tiers but all of them come with the tools you’ll need to make sense of your workload. From drag-and-drop boxes to social media scheduling to collaborative features you can use among a group, these digital destinations are worth bookmarking before you execute your next marketing or content strategy.
Ahead, the best content planning tools for those who can’t be left to their own devices (or Google docs).
Monday.com
If seeing items get checked off a list brings you joy, you’ll enjoy using this system, broken down into six major features that allow you to, including but not limited to: create workflow documents, integrate outside tools, analyze data via dashboards, organize tasks according to capacity, and choose from over 200 templates to customize your interface.
Price: Free individual (with 2 seats) plan, plus three priced tiers
ContentCal
This interface is one of the more comprehensive options because in addition to content planning tools, it also allows you to publish content directly to all of the social media apps you use most (Facebook, Instagram, etc.). An ideas library, drag-and-drop, color-coded workflow calendar, and visual charts for analyzing data are just a few of the many features you can use to streamline your work.
Price: 14-day free trial, $30 Essential plan, and two custom price tiers
Trello
This affordable option is for the visual creators who always keep Post-Its nearby. The card-centric interface comes with a bevy of customizable planning templates according to your specific needs. For example, if you’re looking for freelance jobs, you’ll want the Job Hunt template to track your applications or the Work From Home Daily Planner for sticking to a consistent schedule.
Price: Free plan, plus three priced tiers
DYNO Mapper
This is a top pick for creators who are building or maintaining a website. The intuitive visual sitemap generator makes it easier to track all of your site’s components while a content inventory tool allows you to catalog already-existing content and a project management tool makes room for collaboration and content planning.
Price: Free Trial and three price tiers
Asana
If you love Google docs but have trouble keeping track of them, Asana makes the transition to a content planning interface feel seamless. The entire interface can be easily accessed by any member of your team (if you have one) via email, and includes straight-forward timelines, Kanban boards, customizable forms that you can link to within content, and various app integrations.
Price: Free Basic Plan, plus two price tiers
Gather Content
For those who are overwhelmed by too many tabs, Gather Content is an ideal choice. Nearly every feature is centralized, meaning you can view every part of your brand from a central content hub, which shows team members and status of content pieces.
Price: Free trial and three price tiers
Notion
Customizable drag-and-drop templates can also be found within this organization tool, which also includes features for website design and engineering. Notion also offers systems specifically for startups and remote work.
Price: Free personal plan and three price tiers
CoSchedule
This one is geared toward marketing experts, with a marketing calendar, marketing suite for coordinating teams/projects, a Headline Studio for testing and discovering the best one-liners, and a training pod for learning new skills.
Price: Free plan and paid Pro tier
Basecamp
If you’re working remotely and want to dial back on your emails, invest in Basecamp’s interface, which is highly collaborative with message boards, group chats, and to-do lists.
Price: Free trial, plus free personal and paid business tiers
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