Top Content Marketing Tools

In today’s world, companies compete for people’s attention. Especially online, where there is this exchange of values. Brands get attention and in return, they provide information, entertainment, education, resources, etc. At the end of the day, it is up to you to identify what your target audience wants from you, and give it to them. Enter Content Marketing.

Content Marketing is the production and distribution of content with the purpose of adding the previously mentioned value to your audience. A properly executed content strategy will help you with:

1. Lead Generation 
2. Improved Conversions
3. Increased Customer Retention

You have a few options when it comes to the type of content you can make. Which one you use will depend on your brand, and your audience’s interest, among other things.

Not all content is created equal. There is:

1. Written content (blogs, reports, case studies, email, social media copy,  SMS Marketing, etc)
2. Visual content (images, videos, infographics)
3. Audio content (Podcasts, blog narrations, etc)

In a perfect world, you could focus on all of them, but you are better off picking the ones that make the most sense to you right now. You should also consider mixing them. For example, You can add a video to your blog, or your email marketing campaigns. This is encouraged since using video has proved to improve conversions in blogs and click-through rates in email marketing.
Now that you know what types of content you could be producing, check out the tools that will help you to do so.

1. Grammarly
   Nobody likes reading a text with spelling errors and grammar mistakes. This writing software will help you to avoid these. You can write the text on their website or add it as an extension to your browser, and it can also be integrated with Gmail. FOR FREE. There are some paid options if you need more. But the free version is a must-have.
   Price: Free

    

    

2. Paraphraser.io
   Paraphraser.io is an efficient AI-based tool that helps you paraphrase your marketing content without affecting its actual intent. This online tool will help you to get an improved and readable version of your marketing content in an effective yet simple way.
   Price: Freemium
   
3. Google Docs
   The beauty of this free resource provided by Google is that: You can share your work with your team and give feedback on the same document. And it automatically saves your work on the cloud. There is nothing worse than forgetting to save your work and losing it.
   Price: Free 
4. Ahrefs keyword research tool
   Keywords are the terms or phrases people type in a search engine like google to find the information they are looking forEx: ¨Animated video maker¨
   
   Keyword research is important because it helps you to understand what topics and questions people are searching for. Which will help you to plan your content strategy from an audience need´s perspective. Increasing your chances of people finding your website. Ahrefs also helps you assess your website´s SEO and conduct competitor research.
   Price: $99month. 
5. Google Keyword Planner: If you need to do keyword research on a budget, this free resource offered by Google is your best option. It is not as accurate as a paid tool like Ahrefs but is still effective.

1. Canva
It is a very easy-to-use editing software with a freemium model, so if you are starting from scratch or have basic editing skills it is a great tool for you.
Price: Free (upgrade available)

2. Vsco
Great if you are editing from your smartphone. Very helpful for pictures meant to be used in your social media.
Price: Free

3. Wideo
It is an easy-to-use animated video editor that helps you save time and money on your video content strategy with a simple interface and ready-to-use templates created by professionals. Great for someone who needs high-quality videos but is not an expert graphic designer or an experienced video editor.

1. Text To Speech
   This software will help you to add audio to any of your written content for free. Just copy and paste the text on the converter and download it as an MP3.
   Price: Free

    

    

2. Adobe Audition
   Is a great audio recording and editing software. It also has several tutorials to help you get the hang of it.
   Price: $20.99 per Month 

At the end of the day, it is all a matter of how you are gonna add value to your target audience. Get to know them, be genuine and then say what you have to say.

   Agus Esperón

    Wideo Co-Founder & Head of UX/Design

    @agustinesperon

Free online resources for creating digital content in quarantine

Following the global pandemic caused by the spread of the virus known as COVID-19, business, educational institutions, and the whole world were abruptly forced to change their routines.

The need to quarantine in order to prevent massive contagion forced the vast majority of businesses and educational institutions to implement ways of work and educating remotely. While some industries are already accustomed to remote work, an increasingly popular trend, the vast majority of organizations had to completely adapt their processes and tools.

Communication between colleagues, students, and teachers, which before occurred without a second thought, turned into a challenge. What was previously communicated in a meeting in the office lobby or school must today be communicated through videos, images, teleconferences, etc.

Conducting effective digital communication that conveys a clear message and captures the attention of the audience is best done with video. Because unlike other alternatives such as images or voice messages, video conveys the message by using the senses of sight and hearing, making it much more powerful. The challenge here is that the vast majority of people do not have prior knowledge when it comes to creating and editing videos.

That’s why in this article we wanted to share some free online resources to help people who do not have prior knowledge with creating digital content. It’ll give you an easy way to surpass any obstacles you might find during the creation process:

1. Online video creator

Wideo is an online video maker for creating different types of video: explainer, promotional, tutorials, educational, internal communication, etc. You do not need previous experience. You can create videos from scratch or use pre-animated templates. There is a free version that will simplify your life when it comes to creating digital content.

2. Storyboard Creator

Our brains love stories. To capture the attention of the audience, you’ll need to tell a story that connects with their emotions. So, before you start designing your digital communication (which includes video) you should take the time to think about the story you want to tell and write it down. Thinking about which texts, images, and voiceover should go in each scene. This is a storyboard. We also want to share with you a free online storyboard creator.

3. Color Palette Generator

If you don’t have any previous design experience and need to create digital content, one of the problems you might have is combining colors. The right combination of colors is essential for your piece. You can find a free color palette generator here. You only need to upload an image from your computer and the tool will automatically return the color palette that best matches the image.

4. Text-to-Speech

We understand if you don’t want to record your own voice. I don’t like to hear my own voice either – it’s uncomfortable. I have not been lucky enough to have a voice fir for the radio. Luckily, with this text-to-speech tool, you can create a voiceover for your videos that sounds professional, meaning no more embarrassing recordings!

5. Screen Recording Software

Share a demo with a client or team member instantly. Record your screen without having to download any software to your PC. You can create a video and share it in just seconds. And it’s free!

6. Useful Video Templates

COVID-19 Awareness Video

Free Webinar Invitation Template

Company Weekly News Video Template

Webinar Slides Presentation Template

7. Videvo

Create virtual Zoom background videos with our easy-to-use animated video maker. No designing skills required. In less than 5 minutes, create animated video backgrounds for Zoom. You can include your logo and it’s 100% online.

8. Zoom Virtual Background Video Maker

Create virtual Zoom background videos without any editing skills. In less than 5 minutes, create animated video backgrounds for Zoom. You can include your logo and it’s 100% online. Here is one of our templates for Zoom:

9. Add watermark to video online

Create a personalized watermark for any video in seconds. Use Wideo’s online video editor as a watermark maker and add your watermark easily!

Conclusion

Digital communication, with video as its main component, has become more important than ever before. Thanks to the existence of free and affordable tools, all companies and educational institutions, regardless of their budgets, can create video content to improve their communication and marketing strategies.
From Wideo, we hope to help you in any way we can. We hope you and your loved ones stay well throughout this pandemic. Be safe!

Is your business ready to discover the power of video? Try Wideo and create your own videos today. 

   Agus Esperón

    Wideo Co-Founder & Head of UX/Design

    @agustinesperon