11 SEO Content Writing Tools (Write Better, Rank Faster)
It has never been easier to write content (and rank high in search engines) than today.
With dozens of SEO content writing tools out there, you have zero excuses to get started.
In this article, we’ve compiled the best tools you can use to create high-ranking content once and for all. We’ve classified tools into categories, from ‘pure’ writing tools to content ideation and proofreading.
Best content writing tools for SEO
You can be a great writer, but if you don’t use a powerful tool to make your content appealing to your audience and search engines, your articles won’t get the attention they deserve.
Consider using the following tools to improve your SEO writing.
1. Quillbot
Quillbot is one of the best AI tools you can use to write concise texts and cut the fluff. It can help you become a faster and more productive content creator.
This writing assistant has multiple features, but the Paraphraser is arguably the most popular. See how we used it to improve the fluency of the first line of the novel Pride and Prejudice.
If you want to use all Quillbot’s features in one place, you can use the QuillBot Flow, a word processor where you can write (assisted by AI), paraphrase and check grammar.
Pricing
Quillbot offers a free plan (with limitations) and a premium plan.
These are Quillbot’s plans:
- Free: $0/month.
- Premium: $8.33/month (billed annually).
2. Surfer
Surfer is a content optimization tool that will help you write content that ranks.
The tool’s Content Editor gives real-time suggestions with keywords and other terms you should use in your article to get on the first page of Google. It tells you how often you should include the terms, the ideal article’s total word count and insights into the overall structure.
It’s very easy to use. You just need to introduce the focus keyword into the editor (plus other secondary keywords) and choose a few competitors’ articles. That’s enough for Surfer to generate a document you can start editing.
If you’re in a hurry or don’t feel like writing, you can use Surfer AI to generate ready-to-publish articles in minutes.
Pricing
Surfer offers a 7-day free trial and four paid plans.
These are Surfer’s plans:
- Essential for $69/month (billed yearly).
- Scale for $99/month (billed yearly).
- Scale AI for $179/month (billed yearly).
- Enterprise for $399/month (billed yearly).
3. NeuronWriter
NeuronWriter is a content writing and editing tool that uses NLP (natural language processing) algorithms to analyze and give real-time guidance to users on what to write and how to write it.
Given its advanced features and low price, it’s one of the best Surfer alternatives. If you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend $69/month, NeuronWriter is the tool you’re looking for.
This article has been written using NeuronWriter.
As you can see, the tool’s content editor is very similar to Surfer’s but offers a more intuitive interface. It’s an excellent option for small businesses or freelancers who want to start optimizing articles and not spend a fortune in the process.
Pricing
NeuronWriter offers a free trial (limited) and five paid plans.
These are NeuronWriter’s plans:
- Bronze Plan for $19/month (billed yearly).
- Silver Plan for $37/month (billed yearly).
- Gold Plan for $57/month (billed yearly).
- Platinum Plan for $77/month (billed yearly).
- Diamond Plan for $97/month (billed yearly).
Best content creation and ideation tools for SEO content writing
Creating high-quality and well-organized content is crucial for your content marketing and SEO strategy.
These tools will help you improve your content creation and ideation process, improve your writing style, and enhance the overall structure of your content.
4. HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator
HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator is a free SEO tool that helps content creators (like you) generate blog content ideas based on target keywords.
Simply enter a keyword, and the tool will suggest relevant blog post topics. You can even generate an outline and use HubSpot’s AI-powered SEO content feature to get a full written article straightaway.
This tool is particularly helpful in battling writer’s block.
Pricing
HubSport’s Blog Ideas Generator is a 100% free tool.
Although HubSpot is a premium marketing platform, you can register for free and access some of its tools without paying a monthly subscription.
To get started with HubSport’s Blog Ideas Generator, you need to create a HubSpot account, complete the registration process and start looking for ideas and defining the content structure of your blog post.
5. CoSchedule’s Headline Studio
CoSchedule’s Headline Studio is a free tool that evaluates the effectiveness of your headlines. It analyzes factors such as word balance, headline length, and emotional appeal to help you create attention-grabbing headlines.
You can use it to refine your blog post’s titles but also for your YouTube channel, TikTok profile or podcast.
It’s a tool that assists in one of the most challenging steps in the content creation process: choosing a catchy headline that your audience and search engines love.
Pricing
CoSchedule’s Headline Studio offers a limited free plan (10 credits/month). If you want to enjoy all the features, we recommend you purchase one of its paid plans.
These are Headline’s Studios plans:
- Free: $0/month.
- Basic: starting at $4/month or $25/year (for a minimum of 25 monthly credits).
- Premium: starting at $4/month or $29/year (for a minimum of 10 monthly credits).
6. ChatGPT
ChatGPT is the most popular AI-powered chatbot. And it’s no wonder why.
You can create short or long-form content by introducing simple prompts, from email headlines to social media posts and blog articles. Plus, you can train it to mimic your brand’s tone of voice or to adopt a role or personality.
Besides creating content, this tool is known for being excellent in assisting content ideation and brainstorming.
While controversies around the quality of the content it produces, the reality is that OpenAI’s popular chatbot doesn’t cease to amaze content marketers.
Pricing
ChatGPT is available for free, but it also offers paid plans.
These are ChatGPT’s plans:
- Free: $0/month.
- Plus: $20/month (billed monthly).
- Team: $25/month per person (billed annually).
Grammar and proofreading tools for SEO content writing
While content quality is important for SEO, ensuring that your content is free from grammar and spelling errors is equally (or even more) important.
These tools will help you polish your content and guarantee it’s error-free.
7. ProWritingAid
ProWritingAid is a comprehensive tool that analyzes your content for grammar, style, readability, and more. It offers real-time suggestions for improving your writing, identifying errors, and enhancing the overall quality of your short and long-form copy.
It offers integrations to Google Docs, Microsoft Word and popular web browsers (Safari, Firefox, Edge and Chrome) so you can get writing suggestions everywhere.
Pricing
You can use ProWritingAid for free or purchase one of its paid plans.
These are ProWritingAid’s plans:
- Free: $0/month (edit 500 words at a time and get 10 rephrases per day).
- Premium: $10/month (billed annually).
- Premium Pro: $12/month (billed annually).
8. Hemingway Editor
Hemingway Editor is a free tool for improving your writing style. It highlights long and complex sentences, passive voice, and common errors, helping you create concise and easy-to-read content.
Named after the great late novelist Ernest Hemingway, this editor is meant to make your writing as clear and blood as the author’s prose.
It’s very easy to use and will make your writing and editing rounds easier than ever.
Pricing
Hemingway Editor is a 100% free tool.
However, an AI-powered content tool is now available: Hemingway Editor Plus.
These are Hemingway’s Editor Plus plans:
- Individual 5K Plan: $10/month (billed monthly).
- Individual 10K Plan: $15/month (billed monthly).
- Team 10K Plan: $15/user/month (billed monthly).
9. Grammarly
If you are a content writer, you’ve probably heard about Grammarly. This popular grammar checker uses AI to give you tips on how to improve your texts.
Similarly to ProWritingAid and Hemingway Editor, it provides fixes and corrections while you write.
Although spelling and grammar aren’t direct Google ranking factors, they may affect your SEO score. With Grammarly, you can make sure every piece of content you or your team produce is impeccable.
Pricing
You can use Grammarly for free or purchase one of its premium plans.
These are Grammarly’s plans:
- Free: $0/month.
- Premium: $12/month (billed annually).
- Business: $15/month (billed annually).
(BONUS) Free SEO writing tools offered by industry giants
Semrush and Ahrefs are arguably the best premium SEO tools you can use to drive more traffic to your site. And both offer some content optimization applications for free you should definitely take a look at.
10. Semrush Writing Assistant
Semrush is known as an all-in-one SEO software, but some users ignore one of its best features: the SEO Writing Assistant.
This tool allows writers to check if their articles are easy to read and SEO-friendly. If you are one, it will help you optimize your content on the go.
The best way to use the SEO Writing Assistant is by installing the Google Docs add-on (in case you use Docs to write and edit your copy).
Semrush’s assistant can check whether a text is original or plagiarized, use AI to help you write or rewrite content, and provide SEO recommendations.
Pricing
To use Semrush Writing Assistant or SEO Writing Assistant, you must have a registered account in Semrush.
Does this mean you need to pay for it?
Well, not necessarily. Semrush offers a free account with up to 10 credits in total (per day). You can use these credits to try the writing assistant.
However, if you want to make the most out of this tool, we recommend you purchase a premium plan.
These are Semrush’s plans:
- Free: $0/month (up to 10 credits per day).
- Pro: $108.33/month (billed annually).
- Guru: $208.33/month (billed annually).
- Business: $416.66/month (billed annually).
11. Ahrefs Free AI Paragraph Generator
Ahrefs offers multiple free SEO tools, including a paragraph generator.
With this tool, you can write (or ‘copy and paste’) a text and generate optimized versions of your copy. You can choose the type of language you want it to translate into, from ‘formal’ to ‘persuasive’.
While the final results aren’t that impressive, Ahrefs Free AI Paragraph Generator is a decent alternative to ChatGPT. You won’t be able to keep a conversation like with OpenAI’s chatbot, but you can refine your writing for free.
Pricing
Ahrefs Free AI Paragraph Generator is a 100% free AI content tool.
You don’t need to have an Ahrefs account to use it. If you want to try it, go to the Ahrefs free AI writing tools site and look for the paragraph generator.
Final thoughts: write optimized content with the best SEO tools for writing
With this list of the best SEO content writing tools, you should be able to plan, write, optimize and edit content across all platforms with confidence.
Tools like Surfer and NeuronWriter can help you create blog articles that resonate with your audience, and others like ChatGPT and Grammarly will make your ideation and editing process faster.
Whatever tool you choose, make sure it’s user-friendly and fits your specific needs. Experiment with different software to find the ones that work best for you and your writing style.
Good luck!
