AI Content Creation & Planning Tools: Best 5 Services Tested
It’s high time we talked about AI content creation and planning tools. Considering the increasing amount of content, the rising requirements for its quality, and more demanding online users, extra help won’t be a miss.
According to various sources, 6 to 7.5 million blog posts are created daily. Zippia reports that users create at least 95 million image or video posts on Instagram per day.
A crazy amount of content awaits us and is ready to grab our attention.
That means bloggers and brands should be consistent with their strategy and use smart content creation and planning tools. Continuality, quality, and timeliness are the elements that will help your content and company shine.
But nowadays, just creating content and picking a spot in a calendar cannot be enough. Well, 61.4% of marketers have already employed AI in their marketing activities. So, it’s time for you to join their ranks.
We’ve tested the five best AI content creation and planning tools, and here’s what we have to say.
Contents
1. Buffer
Buffer is one of the most popular social media content planning tools. It has over seven million users, which proves its relevance.
It allows to manage multiple social media accounts. Why do we enjoy this software? It’s one of those free content planning tools that provides excellent functionality even without paid plans. Additionally, it not only provides a convenient calendar for planning but also helps with writing!
You can add up to three channels (accounts) in the free version. Yet, the paid plan lets you add ten channels (Instagram, X, YouTube, etc.) plus Threads on the way.
You might say, “But where’s AI?” This content planning tool incorporates it in various ways.
AI will help you pass writer’s block when creating a post. Go to “Calendar” and press + on the window with the needed date.
Click “Use the AI Assistant” to get some ideas.
For instance, we’ve used the “Write about the importance of AI marketing tools. The target audience is marketing specialists and CEOs. Generate more shares.” prompt. Here’s what the AI Assistant has suggested:
“AI marketing tools play a pivotal role in today's digital landscape, making them a must-have for marketing specialists and CEOs. These tools leverage artificial intelligence to analyze vast amounts of data, enabling businesses to make informed decisions and optimize their marketing strategies. From improving customer targeting to enhancing campaign performance, AI marketing tools offer valuable insights and automation capabilities. With their ability to generate personalized content and streamline workflows, these tools can greatly enhance a company's marketing efforts. Stay ahead of the competition and unlock the full potential of your marketing campaigns with AI-powered tools. #AImarketing #MarketingTools”
You can generate a new response. Yet, this sounds pretty legitimate. Sure, we advise you to edit it to make it more readable.
Buffer has added two hashtags, but we think adding more is better.
This AI tool is capable of providing helpful lists, engaging posts, data, etc. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend reading and editing (if needed) the generated content.
Anyway, this option helps you save time and plan more content with less effort spent. Moreover, you can add an AI-generated comment under your post.
But what if you need more functionality and connected accounts? Then, you need to use the paid version of this content marketing planning tool.
It will open new opportunities. You will get access to analytics and also be able to track your activity all in one place.
The last feature refers to comment tracking. That’s really convenient as you won’t miss replies from users. And Machine Learning will analyze the comments and show negative reviews straight ahead.
That’s definitely essential in terms of managing brand reputation.
If you run a small business, Buffer will be an amazing tool to try for content planning and testing AI capabilities.
2. Canva
We often refer to Canva as a visual marketing tool. Yet, its functionality goes far beyond it. That makes it one of the best tools for content planning and creation.
The sad news is that the extended features are available for paid subscribers. Anyway, there is a month of a free trial. So, you have enough time to test all the elements and decide if it is worth it.
Firstly, Canva uses plenty of AI add-ons to help marketers create more engaging, professional, and non-boring content.
This content will help you enhance your blog and social media posts or create covers for YouTube videos and so much more.
There are hundreds of free templates to assist you with visually pleasant posts for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media accounts.
But what’s better is that you can turn images or videos into full-scale posts and employ Canva as a content planning tool. All you need to do is press the “Content Planner” on the menu on your left.
Moreover, Canva already has holiday suggestions, so you can have more ideas for your posts. Press + to start publishing. Don’t forget to connect your social media account (Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.). And you are ready to write your caption, add the fitting image or video, and schedule your post.
Combining varied Canva’s features allows you to streamline your content creation and publishing process.
3. NinjaContent
If you are looking for a full-scale content marketing planning tool, NinjaContent might be a fit. The service claims to offer 50 apps in one for a pretty reasonable price. That’s $14,99 per month.
Yet, every user can unlock the 14-day trial period. That’s an awesome chance to test all the features this service provides.
You need to create an account and add the needed app. In our case, it’s NinjaContent. Don’t forget to state your site to get started.
This service is a great mixture if you focus on blog content creation and planning. So, the first tab you want to use is - “Content.”
Your next step is to press the “Add content button” and fill in the fields in the pop-up window. The first stage is where AI can help you by finding appropriate keywords based on your needs. Or you can get title suggestions.
Fill in all the fields and press “Save” to continue. Your draft will appear in the “Content” tab.
Hover over the article’s title and click “More” to open the text editor. Start writing the blog post. Once you write the first sentence, you will see the “Generate text” button appear on your right.
Please note that NinjaContent will require you to add the OpenAI plugin to use this option.
So, if you’d like to use AI help, write a prompt to get the text for your blog.
Once you finish working on your article, you can move the “Calendar” tab. You will see your post there. You can press it to make some edits or change the readiness status of your article.
So, if your focus is blog posting - you can test this tool and use it if you like it.
4. Later
The next great content creation and planning tool we can recommend is Later. We need to admit that this service has amazingly advanced during the past few years.
Any marketer or blogger working with content creation will definitely enjoy this tool.
As with many of the best content planning tools, this software has paid plans. Still, you have two weeks to try and test all the available features for free.
As you can see straight ahead, there are various accounts you can manage - from Instagram to TikTok.
So, start your free trial to dive into Later’s capabilities. Next, connect the accounts you’d like to manage.
Begin the process by dragging the “Create post” sign on the required data on the calendar. A special window will appear. Everything is super easy:
- Add the photo,
- Write a caption (that’s where AI can help),
- Schedule the post.
We use the “write 3 reasons why use guest posting in 2024” prompt. The Later AI has suggested three options. We found one doing its job the best.
Seeking to level up your content game in 2024? Look no further! Discover the top three reasons why guest posting is an absolute game-changer for your brand's growth. From boosting your credibility to tapping into new audiences, this strategy is a must-have in your marketing toolkit. Ready to explore the power of guest posting? Dive in now and unleash your brand's true potential! #GuestPosting2024 #ContentStrategy #BrandGrowth
Once again (similar to Buffer), we highly recommend reading and editing your captions to get the best outcome.
The basic paid plan provides five credits for AI content generation.
After you press “Schedule post,” you will see it in the calendar. Another cool tip when using this software is uploading your media you plan to use, for example, within the week, to see how your account view or feed will look like.
Also, Later is testing the “Ideas” feature. It’s an option you can use to create posts or post ideas for special sections, tags, or events. Or you can briefly describe what your company is doing, and Later will come up with a content pillar, main topics you can cover, etc.
This way, this content creation and planning tool can help you streamline your content and cut the time you spend on its ideation and writing.
5. Hootsuite
Of course, our list won’t be complete without mentioning Hootsuite. This is a multi-purpose content creation and planning tool with AI integration.
It allows creators and marketers to produce content without a fuss. So, the first thing you need to do is create an account and choose the plan. We need to inform you that this service is pricier than all the others.
The monthly price for the individual plan is $99 monthly when billed yearly. So, to ensure you make an informed decision, Hootsuite offers a 30-day free trial.
After passing this step, head to OwlyWriter AI - Hootsuite’s content and caption creator.
Firstly, choose the social media for which you want to write a post. Then, as always, add a quick prompt. The wonderful option is an opportunity to choose the tone of voice for your text.
As with other services we described earlier, there would be three AI-generated options to choose from. Once again, don’t forget to read and tidy up the AI-powered caption you choose.
The scheduling part happens in the “Planner” menu. Yet, you can also start creating when pressing “Compose.” Besides, don’t forget to connect the social media accounts you’d like to manage.
Either way, you can create the post powered with AI, add needed visuals, and schedule it.
You can set your calendar by week or month to see all the posted and scheduled content.
Without a doubt, many professionals will value the smart analytics Hootsuite provides. For instance, you can learn more about the optimal publishing time. As a matter of fact, it won’t be some generic numbers.
You will get recommendations based on your industry, social media account, and past post performance.
Conclusion
As you can see, software for marketing is becoming more and more advanced. There is a big choice of AI content creation and planning tools that help professionals upscale their strategy and achieve better results.
Now, there’s no need to involve dozens of services to streamline the main processes like writing, adding visuals, choosing optimal publishing time, and planning. You can take all of these actions in one place.
We selected five content planning tools that also have creation features to show your opportunities in social media content planning and blog post planning.
Hopefully, you find this information helpful and see how content management can be eased.
N.B. This article is for fact-finding purposes only. We suggest open information about available software and do not push anyone to buy paid subscriptions from these services.
