Best Copywriting Tools for Freelance Copywriters Like Me

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If you’re new to freelance copywriting, you’re likely on the hunt for the best copywriting tools that will make your prose shine and your job easy. Step right up! I’ve been working as a freelance copywriter for over 20 years. Below, I share the best tools for copywriters.

Here’s what might surprise you about my list: Not all of these tools are writing tools. That’s because copywriters do so much more than simply write. For example, you interview subject matter experts. You edit. You do basic design (like YouTube thumbnails or PowerPoint presentations). The tools I’m sharing below include ones I use regularly in my life as a freelance copywriter. I’m also sharing info about tools you’re likely to encounter, particularly in the area of project management.

Before we get started, a quick note: I use the terms copywriter, content writer, and content marketer interchangeably.

I explain why, in-depth, in my post, “What is copywriting?” But here’s the short of it: Purists think copywriters are all about getting immediate sales, and content writers are all about engaging an audience. I say the goal dictates what you write and how you write it, not your title. For example, are you writing an email to people poised to buy? You’ll lean heavily into persuasion and sales tactics. Are you writing a blog post answering a “how-to” question related to your client’s business? You’ll write the content from an educational lens. But guess what? Everything you write needs to engage people.

OK. One more thing before we get started. Some of the items below include affiliate links, which means if you try or buy the tool after clicking a link, I’ll earn a small commission. But it won’t cost you more. I only recommend tools I use and believe in.

Ready? Let’s get to it . . .

Best copywriting tools for copywriters: Let’s talk editing.

Hello, Grammarly.

I used to rely solely on my own editing chops and the grammar and spellcheck in Microsoft Word. But Word changed its grammar and spellcheck somewhere along the way, and not for the better, in my humble opinion. So I began using Grammarly’s free version for a while. Eventually, I became curious about the paid version. A year or so ago, I decided to give it a go and discovered it was ideal for my needs.

Do I follow all of its suggestions? Nope. (And you shouldn’t either.) These products are great at understanding the rules and pointing out when you violate the rules. But they’re not good at recognizing when you’re breaking a rule intentionally, which good writers do all the time. Still, Grammarly is excellent at catching critical errors, and it’s good at making me stop and think if the way I’ve deliberately written something is the best way.

When it comes to choosing the so-called “best” copywriting tools, you need to learn what works best for you. Whether you choose Grammarly or an alternative, you do need some sort of good grammar and spellcheck. (That’s true for all writers.)

Don’t skimp. And don’t think you’re above needing help.

Best SEO copywriting tools: I use Semrush.

Writing blog posts and optimized website copy is my bread and butter as a freelancer. The main goal of this content is to bring people in via organic search.

This blog post you’re reading is a great example. You likely landed here because you searched on something like “best copywriting tools” or “SEO copywriting tools.”

That’s not luck on my part. It’s strategic. I use SEO copywriting tools, specifically keyword research tools, to uncover the best opportunities for optimizing a piece of online content so it will rank high in search results.

Semrush is my go-to tool for keyword research, competitor research, content ideas, and more.

Confession: I used to bristle when it came to conducting keyword research on my own. I preferred having the keyword phrases handed to me. Why? I didn’t always feel confident in my ability to look at numbers and stats. And earlier keyword tools (think the early to mid-aughts) weren’t as user-friendly (in my estimation) for regular folks like me. But they’ve come a long way, and in recent years, I’ve embraced doing keyword research.

But Semrush does so much more than keyword research. You can do site audits and backlink gap analyses. You can do competitor research. Plug in a competitor’s domain and see things like their domain authority score and ranking keywords, among other things. You can get content ideas and tips for improving existing content that has a great opportunity for performing better. It might be able to do your laundry, too!

Semrush might feel overwhelming when you first log in. I recommend reading these:

How much does Semrush cost?

Semrush offers a free trial and different paid tiers. I’m a paid subscriber because I conduct keyword research regularly for clients and myself.

I realize that cost might not work if you’re a new copywriter. Luckily, some good free keyword tools exist. So you can start with those if you’re just launching your freelance copywriting business. But if you find that you’re doing a lot of SEO copywriting, I recommend investing in a paid tool and figuring that cost into your client quotes.

Best AI copywriting tool: Let’s address the elephant in the room.

Ask 20 copywriters about AI and you’ll get 20 different opinions. The one thing I am confident about is this: No one knows with any certainty how AI will affect the copywriting landscape. Certainty only comes in hindsight.

But here’s my hot take as I answer this question in August 2024.

AI is not new, generally speaking.

But widely accessible large language models (LLMs) are, relatively speaking. ChatGPT was the tipping point because it’s the LLM that everyone started playing with and talking about back in late 2022.

But plenty of other AI copywriting tools existed before ChatGPT hit the scene, like Writer and Jasper.

I have experience with Writer (through a client) and ChatGPT Plus, which I pay for.

TL;DR: I think copywriters just starting out will do fine with the free version of ChatGPT. If you can swing the $20/month and you find you’re using it regularly, consider upgrading to ChatGPT Plus.

OK, so what about my experience with Writer?

With Writer, I had a “seat” on a client’s Writer account, so I was able to work with the product up close and personal. Can I speak to every feature? Nope. But I can tell you about my experience.

For writing purposes, I didn’t find it much better or different than ChatGPT for writing or Grammarly for editing. Writer did OK. It was fine. But I didn’t think it produced copy with that special something-something that makes copy sing.

The average reader wouldn’t have batted an eye at the output. But the whole point of hiring a professional writer is to elevate your copy. Most people can’t point to what makes a piece of copy special. But they know it when they read it. They can feel it. Good copy acts on a subconscious level. Training a machine on something like gut feel is impossible because it doesn’t have a gut. You need good writers for that.

(I will say this: When I hear ChatGPT talk aloud, its spoken voice is more nuanced than its written voice. So perhaps over time, the writing output from AI products will improve.)

Bottom line: In my experience, these AI copywriting tools write perfectly adequate copy but not special copy. They are excellent tools for doing certain things—just not writing fresh, original content.

And that’s exactly how I feel about ChatGPT, too, even though I consider it my go-to AI tool.

ChatGPT 4o is an excellent tool for many things except writing original content with an authentic voice (even with training). That’s where we’re at with it right now. But I suspect ChatGPT and other AI copywriting tools will get better with time.

However, and this is a BIG however, I don’t believe AI isn’t going to replace all human writers.

Sure, some folks will fall away. Honestly? They probably would have anyway.

But the reason I’m not especially worried about AI writing tools coming for me is because effective writing involves thinking. It involves understanding nuance. It involves understanding that sometimes breaking a grammar or punctuation rule makes sense because the writing simply sounds better. (Go re-read my blurb above about Grammarly. Grammarly is an AI tool as well.)

AI doesn’t think. (As far as I’m concerned, that’s a feature, not a bug.) Also, AI writing tools aren’t proactive.

For example, ChatGPT won’t be privy to the magical conversations you have with clients when they share a random aside and you think, “That would make a great blog post, video, or social media post.”

That said, ChatGPT is a great tool for copywriters.

Things ChatGPT does well that can help you with your work:

  • Analysis. For example, give it ten of your client’s competitors’ websites and have it create a short report on themes, keywords, and opportunities.
  • Brainstorming. From blog post titles to email subject lines.
  • Outlining. Short-form and long-form content.
  • Interview prep. I use it to help develop questions to ask subject matter experts.
  • Audience profiles/personas.
  • Transcript review/consolidation.
  • Feedback. Ask it to provide feedback on your writing.

The challenge is that not every business (even the big guys) will necessarily agree or realize that human writers are still needed. They might think all they need is an AI product. I suspect they will learn the hard way that having an AI tool isn’t enough. It’s a hammer. And you still need someone who knows how to wield the hammer. And even more importantly, you need someone who understands what it takes to build a solid house.

AI is a tool just like any other tool. 

Again, if you’re just getting started with AI, use the free version of ChatGPT. Experiment. Read up on how to prompt it. Practice your prompts. Review the output. Ask ChatGPT to revise. Practice using it for things other than straight content creation (see the list above).

But once again, that’s my opinion. Find the AI copywriting tool that makes sense for you. (Yes, I do think you should have one in your toolbox. You don’t want to get behind the curve. And these tools can do some things really well.) And if you find you like Writer, Jasper, or some other tool more, great! Use the AI tool that works best for you.

Other tools for copywriters

Zoom

I was using Zoom pre-pandemic, and I’ve loved it since the beginning. Why do I feel the need for conferencing software? Couldn’t a phone call work? Well, with Zoom, you can share screens, which comes in handy (for example, when showing a website mockup). Plus, I can record the calls on Zoom as well. I can also have multiple people join the call (which is sometimes necessary—I’ve been on calls with five or six people on the client side). Not to mention, most people are comfortable with Zoom (thanks to the pandemic).

I’m currently on the Pro plan, which works great for my needs and budget. You can certainly start with the free version, but beware there’s a 40-minute limit on phone calls. I can almost guarantee that you WILL have calls that go over 40 minutes, and it can be embarrassing or ruin the vibe when you have to pause and send out a new invite.

Note: I record ALL client calls. I always let them know and remind them that nothing will be used against them in a court of law. (This always elicits a chuckle.) Recording eliminates the need for me to frantically take notes (which I can never read anyway). Instead, I can focus on the substance of the conversation. I can also turn the recording into a transcript, which brings me to my next tool for copywriters.

Rev

I mentioned above that I always record my calls. From there, I upload the calls to Rev.com to get the recording transcribed. I’ve used both manual transcription, where a human listens and transcribes word-for-word, and AI, which does automated transcription. The two biggest differences between the two? Price and accuracy. Humans are much more accurate, but I have to admit the AI is pretty close (depending on how good the recording itself is—a client on a landline vs. in the car).

I tend to use humans for complex interviews involving medical topics (I write for a urology practice), but AI works great for almost everything else.

As for pricing, as I write this, the human transcription is $1.25/minute while the AI is .25 a minute. (And keep in mind that this is a legitimate business expense for a writer. I have a line item in my business expenses for Rev.com.)

Note: I’ve heard good things about Temi.com, another AI option.

Dropbox

I find Dropbox particularly handy for big files, like videos or print files.

If I have to share huge files with a client, I drop them into a Dropbox folder and share the view-only link.

For example, I work with a team in a marketing agency for one of my clients. We manage the clients’ employee headshot files, logos, etc. (there are lots of big files). Dropbox makes it easy for everyone, including the client, to have access.

  • PRO TIP: If you do a lot with video files, here’s a tip. To save space on your hard drive, make your video files available online only. You can always change a video file to “make available offline” when needed, but if you keep all videos available offline, they’ll take up hard drive space on your device. (I found this out the hard way when Bessie, my old PC, was limping along, and then I discovered making that simple switch fixed the problem.)

Canva

When I started out as a copywriter in 2002, I was a firm believer that writers should focus on writing and designers should focus on designing.

But that’s partly because we didn’t have awesome tools that could turn most people into decent enough designers. Don’t get me wrong: We absolutely still need professional designers. But copy and design work together, and more and more clients are looking for people who are more than just a one-trick pony. I’ve softened my stance as a result. There’s no reason why a good writer shouldn’t be able to lay out the copy for a white paper (for example) using software like Canva.

Canva has free and premium versions. I upgraded to premium last year because I was doing more with YouTube thumbnails and some other design initiatives. Canva has ready-made templates and designs awaiting your copy and finishing touches. I find it incredibly intuitive, too.

Slack

You’re likely familiar with Slack. I love it. I’m on various Slacks for clients, and it’s great for quick questions so you can avoid mucking up people’s inboxes.

I don’t pay for Slack; my clients add me to their workspaces.

Lettercount

Lettercount.com is quick, easy, and my favorite price: FREE. I’ve used this site for years. It’s just a box that does a quick character count. It’s perfect for double-checking meta descriptions, title tags, tweets, and anything else restricted by a certain number of characters.

Task management software du jour

This topic makes me chuckle and roll my eyes. Man, are there A LOT of project management tools out there. And you will be amazed at how many different ones you have to juggle. That’s one of the “joys” (she says sarcastically) of being a freelancer. You must be a project management chameleon and get on board with whatever your client is using.

In the last year, I’ve used . . .

I have another client moving to Smartsheets shortly.

Other names you’ll likely come across:

Seriously, google task management software, work management software, or project management software, and you’ll see other names, too.

I don’t have a favorite. Not that it matters if I did because it’s not about me. I must assimilate to whatever tool my client uses. (And if you work with a client long enough, I can almost guarantee that they’ll shift gears at some point.)

I’ll be honest. It can be a pain to use multiple platforms, each with its own quirks and features. Luckily, most are fairly intuitive. (And you can always google your questions and find videos.) And for the most part, as a copywriter, you’re only going into the tool to check assignments and upload or post your work.

Copywriting books: Here are my go-to resources for learning the ins and outs.

I use Amazon Affiliate links below. If you use one of the links to buy something, it won’t cost you more, but I’ll earn a small commission. I only recommend stuff that I believe in. I own both of these books.

Got questions for the Copy Bitch?

That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. Get in touch with me here.