For research:SwipeWell - the ultimate, dedicated tool for saving fantastic examples you find on the internet. Comes with a browser extension and a mobile version so you can save examples anywhere you browse the internet. Start for free and only get the paid plan once you reach 50+ swipes.
Keywords Everywhere - browser add-on that shows you search volume, CPC, competition, and trends in your search results on Google (plus Amazon and YouTube).
Data vault - a curated database of more than 180 fresh, recent reports and studies with over 6,000 quotable statistics. I created it with the goal to help freelance writers save time finding statistics for their client articles. Categories cover commerce, email marketing, content marketing, customer experience, remote work, sales, cybersecurity, and more.
Research Like a Pro system - a step-by-step, in-depth research system that teaches you how to do deep research, build strong outlines, find and interview experts, look for data and examples, and more. Get checklists, templates, and more. Developed by exceptional writer Saphia Lanier.
Evernote - my go-to tool for all digital notes, including notes from books I read, storing insights from interesting articles, and more. It's my
second brain and helps me connect thoughts so I can write better.
Swipe Files by Corey Haines - a library full of examples like landing pages, ads, pricing pages, onboarding emails, and more (and the analysis of why they’re so good), which will help you find the best examples for your writing. Fantastic for SaaS writers.
Toby - a tool that lets you save your research—your browser tabs—into collections so you can return to it easily (instead of overwhelming your computer with dozens of open tabs).
For writing:Surfer - a tool to help you write and optimize your articles for SEO. Use it to research keywords, tweak your blog posts to maximize rankings, and analyze search results—and create fantastic results in search for multiple clients with just one monthly investment.
Google Docs - quite self-explanatory, but worth emphasizing: Google Docs is the best way to write if you want to share your work, collaborate easily, and edit efficiently. Take some time to learn its
shortcuts and features, it's worth it.
Headline Studio - a free tool from CoSchedule that helps you write strong, crispy headlines. The tool gives you a score and shows you word balance, word and character count, type, reading grade level, sentiment, clarity, and skimmability so you can optimize your headline. Premium (paid) option gives you an SEO score and optimization tips as well. You get three premium headlines to begin with and can purchase more if you need to.
For editing:Hemingway App - an excellent tool for editing out fluff from your writing and writing with more clarity. It’s free if you use it in the browser and has a low one-time fee for the desktop app.
ProWritingAid - a grammar checker, style editor, and writing coach. It goes beyond grammar issues and spelling mistakes—it helps you improve your writing craft every time you use it. It will catch overused words, incorrect word usage, poor readability, and more.
Copyscape - great for checking your research-heavy writing against plagiarism. If you use lots of statistics, quotes, steps, technical information etc., Copyscape helps you make sure you are crediting your sources, paraphrasing, and properly quoting your research.
For visuals:Full Page Screenshot - does what it says: captures a web page from top to bottom automatically, so you can use it in your writing or add it to your swipe file.
CleanShot - the best screenshot tool there is. Lets you blur, highlight, mark up, add lines, arrows, text, numbers… You can also record your screen and turn it into a GIF, which is great for short demo purposes. I use CleanShot dozens of times *every day*. Mac only.
Canva - great for any graphics for a whole range of marketing assets, if that's what you offer to your clients for blog posts. Premium version lets you use a brand kit and use premium stock photos. Signing up through
this link gives you one premium photo, icon, or illustration.
Squoosh - the best and most practical image compression tool I've used. Use it to keep the image quality up while reducing it to less than 100 kilobytes.