If you’ve ever thought about becoming a content strategist, one of the first questions that comes to mind is probably, ‘What tools do I actually need to get started?’ Since content strategy is all about planning, organising, and making sure your content aligns with a bigger goal, having the right tools makes the job much easier and more effective.
With so many tools out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when starting out. But the truth is, you don’t need every single one. With just a few powerful tools, you can lay a strong foundation for your strategy and grow as you go.
Here are three essential tools that will help you get started as a content strategist and why they matter.
Airtable – For Content Planning
Think of Airtable as a smarter version of spreadsheets. As a content strategist, you need a system to track your ideas, deadlines, keywords, and publishing platforms. Airtable makes this process much easier because it is visual and flexible.
For example, you can create a content calendar where every row represents a blog post, video, or social media update. You can add fields for publishing dates, content formats, SEO keywords, and even team members who are responsible for each task. Unlike Excel or Google Sheets, Airtable lets you view your content in different ways. You can switch from a simple table to a calendar view, Kanban board, or gallery view depending on what works best for you.
If you are just starting out, set up a basic content calendar in Airtable with three main columns: Title, Status, and Publishing Date. As you get more comfortable, you can expand it to include SEO notes, audience goals, and analytics. This tool gives you structure without overwhelming you.
Notion – For Content Organisation
If Airtable helps you stay organised, Notion helps you think and plan. It is like a digital notebook and workspace all in one. As a content strategist, you are constantly collecting ideas, creating outlines, and keeping track of strategies. Notion gives you a single place to do all of this.
You can use Notion to store your brand guidelines, build content strategy documents, and even draft blog posts. One of the best ways to use it is to create a “content strategy hub.” In this hub, you can have separate pages for audience research, competitor analysis, keyword lists, and campaign ideas. Instead of jumping between ten different apps, everything lives in one space.
Let’s say you are planning content for the next quarter. You can have one page with your big-picture goals, another page for campaign ideas, and another that links directly to your Airtable calendar. This makes your workflow seamless and ensures you are not just creating content randomly, but with intention.
ChatGPT – For Content Support
One of the biggest challenges in content strategy is coming up with fresh ideas consistently. That is where ChatGPT comes in. Think of it as your brainstorming partner. You can use it to generate content ideas, draft outlines, or even refine your copy.
For instance, if you are stuck on a blog topic, you can ask ChatGPT to suggest different angles. If you already have a rough draft, you can use it to polish your writing or check for clarity. But the most practical way to use ChatGPT is not to depend on it completely, but to use it as a starting point. Combine its suggestions with your own creativity and industry knowledge to make content that feels unique.
When you are new to content strategy, ChatGPT can save you hours by helping you with repetitive tasks like brainstorming headlines, writing meta descriptions, or generating FAQs. It frees up your time so you can focus more on the strategy part instead of getting stuck in execution.
Don’t Forget Analytics
While these three tools get you started, one thing every content strategist needs to add early on is analytics. Whether it is built-in tools like Instagram Insights or more advanced platforms like Google Analytics, tracking performance ensures your strategy is actually working.
Without data, strategy becomes guesswork. With data, you know exactly what content drives results and where to adjust. Analytics gives you the confidence to scale what works and stop wasting time on what doesn’t.
Final Thoughts
Starting as a content strategist does not mean you need to know every advanced tool out there. With Airtable, Notion, and ChatGPT, you already have the essentials to plan, organise, and create effective content. Airtable keeps you structured, Notion helps you think strategically, and ChatGPT speeds up the process. Adding analytics ensures you are not just creating content, but creating content that drives measurable results.
If you are just stepping into the world of content strategy, the best approach is this: start small, get comfortable with these tools, and then scale from there. Remember, being a good content strategist is not about the number of tools you use but how effectively you use them to tell stories that matter.
