In the fast-paced world of SEO blog writing, content creators often look for tools to give them a competitive edge. MarketMuse has long been a go-to for crafting data-driven, high-quality content, but it’s not the only option. Suppose you’re considering switching things up or exploring what else is available. In that case, this article is packed with insights to help you find the best MarketMuse alternatives for content marketing and SEO.
As you explore these options, tools like Feather’s notion to blog can make your content creation process smoother and more efficient.
What is MarketMuse?
MarketMuse stands tall in the world of content intelligence. This AI-powered platform is your go-to for automating:
Content audits
Research
Optimization
Forget about gut feelings. With MarketMuse, you get personalized metrics and detailed topic models, thanks to its natural language processing. Picture this: a tool that:
Spots content gaps
Sizes up the competition
It helps you craft authoritative pieces
With MarketMuse doing the heavy lifting, you’re free to focus on creating high-quality content that boosts your search engine rankings.
How MarketMuse Works: The Tech Behind the Magic
MarketMuse uses advanced AI to view your website’s content completely—no more guessing games. The tool automates content audits, assessing what’s working and missing, all without bias. It builds top-notch topic models, letting you create in-depth content on any subject.
But it doesn’t stop there. MarketMuse analyzes your existing content, prioritizes opportunities by authority and ROI, and recommends content creation and optimization. This way, you can make quick, data-driven decisions instead of wasting time on manual research.
MarketMuse Alternatives: What Else Is Out There?
While MarketMuse is a powerhouse, it’s worth knowing your options. Similar tools like Clearscope and Frase also offer content optimization features. Surfer SEO is another popular choice, known for its user-friendly interface. Each tool brings unique strengths, so it’s wise to explore them to see which one aligns best with your needs.
Pros and Cons of Using MarketMuse for Content Marketing
MarketMuse takes the grunt work out of SEO research and optimization. Instead of spending hours sifting through keywords and analyzing competitors, you get actionable insights with just a few clicks. This means less prep time and more focus on crafting content that resonates.
Boost Your Content's Performance
MarketMuse doesn't just help you write; it enables you to win. With features like Optimize and Compete, it offers a clear roadmap to:
Suggesting topics, keywords, and content length ensures your pieces are engaging and SEO-friendly.
Effortless Content Audits
Gone are the days of manual content audits. MarketMuse analyzes existing URLs and pinpoints areas for improvement. It highlights underperforming content, suggests new keywords, and recommends expanding topics. This keeps your content fresh and aligned with search engine changes.
Quick Content Brief Creation
Creating content briefs can be a drag, but not with MarketMuse. It generates AI-powered briefs that include target keywords and internal linking suggestions. This aligns writers with content goals right from the start, making your articles more cohesive and effective.
Ideal for Scaling Content Strategies
If you rely on content marketing, MarketMuse is your best friend. It handles large-scale projects, tracks performance, and offers insights that make scaling content operations a breeze.
The Price Tag: Cost of MarketMuse
MarketMuse's pricing starts at $6,000 annually, which can be a tough pill for smaller businesses or freelancers. The free plan is limited, offering just 10 monthly queries, which isn't enough for managing multiple projects or scaling content strategies.
Learning Curve: Getting Around MarketMuse
MarketMuse is packed with features that can be overwhelming at first. While it offers guided instructions and a help center, the onboarding process might feel daunting if you're new to SEO tools.
Slow Load Times: A Minor Annoyance
Certain features like Reports and Optimize can take a few minutes to load. While this is understandable given the data processing involved, it can be frustrating if you're used to faster tools.
Limited Keyword Research: A Missing Piece
MarketMuse is excellent for identifying keywords and suggesting placements but doesn't provide detailed backlink data or competitor analysis. You might need other tools to fill this gap.
Restrictive Free Trial: A Hurdle for New Users
The free plan with only 10 monthly queries isn't enough for thorough content research or strategy development. Given the high cost of paid plans, the lack of an affordable entry-level option might deter potential users.
Notion to Blog in Minutes
Feather offers an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service, allowing you to publish through Notion without any coding skills. Feather streamlines your content management with options to:
Change designs
Collect emails
Collaborate easily
Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today! Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!
13 Best MarketMuse Alternatives for Content Marketing
1. Feather: The Notion to Blog Experience
Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service that lets you publish blog content and newsletters through Notion, with no coding or design skills needed. It allows you to write your blog content on Notion and automatically publish it to your Feather blog.
Your All-in-One Notion-Powered Publishing Platform
You can set up a subfolder blog for better SEO performance and manage your CRM and website blog management through Notion. Collaborate with your team during the publishing process and change the design with the following:
Custom CSS
Collect emails
Many more
Feather Simplifies Newsletter Creation
Feather also lets you set up and send newsletters to your email subscribers directly from Notion.
Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today! Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!
2. Frase
Frase is the best SEO content optimization platform for most users. It includes a brief generator, AI writing assistant, and lots of other features to help you write exceptional SEO content in less time. Frase has its own built-in text editor that provides real-time scoring based on topic coverage, and suggestions to help you optimize content as you write it.
Instant SEO Briefs
The content briefs feature uses the top results for any target keyword to curate SEO-optimized briefs in just 6 seconds. So you don’t have to waste hours analyzing the SERPs yourself. In your brief, you’ll see:
Topic clusters to write about
Keywords to target
Header suggestions
Many more
AI-Powered Content Creation
If you don’t want to write all the content yourself, Frase’s AI Writer add-on can create SEO-optimized copy at the click of a button. Just click “Write for Me,” and Frase’s cutting-edge AI will automatically complete your sentences and paragraphs with unique content. AI templates also let you generate:
Entire blog intros
FAQ sections
Many more
Frase also integrates with Google Search Console to give you actionable insights about what you need to do to improve your organic visibility and displays your best content opportunities on an intuitive dashboard.
Key Features
SEO content briefs
AI writing assistant
Content scoring
Editor
Outline builder
Google Search Console integration
Custom templates
Team project folders
Document sharing
Project status notifications
Pricing
Frase plans start from $12 per month when billed annually. Free trial available.
3. Scalenut
Scalenut is a two-in-one tool that offers both content optimization and an AI writer out of the box. And unlike Frase, you don’t have to pay extra for the AI writing tool. Scalenut has most of the same content optimization features as the other platforms we’ve looked at so far:
Content grading
Automated briefs
Built-in editor
Many more
AI Content Writing Powerhouse
There are a couple of standout features that make Scalenut unique. The first is its powerful AI technology that can write short-form and long-form content for you. This includes:
Full-length blog posts
Social media posts
Email content
Product descriptions
Many more
The second is Cruise Mode. This is a cool feature that’s unique to Scalenut and can help to streamline your content-writing workflow. With it, you can reduce the time it takes to produce a 1,500-word article to just 5 minutes.
AI-Powered Blog Outlining
Start by providing some context to the AI writer by giving it a short description of what you want to write about. Next, add:
AI-generated titles
H-tags
FAQs to create the structural outline for your blog
After that, choose some AI-generated writing points for each headline or add your own to create your complete first draft. Export your draft to the text editor to tidy it up and check its content grade, then when you’re ready, publish.
My only gripe is that the entry-level plan is missing many features. That said, the usage limits on the second plan offer much better value for money than other tools.
Key Features
Plan content
Research
AI copywriting
Cruise mode
NLP analysis
Topic clusters
Pricing
Plans start at $39 monthly, and a free trial is available
4. SE Ranking
SE Ranking is the best choice if you’re on a budget. It’s more than just a content optimization tool—it’s an all-in-one SEO software solution with a broad feature set. So you get much more for your money.
SE Ranking doesn’t just help you to write and optimize content. It can replace your entire SEO stack with tools to help you:
Track your keyword rankings
Audit your website
Analyze backlink profiles
Discover new keywords
Analyze your competitors
Many more
You can use the built-in Content Editor to generate optimized content briefs just like any other content optimization platform. AI powers it and provides suggestions and feedback to help you optimize content as you write.
Pricing
Given how many different features SE Ranking offers, it’s surprisingly affordable. Prices start at just $23.52/month, and you can tailor your plan to fit your needs so you only pay for what you use, which makes it super scalable. That might not be as cheap as other content optimization tools, but SE Ranking offers many different tools.
You’ll save a bunch of money by not having to pay for things like:
Rank tracking
Keyword research
Auditing separately
The scalable pricing plans and B2B features like SE Ranking’s white-label capabilities, SEO reporting, and a lead generation widget make it a good choice for marketing agencies.
Key Features
On-page SEO checker
Content optimization tool
Keywear research tools
Site auditing
SERP analysis
Backlink monitoring
Competitor analysis
Pricing
SE Ranking plans start at $23.52/month based on usage requirements. A free trial is available.
5. Outranking
Outranking is an AI writing, SEO content planning, and optimization platform built for bloggers. It can help with your entire content marketing workflow, from creating your strategy to creating content, optimizing it, and tracking your rankings. Cutting-edge AI powers outranking’s workflow tool and helps you to write better content 10x faster.
Outranking has many of the same functions as other platforms we’ve looked at:
Generates SEO-optimized outlines using SERP research and entity analysis
Writes detailed SEO briefs
Develops written content and many more
The UI is solid, and the keyword clustering capabilities are excellent. We like how Outranking helps you optimize your internal linking based on cluster analysis so that Pagerank flows around your site most effectively. The content templates are handy. They cover many article types like:
Recipe posts
PR content and more
Key Features
AI writer
Content briefs
Content strategy
Templates
Optimization suggestions
Content marketing
Pricing
Plans start from $79/month
6. Dashword
Dashword is a content writing tool that helps you to write significant content fast, and optimizes it for SEO. The most interesting thing about Dashword is the UI. It’s a little different than other content editors and, arguably, easier to work with. If you outsource your content to writers, you can create briefs and send them to them in minutes using the outline builder.
Competitive Analysis Made Easy
All your competitors’ outlines are listed in one place so you can get a high-level overview of what your most significant competitor articles that already rank in the SERPs look like. Then, you can take the best bits from their outlines to assemble your own that covers all the most important topics. Once you’ve created your outline, share it with your writers in one click.
As you write in the editor, Dashword grades your content based on readability and overall optimization and gives you real-time feedback so you’ll know when it’s ready to be published. And it also shows you all the:
Keywords
FAQs
You should include everything else to cover the topic and stand the best chance of ranking.
Content Performance Tracking
It doesn’t stop after your content is published, either. Dashword is one of the few tools that actively monitor content after publication and notify you if it needs to be updated. It tracks traffic trends and alerts you if your traffic drops so you can identify and fix underperforming pages. It also tracks keyword rankings and generates new keyword reports every week. Other features we like include:
Automated page imports
Google Docs integration
Key Features
Outline creation
SERP analysis
Content grading
Readability score
Optimization suggestions
Content monitoring & alerts
Pricing
Plans start at $99/month. You can try it out for free with no credit card required.
7. NeuronWriter
NeuronWriter is another of the most advanced SEO content editors and optimization tools on the market. It uses semantic models (NLP), competitive analysis, and SERP analysis to help you plan and optimize content that fulfills user intent (which Google loves).
The interface of the content editor is similar to Frase. On the main screen, you have an intuitive text editor in which you can write your content.
Optimize in Real-Time
On the right, you have an optimization panel that tells you your content score in real-time and recommends NLP terms (words and phrases found in your top-ranking competitor articles) to include. Once you’ve written your article, NeuronWriter can help you place it in your broader content strategy with its ‘following content’ ideas feature.
Content Repository & Planning
It suggests related topics for future articles that you can add to your content plan in one click to save you hours on brainstorming and planning. You can manage all your content in the content repository. Mark content as:
Done
Export analyses
Organize content with status tags
Share briefs with external copywriters
Key Features
NLP recommendations
Competitor analysis
SERP analysis
Optimization suggestions
Content scoring
Topic suggestions
Content management/sharing
Pricing
Plans start at $19/month
8. Surfer
Surfer is a leading content optimization tool with a solid one-click AI article writer. Surfer is packed with features to help with different areas of content optimization, but the most essential feature is the Content Editor. It works like this: You enter the keyword/topic you want to rank for, and Surfer analyzes the SERPs (search engine results pages) to create an SEO-ready content brief that gives you all the information you need to start writing.
The brief includes structural recommendations and tells you the optimal word count to aim for, such as how many:
Headers
Paragraphs
Images to include
Many more
It will even generate some unique content for you (but this will need some tidying up). Aside from structural guidance, the Content Editor also:
It gives you some ideas for topics and questions to cover
Provides a list of competitor articles to use for research
Tells what terms/keywords to include in your content and how often.
The more of these terms you include, the closer you stick to Surfer’s structural recommendations, and the higher your Content Score will be.
Effortless Content Optimization
Content Score is Surfer’s proprietary metric that indicates how well-optimized your article is on a scale of 1-100. The higher the score, the more likely you’ll be to rank. It updates in real-time as you write in the Content Editor. But if you don’t want to write your content in Surfer’s Content Editor, you can integrate it with Google Docs or WordPress via a single browser extension.
Key Features
Content Editor
Keyword research
Audit
Keyword Surfer (Chrome extension)
Google Docs integration
WordPress integration
Pricing
Plans start from $99/month, with annual discounts available. There is no free plan or free trial.
9. Semrush Writing Assistant
Semrush Writing Assistant is a brilliant writing editor built into the broader Semrush platform. You might have heard of Semrush already. It’s one of the most popular SEO toolkits and is widely considered the gold standard for SEO software.
The Semrush software suite contains over 40 SEO and content marketing tools. The SEO Writing Assistant is just one of those, and it’s incredibly powerful.
Like similar tools, it checks your content as you write and provides you with scoring and recommendations on how to improve. For example, it gives you tips on related keywords to include and suggestions for optimizing your:
Links
Images
Tags
All-in-One Content Quality Checker
Unlike most other tools, Semrush Writing Assistant doesn’t just focus on the SEO side of things. It also analyzes and scores your content for originality, tone of voice consistency, and readability. As with SEO, it provides suggestions on how to improve all of the above. You can use Semrush Writing Assistant wherever you prefer to create your content, with add-ons for:
Google Docs
WordPress
MS Word 365
Key Features
SEO scoring
Readability scoring
Tone of voice
Plagiarism checker
Suggestions & recommendations
40+ other SEO tools
Pricing
Plans start from $139.95/month (annual discounts available)
10. Clearscope
Clearscope is another top-of-the-line SEO optimization platform that’s built for larger businesses. It uses AI to create content briefs based on the keywords you provide. You can use these briefs to guide your content writing process or distribute them to your writers.
Clearscope also comes with a keyword discovery tool, which can help you find new queries to target in your:
Again, the price point is a little steep and may put it out of reach for small-scale bloggers and content creators, but it’s a good choice for SMBs and enterprise-level businesses with the budget.
Key Features
Content briefs
Keyword research
Optimization
Real-time scoring
Google Docs integration
Auditing
WordPress integration
11. Copysmith
Copysmith excels at creating high-quality content for your audience, thanks to GPT-3 technology. Its seamless integration with other platforms, such as:
Hootsuite
Shopify
Google Ads
Zapier
Streamlined Workflow with Frase SEO
This allows you to streamline your workflow without leaving the platform. Copysmith’s collaboration with Frase SEO offers a unique feature, enabling users to discover SEO keywords for any AI-generated content effortlessly. The tool’s integrated plagiarism checker effectively addresses an essential concern for marketers, ensuring content authenticity.
Best Features
Uses GPT-3 technology to create high-quality long or short-form content
Has a built-in plagiarism checker
Integrates with different tools and apps
Discovers SEO keywords and can help you with Google Ads
Pricing
Free
Plan: $16/month per user
12. Readable
As you can guess from the name, Readable checks the readability of your writing using algorithms including Flesch-Kincaid and Gunning-Fog. Readable also has a grammar and style tool that finds issues like:
Passive voice
Cliches
Adverbs
Analyze Your Existing Content
Readable can also check your writing for keyword density. One nice feature of Readable is a URL checker that lets you analyze existing web pages. Premium users can see a complete history of every URL they’ve scored. It could be helpful if you have a blog or website you want to optimize.
Readable doesn’t have a free version, but a seven-day free trial of the ContentPro plan is available.
Key Features
Grammar checker
Style checker
Readability test
Keyword density tool
Can be used on the web, with documents, or with emails
URL analysis
Integrations with Dropbox and Slack
Supports multiple English dialects
Pricing
Seven-day free trial of ContentPro
ContentPro: $8/month or $48/year
CommercePro: $48/month or $288/year
AgencyPro: $138/month, $828/year
13. Mangools
If you're just getting started with SEO and are overwhelmed by the complexity of heavy hitters like Ahrefs or Semrush, Mangools is a good way to get your feet wet.
It's a suite of five integrated tools that manage to simplify SEO without dumbing it down:
1. KWFinder strips away the overwhelming data dumps you get with some keyword research tools and focuses on basics like:
Search volume
Keyword difficulty
Suggestions for longtail keywords
2. SERPChecker allows you to gauge how tough the competition is for your targeted keywords. It offers insights into metrics like domain authority, page authority, and backlink profiles of the top-ranking pages.
3. SERPWatcher tracks how your positions change and alerts you about significant movements, so you're always in the loop about your SEO performance.
4. LinkMiner lets you dissect your competitors' backlink profiles to uncover valuable linking opportunities for your site.
5. SiteProfiler provides a comprehensive overview of any website's SEO metrics, including domain authority, trust flow, and even Alexa ranking.
User-Friendly Interface
What sets Mangools apart for beginners is its interface. Unlike some tools that wear their complexity as a badge of honor, Mangools presents everything in a clean, intuitive layout that makes SEO feel approachable. The learning curve is gentle, but you're still getting solid data and actionable insights.
Limitations to Consider
That said, you may bump into some limitations. The daily search limits can feel restrictive if you manage multiple sites, and you won't find some of the advanced features that power users might want. But these limitations rarely matter for beginners who wish to improve their visibility without getting lost in a sea of complex features.
Choosing the Best Tool for Content Marketing and SEO
Choosing the right SEO tool isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. Are you looking to boost keyword rankings? Maybe you want to optimize your existing content. Your goals will guide you to the best solution. For instance, if you need keyword analysis and competitor insights, look for tools specializing in those areas. A broader strategy? Opt for comprehensive functionality.
Balancing Cost and Benefits
You don’t want to spend a fortune for little return. Make sure the cost of the tool matches the benefits it provides. Niche tools should excel in their specific areas, while comprehensive tools should offer features that cover multiple needs. Always weigh the potential return on investment, especially if the tool will be a long-term part of your strategy.
User Experience Matters
A complicated interface can slow you down. Opt for tools that are intuitive and offer clear guidance. Look for tutorials, guided workflows, and automated insights. The more user-friendly the platform, the quicker you can get results.
Seamless Integration is Key
Tools that integrate with your existing systems can make life easier. Whether it’s your CMS, analytics platforms, or project management tools, seamless compatibility ensures you can use the tool without duplicating efforts. This is especially important for teams that rely on collaboration and detailed reporting.
Scalability and Flexibility
Your tool should grow with you. Look for features that can expand as your needs evolve. A scalable solution helps you avoid the hassle of switching platforms frequently, saving you time and effort.
Before committing to any tool, clearly define your goals and budget. Test available options through free trials or demos, and ensure the platform aligns with your team’s technical proficiency and long-term objectives.
Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today with Feather
Looking for a seamless way to take your blog from Notion to the web? Feather offers a streamlined solution for SEO-friendly blog publishing. Its no-code approach allows you to manage and publish content directly from Notion, giving you the power to focus on what truly matters: creating high-quality content.
Feather's subfolder setup (domain.com/blog) is designed with SEO, offering superior performance over subdomains. Transitioning from idea to publication is now faster than ever.
Turbocharge Your Newsletter Game
Feather isn’t just for blogs. You can also supercharge your email newsletter by writing and sending it directly from Notion—no more juggling platforms or worrying about integrations. You can manage your entire newsletter process in one place, ensuring your message reaches your audience without a hitch. It’s a natural and intuitive workflow, freeing time for creativity and strategy.
Get the HubSpot Experience Without the Hassle
Feather offers the HubSpot experience right within Notion, making managing your CRM and website blog easy in one place. You can handle everything from content creation to customer management without leaving the platform.
With custom CSS and email collection options, you can tailor your site to your brand. Plus, team collaboration is a breeze, ensuring everyone is on the same page during the publishing process.
Make the Switch and Simplify Your Workflow
Tired of clunky, complicated tools that drain your time and energy? Feather provides a simple, streamlined solution that lets you focus on what you do best: creating and sharing great content. With its intuitive interface and seamless integration with Notion, Feather makes managing your blog and newsletter a breeze. So why wait? Create a new account today and experience the ease of publishing with Feather.