AI strategy consulting

The Best AI Tools for Content Creation in 2025

Ryan Flanagan
Aug 11, 2025By Ryan Flanagan

TLDR: AI content tools can help small businesses and non-technical teams produce quality marketing, blog, and social media content faster and at lower cost. The key is choosing tools that match your channel needs from blog writing and SEO to image, video, and audio creation and then applying them in a repeatable workflow you can control. This blog explains how to select the right tools, where they fit in your process, and how to avoid the quality, authenticity, and SEO and reputational pitfalls of AI generated content.

Why AI Content Tools Matter 

Creating consistent, quality content takes time. A single 500-word blog can take hours to brief, write, edit, and publish. Multiply that across blogs, videos, and social posts, and you’ve got a significant operational cost and time drag - and really...who has time for this?

With the right no-code or low-code AI tools, you can:

  • Cut content creation time by more than half.
  • Produce channel-specific assets in minutes.
  • Scale output without adding headcount.
  • Keep SEO optimisation in-house instead of outsourcing.

But these gains only happen if you match tools to tasks and manage the process with a clear workflow.

Choosing the Right AI Tools

1. Blog & Article Drafting
Tools to consider: Jasper, ChatGPT
These can generate first drafts, suggest headlines, and re-phrase sections for clarity. They’re best used for ideation and structure, with you or your editor refining tone and accuracy.

How to use them:

  • Create a reusable brief template with your audience, tone, and keywords.
  • Use AI to produce an outline and opening paragraph.
  • Manually fact-check and add human examples.
     
    2. SEO Research and Optimisation
    Tools to consider: Surfer SEO, Perplexity
    Surfer can give you competitive keyword insights and on-page recommendations. Perplexity can summarise research from multiple sources with citations.

How to use them:

  • Run your topic through SEO tools before drafting.
  • Identify target keywords and related terms.
  • Apply recommendations in the edit stage, not after publication.
     
    3. Social Media Copy
    Tools to consider: Copy.ai, HubSpot AI features
    These are effective for short-form, high-volume copy needs across LinkedIn, Instagram, or X.

How to use them:

  • Draft 3–5 variations of each post and test engagement.
  • Use built-in tone settings to match platform style.
  • Keep brand voice consistent by storing approved phrases.
     
    4. Image Creation
    Tools to consider: Canva AI
    Generate graphics, blog headers, and social media images from prompts without Photoshop expertise.

How to use them:

  • Define brand colour palette and typography in Canva brand kit.
  • Use AI image generation for concepts, then refine manually.
  • Always review for quality and relevance before publishing.
     
    5. Video & Audio Content
    Tools to consider: InVideo, Synthesia, Murf, Descript
    These tools handle short-form videos, explainer content, and voice-over production without expensive editing suites.

How to use them:

  • Select templates to match your campaign goal.
  • Use AI to generate draft scripts, then adjust for brand tone.
  • Add captions for accessibility.
     

Common Errors with AI Content

  • Over-automation: AI drafts should be edited for context, tone, and factual accuracy.
  • SEO penalties: Avoid duplicate phrasing and generic output that could be flagged by search engines.
  • Tone inconsistency: Use a style guide and brief templates to keep AI output aligned.
  • Lack of human input: Add real examples, opinions, and data your competitors can’t replicate.
     

    A Workflow for AI Content Creation

  • Briefing: Use a template in Google Docs with audience, goal, keywords, and examples.
  • AI Drafting: Produce outline and first draft in your chosen writing tool.
  • SEO Check: Run through Surfer or similar for keyword and structure adjustments.
  • Asset Creation: Generate supporting images or videos.
  • Human Edit: Fact-check, refine tone, and add brand-specific examples.
  • Publish & Repurpose: Break down long content into smaller assets for different channels.
     

FAQs


Q: Can AI tools replace a human writer?
A: No. They can speed up drafting and ideation but still need human review for quality, accuracy, and authenticity.

Q: How do I keep AI content on brand?
A: Create a style guide and use consistent briefing templates in your AI tools.

Q: Will AI-generated content hurt my SEO?
A: Not if it’s edited for originality, keyword strategy, and relevance before publishing.

Q: What’s the easiest tool to start with?
A: For text, Jasper or ChatGPT; for visuals, Canva; for SEO, Surfer SEO.

Q: Do I need coding skills to use these tools?
A: No. All listed tools are no-code or low-code, accessible to non-technical users.

AI tools only deliver value when they’re matched to a clear role in your content process. Pick the right tool for each format, define how and when it’s used, and keep the editing and final judgement in human hands. If you’re deciding whether these tools are worth the investment, our AI Business Case Workshop breaks down where they’ll save time, where they won’t, and the return you can expect before you commit.