Free content tools and resources, curated by Cake

Here at Cake Content Consultancy we use and recommend these free online tools and resources for producing web and social content.

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PROJECT PLANNING

Trello

A simple-to-use project management tool. Track steps in a content creation cycle or just keep on top of your web and social content ‘to do’ items.

Trello

DISCOVERY

Google trends

Find and compare the words and terms people are searching on. Linked example: ‘eco-friendly’ compared to “sustainable’.

Google Trends

Optimal Workshop

Carry out remote research, quantitive and qualitative. Including IA usability testing with OptimalSort and Treejack.

Treejack from Optimal Workshop

ALPHA, BETA

1. Writing tools to help you design and present information, clearly and accessibly.

Hemmingway App

Make your copy concise and impactful. This tool highlights parts of your text and suggests edits.

Hemmingway App

Count Characters

Check the number of characters and words in your copy. Handy for under 140 character tweets and keeping to word counts.

Count Characters

Merriam Webster

The online dictionary of choice for those who know.

Merriam Webster

Readability Guidelines

Content style wiki with usability evidence, written and designed by Lizzie Bruce.

Readability Guidelines

Accessible numbers

How to present numbers clearly for people with dyscalculia, low numeracy and maths anxiety, by Lauren Parker with  Rachel Malic and Jane McFadyen.

Accessible Numbers

Emojipedia

Check the emojis you use are universal and that the descriptive text read out by screen reading software is not overly long.

Emojipedia

2. Imaging tools to help you design and present information, clearly and accessibly.

Pixlr

Edit your images and photography to a professional level.

Pixlr

Image libraries

Search for images on refine by licence type, for example ‘commercial use allowed’.

Flickr
Pexels
Unsplash

Infographics

Infographics and graphs can help you communicate data-heavy stories in an engaging way.

Infogr.am
Easel.ly

3. Accessibility tools to help you design and present information clearly and accessibly.

WAVE

Easily test the accessibility of your web content. Just type in the page url to get instant results and advice.

WAVE

WebAim contrast checker

Does what it says. Find out if your background/foreground contrast levels pass WCAG AA and or AAA standards.

WebAim contrast checker

W3C Accessibility

Check on web accessibility standards and find out how to implement them.

W3C Accessibility

Screen reader survey

WebAIM surveys screen reader use every 2 years and publishes its findings.

WebAIM screen reader survey 2024

Accessible fonts

Learn what goes into an accessible font. Researched and written by Lizzie Bruce, originally for the GatherContent blog.

Accessible fonts article on the Bynder website

4. Prototyping tools to help you design and present information clearly and accessibly.

Easy, instant use wireframing tool

Quickly run up an interactive wireframe versions of your designs, that can be accessed on mobile for fast usability testing. Credit to General Academy for recommending Marvel, and Marian Avery for recommending Inkscape.

Marvel.app
Mural wireframing for desktop
Mural wireframing for mobile
Inkscape

Coding

Teach yourself coding online.

Code Academy

GOV.UK Design System

Usability-tested good practice design patterns and elements.

GOV.UK Design System

LIVE

Digital marketing

Google digital marketing – a free certification course.

Google course on Coursera

Remember to use the writing, design and accessibility tools listed on this page to keep iterating, improving and maintaining your content, making sure it stays relevant to user needs long after going live.