Google Docs Add-ons Recommendations For Content Writers

If you’re a content creator or a blogger, most of the time you’re probably using Google Docs as the platform to draft your writings.

Now, do you know that just like a browser add-on, there are also Google Docs add ons?

Check out the task bar on your Google Docs page, the one right under your document title. That’s where the Add-ons button’s at.

Now click on that and you’ll see a drop-down menu saying get add-ons…

And you’ll be brought to the main page of Google Docs add-ons where you can browse the list of available add-ons or search for the add-on you want.

You will get to download Google Docs add ons that can help make your writing process easier. And I have a list to recommend!

1. GDoc SEO Assistant

Once you’ve installed an add-on and you’re led back to a blank Google Docs page, you might feel a little bit lost.

But don’t worry, just go to the Add-ons tab on the toolbar to access the add-ons that you have added.

The first recommendation on our list is the GDoc SEO Assistant.

If you’re not familiar with SEO, it actually stands for Search Engine Optimization.

Now let’s imagine this situation. You’re chatting with your friends over lunch and suddenly they say hey can you recommend me a digital camera? But you actually don’t know much about digital cameras, so your open up Google search, type in digital camera recommendations and click on the first web page on the list.

Now, have you ever thought about how a certain web page can be right there when you Google something? That’s SEO working.

As a content writer or a blogger on the internet, Google search plays a very important role in getting people to your works!

That’s why SEO is important, because it’s helping you to optimize your writings and make them easier to be discovered by potential readers who are looking for a page that has all their information.

Now that we’re over why SEO is important, let’s have a look at how this add-on works.

Like most Google Docs add-ons, they are displayed as a bar on the right side of your document page.

To start, just type in a target keyword for the piece that you’re working on. That’s the main topic you’re talking about.

If it’s a review on digital cameras, then use digital camera as a target keyword.

In this example, I’m gonna use the word “market” as a target keyword.

So I just typed in the word market, it runs for analysis for a little while and then I got my data!

There’s some basic stuff like search volume, competition and Google search trend on the keyword for the past 12 months on there.

Which I personally think is great.

I’ve tried some other keyword tools like keywordtools.io, but all of them need me to either sign up for their paid version or there are some other restrictions somehow. So far, the GDoc SEO Assistant didn’t asked for any donations or sign ups.

All of the SEO suggestions are really straightforward, like increase the length of your title, which is easily do-able. And if it gets me some extra boost on Google search, I’m more than happy to follow their advice.

The keywords in the related keywords tab are not always that accurate but they’re good to have.

And hey, they’re free! So all in all, pretty good for a free tool.

Add GDoc SEO Assistant for Google Docs here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gdoc-seo-assistant/pnlfgkekkehmnnfodabkneomchkfpdoo?utm_source=permalink

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One More Thing!

Once you’re done with drafting and publishing your content, I’m sure you’d want to get it optimized for your piece to rank high, right?

I’m sure you understand that reoptimizing your content poses one major benefit, especially towards the old ones. It creates an opportunity to refresh it by removing outdated and adding something new. In fact, Google values content that are updated and refreshed over time.

But without the right Google-approved guidance, you’re practically flying blind when it comes to optimizing your content to rank higher. Which is why you’ll need a tool to be helping you overcome all issues related to ranking your content.

Allow me to recommend one tool that I always use post-publishing; BiQ’s Content Intelligence.

It’s really simple to use and comprehend. With Content Intelligence, I am able to optimize tons of content in a day. What used to be one article per day became much more efficient now.

This product has helped me solve content optimization problems in letting me know exactly where I should be fixing. It makes me aware of the mistakes I made that I can avoid in the near future!

As I’ve mentioned earlier, without content optimization tools like BiQ, you’re just relying on guesses when it comes to optimizing your content.

Luckily, this very module incorporates AI-guidance that ensures consistency in your brand, message, and style across all content.

Knowing bits and pieces of this information will allow you to gain insights into which paragraph you can further optimize, modify, and rewrite. Isn’t that easy!

If you are looking to rank high and get more traffic to your site, then this tool is one you shouldn’t miss out on.

Head over to BiQ Content Intelligence and get a free tier account now!

2. OneLook Thesaurus

When you’re a writer, and you write, and you write, and you write every day. It’s hard not to be trapped in using the same words over and over again and risk sounding boring. Which is well, bad.

So one of the add-ons that I’m using is the OneLook Thesaurus.

This is much more straightforward compared to the first add-on on the list, the GDoc SEO Assistant.

Like the name thesaurus suggested, the OneLook Thesaurus add-on provides you with a handy list of words that are similar in meaning. That helps you to be really clear and specific in writing.

The add-on offers several functions, namely Synonyms, Triggers, Rhymes, Complete, Adjectives and Nouns.

Here’s what the add-on says about each function.

I found myself using the Synonyms function the most, followed by the Triggers and the Adjectives function.

The Synonyms function is the basic function of a thesaurus, looking for similar words to pick out the one most accurate for a situation.

I use the synonyms function to write more accurately…

While I use the Triggers function to get an idea of what’s associated with my main keyword and how I can expand on the topic. Sometimes it doesn’t make much sense, but I have it supplemented with the data from GDoc SEO Assistant so that works for me.

I use the trigger function to supplement my keyword research efforts…

To get started, just type your chosen word into the bar and click on the function that you want. While pressing enter will automatically show you the synonyms.

But the add-on can be buggy at times. Sometimes when I’m trying to type in the search box of the add-on malfunctions and I find the words appearing the doc file itself instead.

When that happens I just restart the add-on and it will be working fine again.

I personally prefer it over opening up a new tab to make a search on Google. Having everything done in the Google Docs page itself helps me to stay focused and not strayed off too far by trivial information.

Add OneLook Thesaurus for Google Docs here:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/onelook-thesaurus/dhpdjglenioglnndkgkckilnpnpojnjh?utm_source=permalink

3. Goophy

Blogs can be boring and difficult to read through if it’s just blocks and blocks of texts. So I always try to add some funny gifs in there. Where do I find my gifs? I use Goophy!

Spice up your blog posts with some goofy gifs from Goophy!

This add-ons draws its gifs from the tenor library of gifs. So far I’ve been able to find related gifs for my blog posts without ever leaving the Google Doc page itself, so I’d say that’s plenty of gifs.

I also like to just pull it up and search for silly gifs to entertain myself when I’m stuck on the same sentence for 10 minutes.

There’s a couple of ways to trigger a search. One of the ways is to highlight the word in your doc first, then only open up the add-on.

That way, when you have the Goophy screen up on your right, it’ll already be showing you the gifs you want.

But I usually just pull up the add-on and type in what I’m looking for straight into the search box.

All the gifs are easily draggable. So you can place them wherever you like in the Google doc.

I mostly just leave it where it is since I tend to do all the formatting after I moved my draft into the CMS. Just wanna let you know that if you need to adjust them in your doc, it can be easily done.

According to Goophy’s homepage on the add-on store, you can select the words you want and click update to look for a gif, but I’ve never actually succeeded in doing that. Not sure if I got a bug or I’m just doing it wrong.

All in all, an entertaining add-on to add more color into your writing. Suitable if you’re not writing terribly serious topics on a formal website.

Add Goophy for Google Docs here:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/goophy/hihakceniinffblahgbijojnpjbmecki?utm_source=permalink

4. Change Case

sOMETIMES I’M TYPING SO FAST WITH SUCH A RAPID FLOW OF INSPIRATIONS FROM MY MIND I DIDN’T REALISE I’M ACTUALLY TYPING LIKE THIS.

Have that happened to you too?

Pausing your writing, deleting it and typing it out again in the correct case can be quite damaging to your flow of thought. And unlike other offline word processors like Open Office, Google Docs doesn’t offer the option to edit the sentence case for you.

So I got the add-on called Change Case.

As the name suggests, you can easily change the whole sentences into all uppercase, all lowercase, first letter capitals, invert case, sentence case or title case.

Which can be helpful when a situation like the one mentioned happens.

To use the add-on, start by highlighting the sentences you want to edit. Then, click on the add-ons tab, navigate to the Change Case add-on and click on the option you want. Wait for the add-on to load for about one second, and… it’s done!

It’s really just a simple and straightforward tool for covering up a basic function that is not provided by Google Docs.

Until they make a function like this officially available, I’ll be keeping my Change Case add-on.

5. Magic Rainbow Unicorns

You know that feeling when you’re reading what you’ve written for the tenth, twelfth, twentieth time? Well, I know.

Proofreading is a must for everyone who writes, but when you’ve been reading the same thing over and over again, it makes it difficult to spot things out. By that time you usually need a pair of fresh eyes to check out your work for you, which is why there are editors.

But if you do not have access to an editor or there are no innocent souls around you who can be roped into proofreading your writing, you can use Magic Rainbow Unicorns!

Well, no. It’s not a unicorn that would just appear with a poof and tell you “I think you need an Oxford comma here,”

It’s really just a simple tool to switch up your texts into rainbow colors.

I personally find it easier to spot grammatical mistakes for the fifth time when my texts are in MAGICAL RAINBOW UNICORN COLORS!

Well, I personally find that when I switch up the colors and the font size or the fonts, it helps me to see my writing in a new light.

I’m much more aware of each punctuation, the words I choose to use, and that extra e there that Google Doc somehow didn’t squiggly lined it for me, how dare they!

Add Magic Rainbow Unicorns for Google Docs here:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/magic-rainbow-unicorns/ganidpeaoklofmlmmlamgngfgjopjido?utm_source=permalink

Now, that’s a wrap

Let us know if you find the add-ons recommended helpful, or perhaps you’re already using them. If you have your own favorite Google Docs add-ons, let us know about it too!

Since you’re here, check out some of our other awesome blog posts:

How To Write In Conversational Tone To Increase Readership
The 10 Most Powerful Words for Creating Catchy Headlines
The Ideal Length For Every Online Content
17 Must Read SEO Blogs For Beginners
9 Types of Keywords in SEO You Need to Know to Convert

Updated: 3 December 2024

About Lo Jia Thong

A polyglot plummeted into the deep blue world of SEO and inbound marketing armed with a burning passion on letters and a fascination on how thing rolls in the world wide web.

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