What Is Collaborative Editing? (+ 5 Tools to Start Collaborating Now)
Let’s face it, sometimes track changes and suggestion mode just don’t cut it. When you need to collaborate with others in real time, share feedback and ideas, and get quick approvals, collaborative editing allows you to create high-quality content without slowing down your process.
But you don’t have to create a collaborative editing process alone. Collaborative editing tools like GatherContent help content teams with complex challenges remain productive and efficient. Keep reading to find out how collaborating editing can help you streamline your content creation process, plus discover five collaboration editing tools that are worth a serious look.
What is collaborative editing?
As the term suggests, collaborative editing is when more than one person edits a document at the same time. Collaborative editing can also refer to the process where one editor works on a document, then hands it off to the next person for their input.
However you choose to approach it, collaborative editing provides a shared space where your team can communicate with each other and with other stakeholders to streamline approvals and production.
How does collaborative editing work?
Generally, collaborative editing software uses cloud-based tools to allow multiple people to access, edit, and share documents at the same time.
GatherContent’s cloud-based editor provides a place to collaborate in real-time, including leaving comments, requesting feedback, and editing a document together with your team. Source:GatherContent.com
This means teammates can make updates to a document in real-time and those updates are synced across all devices that have the same document open. The updates are also saved to the cloud, so anyone who opens the document at a later time sees the most up-to-date version.
In a nutshell, collaborative editing tools ensure everyone is working on the same version of the document. Keeping everyone on the same page (literally) removes the need for version control.
Advantages of collaborative editing
Collaborative editing tools provide a lot of benefits, including:
Improved efficiency: These tools streamline your content creation process by allowing everyone to work on the same version of a document at the same time.
Better collaboration: The shared space provided by these real-time collaboration tools provides a shared space for communication, feedback, and the sharing of ideas, even asynchronously.
Better quality control: No need to worry about teammates working on an outdated version of a document. Collaborative editing ensures everyone is working on the most updated version, which reduces errors.
Increased flexibility: Because collaborative editing tools tend to use the cloud, they’re available anywhere. This is especially ideal for remote workers who may need to access to a document from a different location or time zone.
Of course, no solution is perfect. Collaborative editing may also pose some challenges for your team, and it’s best to be aware of those ahead of time. Some potential drawbacks include:
Security concerns: Ensure your collaborative editing tool uses two-factor authentication (2FA) for logins and encrypts your documents, especially if your team works with sensitive information. Some tools may also allow you to set permissions and limit document access to specific people.
Training: New tools require new training. Thankfully, most collaborative editing tools mimic the word processing tools most of us are used to working with, like Microsoft Word and Google Docs. So the learning curve is likely not very steep.
Organization: While collaborative editing allows everyone to work on the same version of a document, it’s still possible for older versions to get saved. Make it a habit to clean up your document library to keep outdated content in the archives. Better yet, train your team on how to help you keep the content hub organized.
How AI is transforming collaboration and content operations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is influencing the future of content operations and collaboration. While this big change may seem scary, AI has the potential to augment your current content creation process and add efficiencies. It can even allow your team to move faster and gain an advantage over your competitors.
For example, Grammarly uses AI to suggest edits and provide real-time feedback on grammar and style. Other AI apps even go so far as to do the writing for you—but we don’t advise removing a human touch completely from your content production.
The key to using AI effectively is to pair it with your people. Learn how you can work with AI in our free fireside chat with Stefan Maritz, head of marketing at blackbear.
Top 5 collaborative editing tools (that aren’t Google Docs)
1. GatherContent
Need to audit your content? GatherContent tracks all changes so you can see a complete revision history for each document. Source:GatherContent.com
GatherContent’s collaborative editor allows team members to edit documents at the same time as well as leave inline comments to request feedback or share ideas. Other collaboration features include the ability to assign projects, create workflows, and set due dates so everyone is in the know.
Top features:
Easily share feedback: Inline comments allow you to tag other teammates with suggestions and ideas, and comments are timestamped and threaded so the most recent updates are clear.
Efficient integrations: GatherContent connects to your CMS and other tools like Figma, Salesforce, and HubSpot through API and Zapier.
Standardize content quality: Use custom content templates and style guides to ensure everyone on the team knows brand guidelines and requirements.
Pros:
The all-in-one workspace includes a content hub, collaborative editor, workflow and project management, and more.
You can track all revision history in your documents to see what changes were made when and by who.
The custom content workflow allows your whole team to see task and project statuses in a quick glimpse.
Cons:
Pricing may be too high for smaller teams.
More expensive plans are required for customized workflows and permissions.
Pricing: GatherContent offers a 14-day free trial. After that, pricing starts at $99 per month.
2. Etherpad
Etherpad is a free collaborative editor tool that includes chat, comments, and authorship colors.Source: Etherpad.org
An open-source online editor, Etherpad provides numerous collaboration features including chat, shareable links, comments, and synchronized edits. It also lets you customize your editor theme and toolkit thanks to plugins. And in 2020, Etherpad also introduced video chat to augment its real-time editor.
Top features:
Shareable links: You can invite collaborators by sharing the unique link Etherpad assigns to your document.
Customizable plugins: Add more features with 200+ plugins, including headings, the ability to edit and export markdown, and adding a spellchecker.
Works in 105 languages: Etherpad can be translated into over 100 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.
Pros:
Etherpad is free and open-source, meaning developers can easily access, test, and update the software. (This tends to result in safer, more efficient software.)
Built-in chat and comments enhance collaboration capabilities within Etherpad.
After collaborating on your content, you can download it as an HTML file, Word document, or PDF.
Cons:
Limited formatting features may not meet your content needs.
According to the GitHub installation guide, you may need some technical know-how to set up Etherpad.
Pricing: Etherpad is free to use.
3. Quip
Quip includes pre-built templates, like this account plan, for multiple use cases including cross-team collaboration, personal meeting notes, and productivity. Source: Quip.com
Though it’s primarily built for sales teams, Quip’s real-time collaboration tools are just as beneficial for content marketers. Along with a real-time document editor, Quip connects all of your documents, spreadsheets, and communications to Salesforce. Additionally, you can use pre-built content templates to get a headstart on creating marketing and sales assets.
Top features:
Salesforce integration: Quip connects content creation with all your Salesforce data so you don’t have to search through other apps.
Built-in chat: Every document supports chat so your team can request edits, make suggestions, or sign off on approvals.
Secure collaboration: Quip Shield includes several data protection features to keep your content compliant, including Enterprise Key Management (EKM) that allows you to create encryption keys and control who accesses your data.
Pros:
Quip’s security features keep documents compliant with HIPAA and other standards.
Quip brings your live Salesforce data straight to your content editor.
Pre-built templates help you quickly manage projects.
Cons:
You’ll need the most expensive plan, Quip Advanced, to get access to live Salesforce data.
The collaborative editor is sales-focused and may be too limited for some teams.
Pricing: Quip offers a custom free trial. Plans start at $10 per user per month.
Notion allows you to write and design content assets, including pitch decks, meeting notes, company wikis, project retrospectives, and more. Source: Notion.so
Notion is a knowledge management and collaboration tool that proves useful for solopreneurs all the way to larger remote teams. Projects and documents are easily shared through the app or by publishing them to the web and sharing a link. Team members can collaborate together on Notion databases and pages by editing them directly or leaving comments and tagging others.
Top features:
Easy-to-use wiki creator: Notion allows you to create a content hub that links out to important assets—or embed them directly into pages.
Customizable views: Track projects with a kanban board, editorial calendar, or even in a table or list.
Built-in AI powers: Add Notion AI to automatically create to-do lists from meeting notes, brainstorm new content ideas, or even translate text.
Pros:
Notion allows you to embed multiple file types and even connect other apps, including Asana and Figma.
Thousands of shared Notion templates can cut the time it takes to set up your workspace.
Notion supports even extremely complicated formulas for maximum customization.
Cons:
Setting up Notion takes time, especially if you need to create multiple views.
Notion uses slash commands for formatting, which may not be intuitive.
Pricing: Notion offers a free plan for individual users and 10 guests. Paid plans start at $8 per user per month with the ability to invite 100 guests.
Optimizing your content workflow nets you:
💡 Clear responsibilities and tasks
📌 Updates on content status
✅ Easily tracked approvals
⌚ More efficient use of your time
5. Podio
Podio pulls every tidbit of project data into one spot, including comments and chat for quick collaboration. Source: Podio.com
All about enabling communication, Podio features instant messaging and group chats along with GoToMeeting video calls. It also gives you the ability to fully control who has access to what and customize your project workflows. Additionally, its real-time collaborative editor allows you to attach files, add comments, and quickly view the status of a document in one place.
Top features:
Mobile apps: Get timely updates on status changes or comments with Podio’s iOS and Android apps.
Add features with extensions: Podio extensions add capabilities ranging from a time tracker to bulk editing.
Plays well with other apps: Podio integrates with multiple other apps, including Evernote, Dropbox, Google Calendar, and Microsoft Excel.
Pros:
The built-in communication features allow for different ways to engage your teammates.
Automated workflows can take repetitive tasks off your plate.
Integrations and extensions allow you to customize your Podio workspace.
Cons:
Podio focuses more on collaboration than content creation.
Some users note that Podio takes quite a while to set up.
Pricing: Podio offers a free plan for five users. Paid plans start at $11.20 per month.
Good to know: Discover 15 more online collaboration tools to give your team a head start.
Collaborative editing FAQs
What is meant by collaborative editing?
Collaborative editing refers to the process where multiple people work together to edit and improve content together. Using a shared collaborative editor, team members can simultaneously make edits, suggest revisions, add annotations, and otherwise collaborate in real time.
Collaborative editing improves efficiency and streamlines content creation. Additionally, it allows content marketers to directly involve people from other teams, including subject matter experts, compliance specialists, and sales reps, to improve content quality.
What is collaborative writing and editing?
Collaborative writing and editing is the process where multiple writers and editors contribute ideas and expertise to create and edit a piece of content together.
The process enables more efficient communication so teammates can create an outline, co-write sections, and revise each other’s work simultaneously. This leads to more cohesive and higher-quality writing.
What is collaborative video editing?
Similar to the collaborative editing of written documents, collaborative video editing is where multiple creators refine and enhance a video project together. This may involve cutting and rearranging video clips, adding transitions and other visual effects, implementing audio, and color grading.
Video editing software that allows collaborative editing includes:
Frame.io
Adobe Premiere Pro
Vimeo
Evercast
How do I enable collaborative editing?
There are several ways to enable collaborative editing on your team, including:
Using collaborative editing tools: The five apps we mention above give multiple people the ability to edit and comment on the same document at the same time.
Project management tools: Providing a clear view of upcoming and current tasks as well as who’s assigned to what enables teammates to collaborate with each other.
Communication tools: While most collaborative editing tools include chat and comments, additional communication tools further enable team members to work together.
File sharing and content hubs: Providing access to documents through file sharing and shared content hubs ensures multiple people can collaborate on the same content together.
Adding these tools is only the first step, though. You’ll need to foster a collaborative mindset within your team, plus enable and encourage them to work together efficiently.
GatherContent enables collaborative editing for content marketing teams
It’s clear collaborative editing offers multiple benefits for content marketing teams. Through multiple communication, collaboration, and content creation features, tools like GatherContent improve your team’s efficiency and productivity.
GatherContent is the only tool built specifically to enable collaborative editing for content marketing teams. Features like custom templates and workflows, plus its cloud-based editor keep your content production moving from copy brief to stakeholder review and sign-off. (Not to mention our CMS integrations streamline publishing as well.)
But you don’t have to create a collaborative editing process alone. Collaborative editing tools like GatherContent help content teams with complex challenges remain productive and efficient. Keep reading to find out how collaborating editing can help you streamline your content creation process, plus discover five collaboration editing tools that are worth a serious look.
What is collaborative editing?
As the term suggests, collaborative editing is when more than one person edits a document at the same time. Collaborative editing can also refer to the process where one editor works on a document, then hands it off to the next person for their input.
However you choose to approach it, collaborative editing provides a shared space where your team can communicate with each other and with other stakeholders to streamline approvals and production.
How does collaborative editing work?
Generally, collaborative editing software uses cloud-based tools to allow multiple people to access, edit, and share documents at the same time.
GatherContent’s cloud-based editor provides a place to collaborate in real-time, including leaving comments, requesting feedback, and editing a document together with your team. Source:GatherContent.com
This means teammates can make updates to a document in real-time and those updates are synced across all devices that have the same document open. The updates are also saved to the cloud, so anyone who opens the document at a later time sees the most up-to-date version.
In a nutshell, collaborative editing tools ensure everyone is working on the same version of the document. Keeping everyone on the same page (literally) removes the need for version control.
Advantages of collaborative editing
Collaborative editing tools provide a lot of benefits, including:
Improved efficiency: These tools streamline your content creation process by allowing everyone to work on the same version of a document at the same time.
Better collaboration: The shared space provided by these real-time collaboration tools provides a shared space for communication, feedback, and the sharing of ideas, even asynchronously.
Better quality control: No need to worry about teammates working on an outdated version of a document. Collaborative editing ensures everyone is working on the most updated version, which reduces errors.
Increased flexibility: Because collaborative editing tools tend to use the cloud, they’re available anywhere. This is especially ideal for remote workers who may need to access to a document from a different location or time zone.
Of course, no solution is perfect. Collaborative editing may also pose some challenges for your team, and it’s best to be aware of those ahead of time. Some potential drawbacks include:
Security concerns: Ensure your collaborative editing tool uses two-factor authentication (2FA) for logins and encrypts your documents, especially if your team works with sensitive information. Some tools may also allow you to set permissions and limit document access to specific people.
Training: New tools require new training. Thankfully, most collaborative editing tools mimic the word processing tools most of us are used to working with, like Microsoft Word and Google Docs. So the learning curve is likely not very steep.
Organization: While collaborative editing allows everyone to work on the same version of a document, it’s still possible for older versions to get saved. Make it a habit to clean up your document library to keep outdated content in the archives. Better yet, train your team on how to help you keep the content hub organized.
How AI is transforming collaboration and content operations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is influencing the future of content operations and collaboration. While this big change may seem scary, AI has the potential to augment your current content creation process and add efficiencies. It can even allow your team to move faster and gain an advantage over your competitors.
For example, Grammarly uses AI to suggest edits and provide real-time feedback on grammar and style. Other AI apps even go so far as to do the writing for you—but we don’t advise removing a human touch completely from your content production.
The key to using AI effectively is to pair it with your people. Learn how you can work with AI in our free fireside chat with Stefan Maritz, head of marketing at blackbear.
Top 5 collaborative editing tools (that aren’t Google Docs)
1. GatherContent
Need to audit your content? GatherContent tracks all changes so you can see a complete revision history for each document. Source:GatherContent.com
GatherContent’s collaborative editor allows team members to edit documents at the same time as well as leave inline comments to request feedback or share ideas. Other collaboration features include the ability to assign projects, create workflows, and set due dates so everyone is in the know.
Top features:
Easily share feedback: Inline comments allow you to tag other teammates with suggestions and ideas, and comments are timestamped and threaded so the most recent updates are clear.
Efficient integrations: GatherContent connects to your CMS and other tools like Figma, Salesforce, and HubSpot through API and Zapier.
Standardize content quality: Use custom content templates and style guides to ensure everyone on the team knows brand guidelines and requirements.
Pros:
The all-in-one workspace includes a content hub, collaborative editor, workflow and project management, and more.
You can track all revision history in your documents to see what changes were made when and by who.
The custom content workflow allows your whole team to see task and project statuses in a quick glimpse.
Cons:
Pricing may be too high for smaller teams.
More expensive plans are required for customized workflows and permissions.
Pricing: GatherContent offers a 14-day free trial. After that, pricing starts at $99 per month.
2. Etherpad
Etherpad is a free collaborative editor tool that includes chat, comments, and authorship colors.Source: Etherpad.org
An open-source online editor, Etherpad provides numerous collaboration features including chat, shareable links, comments, and synchronized edits. It also lets you customize your editor theme and toolkit thanks to plugins. And in 2020, Etherpad also introduced video chat to augment its real-time editor.
Top features:
Shareable links: You can invite collaborators by sharing the unique link Etherpad assigns to your document.
Customizable plugins: Add more features with 200+ plugins, including headings, the ability to edit and export markdown, and adding a spellchecker.
Works in 105 languages: Etherpad can be translated into over 100 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.
Pros:
Etherpad is free and open-source, meaning developers can easily access, test, and update the software. (This tends to result in safer, more efficient software.)
Built-in chat and comments enhance collaboration capabilities within Etherpad.
After collaborating on your content, you can download it as an HTML file, Word document, or PDF.
Cons:
Limited formatting features may not meet your content needs.
According to the GitHub installation guide, you may need some technical know-how to set up Etherpad.
Pricing: Etherpad is free to use.
3. Quip
Quip includes pre-built templates, like this account plan, for multiple use cases including cross-team collaboration, personal meeting notes, and productivity. Source: Quip.com
Though it’s primarily built for sales teams, Quip’s real-time collaboration tools are just as beneficial for content marketers. Along with a real-time document editor, Quip connects all of your documents, spreadsheets, and communications to Salesforce. Additionally, you can use pre-built content templates to get a headstart on creating marketing and sales assets.
Top features:
Salesforce integration: Quip connects content creation with all your Salesforce data so you don’t have to search through other apps.
Built-in chat: Every document supports chat so your team can request edits, make suggestions, or sign off on approvals.
Secure collaboration: Quip Shield includes several data protection features to keep your content compliant, including Enterprise Key Management (EKM) that allows you to create encryption keys and control who accesses your data.
Pros:
Quip’s security features keep documents compliant with HIPAA and other standards.
Quip brings your live Salesforce data straight to your content editor.
Pre-built templates help you quickly manage projects.
Cons:
You’ll need the most expensive plan, Quip Advanced, to get access to live Salesforce data.
The collaborative editor is sales-focused and may be too limited for some teams.
Pricing: Quip offers a custom free trial. Plans start at $10 per user per month.
Notion allows you to write and design content assets, including pitch decks, meeting notes, company wikis, project retrospectives, and more. Source: Notion.so
Notion is a knowledge management and collaboration tool that proves useful for solopreneurs all the way to larger remote teams. Projects and documents are easily shared through the app or by publishing them to the web and sharing a link. Team members can collaborate together on Notion databases and pages by editing them directly or leaving comments and tagging others.
Top features:
Easy-to-use wiki creator: Notion allows you to create a content hub that links out to important assets—or embed them directly into pages.
Customizable views: Track projects with a kanban board, editorial calendar, or even in a table or list.
Built-in AI powers: Add Notion AI to automatically create to-do lists from meeting notes, brainstorm new content ideas, or even translate text.
Pros:
Notion allows you to embed multiple file types and even connect other apps, including Asana and Figma.
Thousands of shared Notion templates can cut the time it takes to set up your workspace.
Notion supports even extremely complicated formulas for maximum customization.
Cons:
Setting up Notion takes time, especially if you need to create multiple views.
Notion uses slash commands for formatting, which may not be intuitive.
Pricing: Notion offers a free plan for individual users and 10 guests. Paid plans start at $8 per user per month with the ability to invite 100 guests.
Optimizing your content workflow nets you:
💡 Clear responsibilities and tasks
📌 Updates on content status
✅ Easily tracked approvals
⌚ More efficient use of your time
5. Podio
Podio pulls every tidbit of project data into one spot, including comments and chat for quick collaboration. Source: Podio.com
All about enabling communication, Podio features instant messaging and group chats along with GoToMeeting video calls. It also gives you the ability to fully control who has access to what and customize your project workflows. Additionally, its real-time collaborative editor allows you to attach files, add comments, and quickly view the status of a document in one place.
Top features:
Mobile apps: Get timely updates on status changes or comments with Podio’s iOS and Android apps.
Add features with extensions: Podio extensions add capabilities ranging from a time tracker to bulk editing.
Plays well with other apps: Podio integrates with multiple other apps, including Evernote, Dropbox, Google Calendar, and Microsoft Excel.
Pros:
The built-in communication features allow for different ways to engage your teammates.
Automated workflows can take repetitive tasks off your plate.
Integrations and extensions allow you to customize your Podio workspace.
Cons:
Podio focuses more on collaboration than content creation.
Some users note that Podio takes quite a while to set up.
Pricing: Podio offers a free plan for five users. Paid plans start at $11.20 per month.
Good to know: Discover 15 more online collaboration tools to give your team a head start.
Collaborative editing FAQs
What is meant by collaborative editing?
Collaborative editing refers to the process where multiple people work together to edit and improve content together. Using a shared collaborative editor, team members can simultaneously make edits, suggest revisions, add annotations, and otherwise collaborate in real time.
Collaborative editing improves efficiency and streamlines content creation. Additionally, it allows content marketers to directly involve people from other teams, including subject matter experts, compliance specialists, and sales reps, to improve content quality.
What is collaborative writing and editing?
Collaborative writing and editing is the process where multiple writers and editors contribute ideas and expertise to create and edit a piece of content together.
The process enables more efficient communication so teammates can create an outline, co-write sections, and revise each other’s work simultaneously. This leads to more cohesive and higher-quality writing.
What is collaborative video editing?
Similar to the collaborative editing of written documents, collaborative video editing is where multiple creators refine and enhance a video project together. This may involve cutting and rearranging video clips, adding transitions and other visual effects, implementing audio, and color grading.
Video editing software that allows collaborative editing includes:
Frame.io
Adobe Premiere Pro
Vimeo
Evercast
How do I enable collaborative editing?
There are several ways to enable collaborative editing on your team, including:
Using collaborative editing tools: The five apps we mention above give multiple people the ability to edit and comment on the same document at the same time.
Project management tools: Providing a clear view of upcoming and current tasks as well as who’s assigned to what enables teammates to collaborate with each other.
Communication tools: While most collaborative editing tools include chat and comments, additional communication tools further enable team members to work together.
File sharing and content hubs: Providing access to documents through file sharing and shared content hubs ensures multiple people can collaborate on the same content together.
Adding these tools is only the first step, though. You’ll need to foster a collaborative mindset within your team, plus enable and encourage them to work together efficiently.
GatherContent enables collaborative editing for content marketing teams
It’s clear collaborative editing offers multiple benefits for content marketing teams. Through multiple communication, collaboration, and content creation features, tools like GatherContent improve your team’s efficiency and productivity.
GatherContent is the only tool built specifically to enable collaborative editing for content marketing teams. Features like custom templates and workflows, plus its cloud-based editor keep your content production moving from copy brief to stakeholder review and sign-off. (Not to mention our CMS integrations streamline publishing as well.)
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