SEO Tools – Which One Should I Use?

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A wide variety of SEO tools are available, each with different objectives. Some tools are designed for specific tasks, such as competitive keyword research or backlink analysis, while others offer a broader range of features.

Popular tools include Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Yoast SEO, Moz, Google Search Console, and Screaming Frog. We’ll take a quick look at this.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing a website or web pages to improve its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can include optimizing website structure, content, and keywords, building backlinks, and resolving technical issues.

SEO increases the visibility of a website, which in turn can drive more traffic and lead to more leads, prospects, and customers. A higher ranking in SERPs can advance a business as an authority in its industry, further increasing its credibility and trustworthiness.

Keyword Research Tools

Keyword research identifies the terms and phrases people use to search for products, services, or information related to a particular topic or industry. These keywords are then used to optimize website content and meta tags to improve the site’s visibility in search results. Some of the popular SEO keyword tools include:

Google Keyword Planner: This is a free tool provided by Google that allows users to research keywords, view estimated search volume, and see suggested bid prices for keywords on Google Ads.
SEMrush: This tool provides data on organic search and paid search keywords, as well as their ranking positions, traffic, and CPC.
Ahrefs: Ahrefs provides keyword data, including search volume, CPC, and keyword difficulty, as well as a “keyword explorer” feature that suggests new keywords based on existing ones.

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool, while SEMrush and Ahrefs have paid versions with varying levels of access to data and features. Pricing for SEMrush and Ahrefs typically starts at $99 per month but can vary based on the specific features, level of access, and the number of users needed.

On-page SEO Tools

On-page SEO is optimizing a website’s individual pages to improve their visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can include optimizing the content, meta tags, images, and other elements on a page to ensure they are relevant to the target keywords and ensure the page is technically sound and easy to navigate. On-page SEO helps search engines understand what a page is about and whether it is relevant to a particular search query. Overview of popular on-page SEO tools:

Yoast SEO: This is a popular WordPress plugin that provides suggestions for optimizing various elements on a page, such as meta tags, headings, and images.
Moz On-Page Grader: This tool analyzes a page and provides a score based on various on-page SEO factors, such as keyword usage and meta tags.
Google Search Console: This is a free tool provided by Google that allows users to see how their website is performing in search results, as well as receive alerts for any technical issues that may be impacting visibility.

Yoast SEO is a free plugin, while Moz On-Page Grader has a free version with limited features and a paid version that provides more data and suggestions. Google Search Console is also free. Both SEMRush and Ahrefs have on-page SEO in their suite.

And if you need another reminder, write a good meta description.

Backlink Analysis Tools

Backlinks, also known as inbound or incoming links, link from one website to another. Google continues de-emphasizing the importance of backlinks, if only because they are often subject to manipulation, they are still considered a critical factor in determining the significance, or “authority,” of a website.

They are used as an indicator of the popularity and relevance of a site, and the more high-quality backlinks a site has pointing to it, the higher it will tend to rank in search results. Popular backlink analysis tools include:

Ahrefs: This tool offers a wide range of data and features related to backlinks, including the number of backlinks, the number of unique domains linking to a site, the anchor text used in links, and the quality connections.
SEMrush: SEMrush also provides data on backlinks, including the number of backlinks, the number of unique domains linking to a site, the anchor text used in links, and competitor analysis.
Majestic: Majestic is another tool that offers backlink data and analysis. It provides data on the number of backlinks, unique domains linking to a site, and links’ trust and citation flow.

Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Majestic all have paid versions with varying levels of access to data and features. Pricing for Ahrefs and SEMRush typically starts at $99 per month, while Majestic typically starts at $49 per month.

Technical SEO Tools

Technical SEO is about optimizing a website’s infrastructure, architecture, and code to improve its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). This includes ensuring a website is crawlable and accessible to search engines, fixing broken links, improving page speed and mobile-friendliness, and addressing any other technical issues preventing search engines from correctly understanding and indexing a site.

Technical SEO ensures that a website is set up to allow search engines to quickly understand and index its content, leading to better visibility and ranking in search results. Popular technical SEO tools include:

Screaming Frog: This website crawler analyzes a website’s structure, code, and links, providing data and suggestions for fixing any issues impacting SEO.
Google Search Console: This is a free tool provided by Google that allows users to see how their website is performing in search results, as well as receive alerts for any technical issues that may be impacting visibility.
GTmetrix: This tool analyzes a website’s page speed and performance, providing suggestions for improving load times and overall performance.

Screaming Frog has a free base version; pricing of the paid tool starts at £149 per year. Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google. GTmetrix has a free version with limited features and a paid version that offers more data and suggestions starting from $14/month.

Key tool benefits

Google Keyword Planner – a favorite:

- Provides data on search volume and suggested bid prices for keywords.
- Allows users to research keywords and see how they are performing.
- Free to use.

SEMrush – a favorite:

- Provides data on organic search and paid search keywords and their ranking positions, traffic, and CPC.
- Helps users to identify the best keywords to target, track the rankings of their own and competitors’ websites, and find new backlink opportunities.
- Provides a wide range of features, such as keyword research, backlink analysis, and site audit, that makes it a very versatile tool.

Ahrefs:

- Provides keyword data, including search volume, CPC, and keyword difficulty, and a “keyword explorer” feature that suggests new keywords based on existing ones.
- Helps users to identify the best keywords to target, track the rankings of their own and competitors’ websites, and find new backlink opportunities.
- Offers one of the most extensive backlink indexes in the industry, which is beneficial for backlink analysis and researching the competitors’ backlink profiles

Yoast SEO:

- Provides suggestions for optimizing various elements on a page, such as meta tags, headings, and images.
- Helps users to improve their on-page SEO by identifying areas for optimization
- Integration with WordPress makes it easy to use for WordPress site owners

Moz On-Page Grader:

- Analyzes a page and provides a score based on various on-page SEO factors, such as keyword usage and meta tags.
- Provides suggestions for optimization, helping users improve their on-page SEO
- Offers a free version with limited features and a paid version that provides more data and suggestions

Google Search Console – a favorite:

- Allows users to see how their website is performing in search results, as well as receive alerts for any technical issues that may be impacting visibility.
- Provides essential information on how Google views a website and its performance
- Free to use

Screaming Frog:

- Analyzes a website’s structure, code, and links, providing data and suggestions for fixing any issues that might be impacting SEO
- Can be used to identify a wide range of technical SEO issues, such as broken links, duplicate content, and crawl errors

GTmetrix:

- Analyzes a website’s page speed and performance, providing suggestions for improving load times and overall performance
- Helps users improve their website’s technical SEO by identifying ways to improve speed and performance.

No single tool can accomplish all of the tasks needed for a successful SEO strategy: A combination of different tools will be the most useful. Additionally, it’s important to regularly monitor your website’s performance and adjust the SEO strategy as needed.

Skills required to operate these tools

A user should have at least a basic understanding of SEO and its elements, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, backlink analysis, and technical SEO. Additionally, a user should have some experience using web analytics and other digital marketing tools. Specific skills that are beneficial for each of the tools:

Google Keyword Planner: Basic understanding of how search engines work and what factors affect a website’s visibility in search results. Knowledge of how to conduct keyword research and identify target keywords
SEMrush: Basic understanding of how search engines work and what factors affect a website’s visibility in search results. Knowledge of how to conduct keyword research and identify target keywords. Understanding different types of keywords, such as long-tail and short-tail keywords, and how to track website rankings and analyze competitors’ keyword strategies.
Ahrefs: Basic understanding of how search engines work and what factors affect a website’s visibility in search results, how to conduct keyword research, and identify target keywords. Understanding different types of keywords, such as long-tail and short-tail keywords. Knowledge of tracking website rankings and analyzing competitors’ backlink strategies.
Yoast SEO: Basic understanding of on-page optimization. Familiarity with the WordPress platform.
Moz On-Page Grader: Basic understanding of on-page optimization and how search engines use keywords and meta tags to understand a webpage.
Google Search Console: Basic technical SEO knowledge, familiarity with web analytics, and understanding of how to fix technical issues that can affect website visibility.
Screaming Frog: Basic understanding of technical SEO. Knowledge of website crawling and how it affects SEO. Familiarity with HTML and CSS and ability to read and understand website code.
GTmetrix: Basic understanding of technical SEO. Knowledge of website optimization and how it affects website speed and performance

While many tools have learning guides and online training, and you do not need to be an expert in all the skills, having some knowledge will help you become more effective quicker.

Should I do SEO myself or use an agency?

Whether to do SEO yourself or to use an agency depends on various factors, such as your business’s resources, goals, and the complexity of your SEO needs.

Here are some pros and cons of each option to help you make your decision:

Doing SEO Yourself:

Pros:

Cost-effective: SEO can be done without the additional costs of hiring an agency.
Control: You have control over the SEO strategy and can make decisions based on the specific needs of your business.
Knowledge: By doing it yourself, you will gain knowledge and experience in SEO which can be beneficial in the long run.

Cons:

Time-consuming: SEO can be a time-consuming process and might require a significant amount of time and dedication.
Lack of expertise: Without an in-depth understanding of SEO, developing an effective strategy and making informed decisions can be challenging.
Risk of mistakes: It’s easier to make mistakes that can negatively impact your website’s performance, such as keyword stuffing or over-optimization, which can lead to penalties from search engines
Potentially expensive, long-term subscription to SEO tools in a limited project.

Using an Agency: