- Google changing its algorithms hundreds of times a year and shifting user trends create challenges for SEO professionals.
- The most useful SEO tools help SEOs convert data into actionable goals.
- The primary types of SEO tools include tools specific to keyword analysis, ranking, content optimization, link analysis, and technical SEO, though there are several all-in-one toolkits.
- Save costs by hiring a digital marketing agency like RMG, which will give you access to all these amazing tools at a lower price.
The world of organic search is a fast-paced one, with Google tweaking its algorithms hundreds of times per year and the SERPs evolving into diverse formats requiring specific optimizations for certain types of content. As if it weren’t enough of a challenge to stay on top of Google’s rules, there are plenty of user trends to keep an eye on, such as a move toward long-tailed keywords, increased mobile, local, and voice searches, and an ongoing emphasis on quality content.
So how does a digital marketing team keep up? Staying competitive in the organic search game means striking a delicate balance between what Google sees (data) and what your audience sees (content), efficiently analyzing the former in order to optimize both.
Luckily, for every one of Google’s yearly algorithm tweaks, there’s an SEO tool out there designed to help digital marketing professionals navigate it.
What do SEO tools do?
SEO tools generally fall under one or more of a handful of categories: keyword analysis, ranking, content optimization, links analysis (like link building and removal), and technical SEO. Many SEO experts swear by paid all-in-one toolkits like SEMRush or Ahrefs, which perform virtually all of the previously mentioned roles in a single powerful platform.
Equally crucial is Google Analytics, the digital analytics tool that empowers your company to test the value of SEO for your business, create data-driven goals, and implement interventions. Google Analytics is a robust, “freemium” service providing both free and paid tools to businesses of any size, including the must-have (and free) Data Studio service.
There are also a number of free or freemium extensions and plug-ins tailored specifically to one or two of the main categories, letting digital marketers build a custom deck of tools fitted to your specific needs. Must-haves are the free and paid versions of data scrapers like the Chrome extension Data Miner (particularly useful for competitor analysis), as well as snippet optimization tools like SEO Mofo’s SERP snippet preview tool.
Our favorite SEO tools
Among nearly two hundred common SEO tools of varying power, specialty, and ease of use, finding the gems can be daunting. So we’ve put together a list of some of the lesser-known SEO must-haves for any digital marketing professional.
#1 Screaming Frog
Fast Data Analysis and Audits
SEO experts and digital marketers love Screaming Frog because of its fast data analysis. Its paid version offers uniquely streamlined audits, particularly through its SEO Spider, which mines data for an entire webpage – everything from broken links to un-optimized title tags – and lets you quickly and easily save to a clean spreadsheet, making both self-audits and competitor analysis a snap.
#2 Supermetrics
Data Analytics Integration System
Another data analytics must-have, Supermetrics‘ paid versions help entrepreneurs and SEO professionals navigate their data by integrating data from multiple platforms into a single view for faster, simpler, more streamlined analytics. Supermetrics will pull data from ranking tools, backlink analytics, social media analytics, site crawling, keyword tools, and more, then put them all together for easy synthesis, freeing up time and energy for strategizing and goal-creation.
#3 Animalz Revive
Content Decay Analysis Tool
All content naturally “decays,” or loses traffic, over time. Combatting this natural process requires regular analyses of which content is underperforming, then re-optimizing, repurposing, or eliminating it. Animalz Revive is a lifesaver when it comes to finding underperforming content. Simply give the free tool access to your Analytics, and the tool will pull all the pages that have lost traffic over the past year. From there, you can analyze each piece of content and determine the best approach to winning traffic back.
#4 Majestic
Link Index
Majestic’s massive link index makes backlink analysis a breeze. Users praise its simple synthesis and presentation of data, allowing for easy comparison with competitors, as well as easy sharing with clients or other teams to optimize transparency and implementation of goals. Majestic also offers special features designed to optimize the authority of the sites you’re linked to.
#5 BuzzSumo
Content Optimization Tool
BuzzSumo has become a staple for businesses of all sizes and stripes because of its power and versatility. The platform not only helps with influencer and social media analysis through share tracking and more but also helps with content optimization by making it easy to identify trending content and keep tabs on competitors. BuzzSumo does offer a free version, but paid versions unlock premium features.
#6 BuzzStream
Link Building Tool
Link building remains one of the most important yet underrated aspects of off-page SEO. Traditionally a highly manual and time-consuming process, link building is made simpler with BuzzStream’s SEO link building software. This paid service gives you access to a full suite of tools designed to help you speed up the research and link prospecting process, send effective outreach messages, and manage link-building projects from one streamlined platform.
If you’re not ready to commit to a paid service, BuzzStream also offers free link-building tools for prospect management, influencer research, outreach, and more.
Staying well-stocked
The above list represents only a fraction of the SEO power out there, developed by talented SEO veterans and programmers aiming to help your company transform all the data at your fingertips into actionable goals. One of the most important (and fun) parts of a digital marketer’s job is staying on top of the best and latest tools and experimenting with them in order to perfect your workflows and produce the best work possible.
That said, building a solid deck of professional SEM and SEO tools can get expensive fast. With Redefine Marketing Group, you’ll have access to powerful tools at a fraction of the cost. Let us bring the tools – and expertise – to you. Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask!
