SEO tools are a modern necessity for the organic growth of any brand. If you are a start-up, running a 2-3 members marketing team, it is difficult to pick the best SEO tools that cover all aspects of your SEO efforts.
We at SmartReach had the first-hand experience of it. For months we struggled to put together a list of the best SEO tools that supports all our SEO needs without breaking the bank.
And we did it!
In this article, I’ll help you out with a list of the best SEO tools that can provide an overall support to your SEO efforts. And a few criteria that you can try yourself for finding the best SEO tools on your own.
But first thing first.
What are SEO tools, actually?
SEO tools are specialized software that help your website and brand rank better in search engines such as Google, Bing etc.
They help you with multiple functions such as finding search queries relevant to your niche, reporting AI-generated content, content optimization, checking the performance of your website and more.
In short, the best SEO tools show you the words people use to find you online, who’s linking to your website, and how well your site adheres to search engine standards.
In this article, I have divided the SEO tools based on functionalities under multiple categories such as:
- Keyword Research tools: They help you find the right keywords for your website and marketing copies.
- On Page SEO tools: These are tools designed to help you optimize your website for better visibility and ranking on search engines. They focus on aspects of your website that you can control directly such as content, internal links, meta titles etc.
- Link Building tools: They help you manage and optimize your digital connections(links) from other sources.
- Technical SEO tools: Technical SEO tools check if your website is built in a way that’s easy for search engines to understand. They basically look at the backend operations of your website.
- Local SEO tools: Local SEO tools help you boost your website’s visibility to people in your specific geographical area by fine-tuning your presence on search engines and local directories.
- SEO Reporting tools: They help you keep track of your website’s performance in search rankings.
- All-in-one tools: These tools help you achieve overall SEO performance of your website. They work for mostly all of the functions above.
10 best SEO tools that you should try
Below are the best SEO tools that you should include in your tech stack for all-rounded SEO efforts. We have included both free SEO tools and paid SEO tools.
1. Google Keyword Planner
Pricing: FREE
Ideal for: Ads related keyword research
Category: Keyword Research tool
Google Keyword Planner, formerly known as ‘Google Adwords’ is a great FREE Keyword research tool offered by Google. It offers a robust platform for keyword research for SEO.
It helps users understand search behaviors and trends, allowing content creators and advertisers to tap into Google’s vast data repository to identify keywords that can drive targeted traffic.
Its integration with Google Ads provides insights into the competitive landscape, showing how often keywords are searched and how those searches have changed over time. This data is invaluable for optimizing content and strategizing marketing campaigns.
However, the tool does come with limitations. It’s designed primarily for advertisers, so the search volume data is grouped into ranges rather than specific numbers, which can be less precise for SEO purposes. Additionally, It does not offer the depth of analysis found in paid alternatives such as Semrush and Ahrefs.
Despite these drawbacks, Google Keyword Planner is an essential tool for keyword discovery and strategy development, particularly for those seeking a cost-effective solution.
2. Keywords Everywhere
Pricing: Starts at $1.75/month ($21 annually)
Ideal for: Keyword for SEO
Category: Keyword Research tool
Keywords Everywhere is a versatile tool used by SEO professionals and content writers. It works as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
It displays important keyword related analytics such as search volume, cost-per-click (CPC), and competition data directly on search engine results pages. Also, It provides the historical data of keywords which is crucial for understanding keyword trends and seasonality.
Keywords Everywhere operates on a credit system, which can be a double-edged sword. While it allows for a pay-as-you-go approach, users must manage their credits carefully to avoid running out unexpectedly. Also, sometimes this tool tend to lag while the webpage is loading.
Overall, Keywords Everywhere offers a seamless integration with browsers and a user-friendly interface, making it an accessible tool for quick keyword insights.
3. Semrush
Pricing: Starts at $130/month
Ideal for: All digital marketing needs
Category: All-in-one tool
Semrush is one of the top digital marketing platforms widely regarded for its SEO and market analysis capabilities. It provides over 55 tools for SEO, content marketing, competitor analysis, PPC, and social media management.
With Semrush, you can gain access to tons of data, including keyword analytics, site audits, and backlink profiles, which are a necessity these days for crafting effective online marketing strategies.
Semrush is mainly popular for its competitive intelligence capabilities, which allows users to spy their competitors’ online strategies and discover new opportunities for growth. This insight is particularly valuable for businesses looking to expand their digital footprint and stay ahead in a crowded online space.
There are two limitations I found out while trying Semrush. The platform may feel almost daunting for its complexity and the sheer volume of data. Additionally, their high cost plans may be a barrier for start-ups or individual marketers.
However, if you can pay the price, Semrush can provide you unparalleled insights into your digital marketing efforts that hardly any tool can give!
4. Ahrefs
Pricing: Starts at $99/month
Ideal for: All digital marketing needs
Category: All-in-one tool
Ahrefs is also another top digital marketing platform. It’s a close competitor of Semrush. Our marketing team heavily depend on Ahrefs for almost all digital marketing needs.
Ahrefs offers a suite of tools that cover everything from tracking your site’s ranking to analyzing your competitors’ backlink strategies. With its extensive index of live backlinks and a massive database of keywords, Ahrefs is one of the best all-in-one SEO tools.
It has some unique features like historical data comparison, which allows users to track ranking fluctuations against algorithm updates, and its global view of top-performing pages, providing insights across different countries.
What I personally love the most about Ahrefs is its detailed analytics. The tool’s ability to cluster keywords instantly and filter them by the lowest domain rating makes it a powerful ally for identifying untapped opportunities.
However, their pricing can be a big barrier for start-ups and individual marketers. Also, it will take you some time to get familiar with the platform’s UI..
Overall, if you are ready to spend some good amount on SEO and want all your SEO tasks to be managed from one platform, Ahrefs is the platform for you.
5. GTmetrix
Pricing: Free (has a PRO plan)
Idea for: Website SEO optimization
Category: Technical SEO tools
GT Metrix is one of the most reliable technical SEO tools. Its primary function is to enhance any website’s loading speed and overall technical performance.
This tool runs thorough tests and pinpoints the elements that slow down your website. It’s particularly adept at simulating how a site loads in different regions, on various devices, and under diverse conditions, providing a comprehensive performance report.
Its most interesting feature is its real-browser testing, which mirrors the actual user experience more accurately than simulations. It offers a granular look at your site’s performance and suggests practical steps for improvement. The grading system, which assesses both performance and structure, offers a snapshot of your site’s effectiveness.
However, if you are non-technical person or a beginner in SEO, the learning curve is higher for you to adopt this tool.
In short, GT Metrix is a great tool for website optimization for SEO.
6. Google Search Console
Pricing: FREE
Ideal for: All rounded SEO optimisation
Category: SEO reporting tool
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free SEO reporting tool offered by Google. We have been using it since day 1 of our marketing operations.
It provides a suite of resources to enhance a website’s presence on Google Search.
It directly reports Google’s perception of your site. It offers insights into search traffic, performance metrics, and potential issues affecting visibility of your website pages on Googel. Users can easily monitor the indexing status and optimization of individual pages, ensuring that Google’s view of their site is up-to-date and accurate.
The standout feature of GSC is its ability to alert users to issues that could impact their site’s performance, from crawl errors to security threats. It also simplifies the process of submitting sitemaps.
Moreover, the Search Analytics feature provides tons of data on how users find your site, which queries are most effective, and how your content ranks in search results.
Whether you subscribe to any paid SEO tools or not, GSC should be in your SEO tech stack for its analytics that provide clarity, control, and a competitive edge.
7. Google Analytics
Pricing: FREE
Ideal for: All rounded SEO optimisation
Category: SEO reporting tool
Google Analytics (also known as GA4) is another FREE SEO reporting tool offered by Google that helps users understand website traffic and user behaviour.
It’s a comprehensive platform that provides you tons of data to track and analyze user interaction on your site. From real-time analytics to audience demographics, acquisition channels, and user flow, Google Analytics provides a detailed picture of how users interact with a site.
The best thing that I like about GA4 is its predictive insights and proactive suggestions using advanced machine learning models. This enables users to anticipate future actions, such as purchases or user churn, and tailor their strategies accordingly.
Additionally, the intuitive reporting and visualization features make it easy to digest complex data and turn it into actionable information.
However, the depth of Google Analytics can be overwhelming for beginners, and navigating its many features can be challenging without proper guidance.
Despite this, if you are willing to invest the time to learn its intricacies, Google Analytics will surely offer you competitive advantages in the rapidly growing digital revolution.
8. Majestic
Pricing: Starts at $49/month
Ideal for: Link building and analysis
Category: Link building tool
Majestic is a popular for its backlink analysis capabilities. It’s a specializes in the link-building aspect of SEO, providing users with a detailed view of their site’s backlink profile.
Majestic offers insights into both the quality and quantity of backlinks, often critical for understanding a site’s authority and influence on the web.
Majestic’s USP lies in its feature called “Trust Flow metric”, which assesses the quality of links pointing to a site, helping users focus on building valuable backlinks. Additionally, its “Topical Trust Flow” offers insights into a website’s topical relevance based on its backlink sources, which is essential for aligning content with the right audience.
For crafting a robust backlink strategy, Majestic can offer unparalleled insights and a competitive edge for a site’s SEO through quality link-building efforts.
9. Georanker
Pricing: Starts at $99/month
Ideal for: Local rank tracking
Category: Local SEO tool
Georanker is one of the best SEO tools that specializes in local rank tracking. It provides businesses with a detailed view of their search engine performance across different locations.
With Georanker, you can track dynamic keywords, monitor mobile rankings, and analyze multiple search engines, offering a comprehensive local SEO toolkit.
The tool’s ability to track translated keywords and multiple URLs for the same domain simultaneously sets it apart from other local SEO tools. Also, Georanker’s real-time data and customizable reports make it a valuable asset for businesses looking to optimize their local search presence.
Its focus on local data, user friendly interface and the flexibility makes it a demanding tool for SEO veterans and for the newly entered folks in the SEO industry.
10. Moz On-Page Grader Tool
Pricing: Freemium (30 Day Free trial)
Ideal for: On-page content and link optimisation
Category: On-page SEO tool
Moz On-Page Grader is an integral component of the Moz Pro suite, designed to scrutinize webpages for keyword optimization. It provides immediate feedback on how well a page aligns with best SEO practices for a chosen keyword. The tool evaluates critical factors such as title tags, meta descriptions, and keyword usage, offering a score and actionable recommendations to enhance on-page SEO.
This tool is particularly beneficial for making straightforward improvements for the content optimization.
If you are looking to optimize your content on webpages without bothering about too many features, this could be the best SEO tool for you for on-page improvements.
Honourable mentions (more best SEO tools)
Apart from the above-mentioned SEO tools, there are more awesome tools for each category. You can always check them out as Free alternatives.
11. Detailed SEO extension (FREE)
It’s a FREE SEO tool offering on-page optimization options through its Chrome extension. Try this out from Chrome store today.
12. AnswerThePublic (Freemium)
AnswerThePublic is owned by Neil Patel, one of the veteran SEOs and content marketers. It’s a search listening tool designed for keyword research and content optimization for SEO. It currently offers three daily FREE keyword searches. Make sure you leverage it.
13. ScreamingFrog (FREE)
ScreamingFrog is a technical SEO tool that can crawl your website URLs and analyze variety of on-page elements such as backlinks, meta title, page title, robot.txt, duplicate contents etc. It offers a FREE version that supports upto 500 URLs. If you are a start-up or solo-marketer leverage this tool in your tech stack.
14. Google Business Profile (FREE)
Google Business Profile is a local SEO tool offered by Google. This tool offers local SEO, helping businesses appear in local search results and on Google Maps, thus driving foot traffic and online discovery. It’s a completely FREE and user-friendly tool. Make sure you use it.
Bottomline
The bottom line is that the list of the best SEO tools is ever increasing, with new tools coming every now and then in the market. They range from comprehensive paid solutions to efficient free alternatives.
Each tool brings its own strengths to the table, catering to different aspects of SEO and online marketing.
The key to choosing the right set of the best SEO tools depends on your budget, team size and growth stage of your business. Also, your marketing objectives are to take into considerations.
For start-ups and solo-marketers, I’d always recommend going for FREE tools offered by brands such as Google, Ahrefs etc. Google analytics, Google Search console, Google trends, Google Business Profile etc. must be in your tech stack and completely set-up for your business website.
On top of that, if you have budget, you can always opt for an all-in-one SEO platform such as Ahrefs or Semrush to get most of your digital marketing activities done.
In case, if you have a budget crunch, you can always try free alternatives mentioned in the article.
F.A.Q
Q. What are SEO tools?
SEO tools are specialized softwares designed to help improve a website’s search engine rankings by providing insights on performance, suggesting optimizations, and aiding in keyword research for better online visibility.
Q. What are the best SEO tools?
Some of the best SEO tools are Google Search console, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, Semrush, Screamingfrog etc. Check out our detailed list of the best SEO tools for more such tools.
Q. How to use SEO tools?
To use any SEO tools, first Identify your goals (keyword research, on-page optimization, Link building etc.) then choose a tool that offers features to directly address those goals.
Q. what seo tools do you use?
We at SmartReach.io use multiple SEO tools such as Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Business profile, Detailed SEO extension etc.
Q. Why use SEO tools?
SEO tools save you time and effort by giving you data and insights to optimize your website for search engines, ultimately boosting your traffic.
