With the rise of SEO, a range of software tools have emerged to help website owners, marketers, and agencies optimize pages and track performance. Choosing the right SEO tools for your strategy can be overwhelming, with so many options to evaluate.
The goal of this post is to provide an overview of the must-have SEO tool categories and top options in each for accomplishing essential SEO activities. We'll be covering tools focused on:
- Webmaster Search Console Insights
- Website Analytics
- Keyword Research
- Backlink Analysis
- On-page Optimization and Technical Auditing
- Rank Tracking
- Competitor Analysis and Benchmarking
- Local SEO
- SEO Extensions
For each category, I highlight 2-3 recommended tools, outline their key features and limitations, and share an ideal use case. By the end, you'll better understand the SEO tool landscape and which solutions fit your budget, needs, and goals.
With Google's algorithms evolving, having the right set of SEO tools is critical for monitoring and improving your website's presence. Let's dive in and explore the top options in each category.
Webmaster Search Console Insights
Google Search Console
Free
Google Search Console provides several tools to help you appear in the SERPs for the keywords and phrases your target audience is searching for.
If you're a business owner, marketer, or agency, Search Console can help you conduct your initial SEO research from scratch or update your current SEO strategy with new keywords and keyword phrases. Google Search Console analyzes, debugs, and optimizes your website – and you don't have to be a coder to use it.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Indexing insights, manual crawling tools, search analytics, URL inspection
- Limitations: Does not provide full keyword research or rank tracking capabilities
- Use Case: Monitoring overall Google performance and troubleshooting indexation issues
Bing Webmaster Tools
Free
Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools provides access to various tools that provide insight into your website, including reporting, diagnostic, and SEO tools. The free SEO tools can help you analyze your website, review keywords to ensure your site is well-optimized for organic search, and even manage backlinks.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Bing-specific SEO and performance monitoring, HTML suggestions
- Limitations: Focused solely on Bing, no keyword research capabilities
- Use Case: Optimizing presence on Bing search engine
Website Analytics
Google Analytics
Free
The free version of Google Analytics is what we at Cube Creative Design incorporate for all our clients. It allows you to manage your website’s SEO. You can combine your Google Analytics with Google Search Console, and all of your website’s SEO data will be centrally located and compiled in one convenient location. YOu can then use queries to identify areas for improvement with the keywords and phrases you want to rank for.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Traffic analysis, goal tracking, custom reporting, segmentation
- Limitations: No direct keyword ranking insights; must connect with Search Console
- Use Case: In-depth analysis of website traffic and engagement
Keyword Research
Google Trends
Free
Traditional SEO tools are excellent for conducting research and audits when your company is already well-established. But what if you’re establishing a new firm and want to discover what popular topics, industries, and ideas people are exploring? Google Trends is an excellent resource for uncovering the untapped potential that might result in a vast keyword landscape for your website.
Google Trends allows you to:
- Find famous people and long-tail keywords related to them.
- Look for global trends in specific countries or regions.
- Compare and contrast trends over time.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Analyze search trends over time, compare trends between terms/regions, and related keywords
- Limitations: No precise keyword volume data, limited filters/options for analysis
- Use Case: Early-stage research to identify new keywords and topics based on search patterns
KWFinder
Freemium
KWFinder is a tool designed for keyword research and analysis, offering an array of long-tail keywords with minimal SEO challenges. This tool is favored by experts for discovering optimal keywords, conducting backlink reports, and analyzing SERPs. It also features a Rank Tracker tool, which simplifies the process of identifying your ranking and monitoring progress based on a single key metric.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Long tail keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking
- Limitations: The free version has limited keyword searches per month
- Use Case: Discover optimized long tail keywords, and track keyword ranks
Long Tail Pro
Paid
Long Tail Pro specializes in keyword research and discovery, helping users find low-competition long-tail keywords. Features include keyword ranking tracking, search volume data, and suggestions for related keywords. It's ideal for comprehensive keyword research.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Long tail keyword research, rank tracking, search volume data
- Limitations: Paid plans can get expensive for extended use
- Use Case: Discover low-competition keywords and track rankings
Seed Keywords
Free
Seed Keywords offers advanced keyword research through its database of over five million+ keyword phrases and search data. Useful features include search volume filtering, competitor analysis, and bulk keyword management. The tool helps uncover keyword opportunities.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Advanced keyword research, search volume filtering, bulk analysis
- Limitations: The free version has limited keyword searches per month
- Use Case: In-depth keyword discovery and opportunity identification
Keyword Everywhere
Paid
Keyword Everywhere is a free Chrome extension that shows search volume data and related keywords on Google searches. This helps for quick keyword research using live Google suggestions. It integrates directly into the browser for easy access while browsing.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Live keyword data in Google searches, easy integration
- Limitations: Reliant on Google suggestions, no advanced features
- Use Case: Quick keyword research while browsing
Backlink Analysis
Ahrefs
Freemium
Ahrefs is one of the more popular SEO tools on the market and is primarily used for backlink audits, URL rankings, keyword research, competitive analysis, etc. Like SEMrush, Ahrefs also offers organic search reports to analyze the traffic of your competitors’ sites.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Backlink analysis, tracking of organic keywords and traffic
- Limitations: Limited capabilities for a free version; paid plans are more costly
- Use Case: Backlink audits and organic keyword research
Majestic
Paid
Majestic comes highly recommended by industry professionals as an essential tool for SEO tasks. Its primary feature lets you examine the backlinks of any given website, including your clients and their competitors.' This functionality enables easy comparison of various SEO metrics like trust flow, referring domain count, and external backlinks count. This tool not only aids in pinpointing the weak areas in a client's optimization but also generates an easy-to-understand table that can be shared with clients to help them grasp the issues and see how they measure up against their competitors.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Backlink analysis, trust metrics, referring domains comparison
- Limitations: The free version only shows basic backlink data
- Use Case: Comparing backlink profiles between competitor sites
LinkMiner
Paid
LinkMiner focuses on backlink analysis and monitoring capabilities. It allows users to analyze a website's backlinks and identify toxic or risky links that could pose an issue. The tool specializes in backlink audits and tracking.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Backlink analysis, risky link identification, metrics monitoring
- Limitations: Paid tool without extensive free version
- Use Case: Identifying risky backlinks, full backlink audits
On-page Optimization and Technical Auditing
HubSpot Website Grader
Free
Marketing’s objective is to increase traffic and qualified leads through the business’s website. As a result, as marketers, you must understand precisely what you can do to boost the SEO of the website.
With HubSpot’s Website Grader, enter the URL of your website to receive an immediate report card with practical insights about your SEO efforts.
The report will include:
- Website performance
- Specific website issues that could be improved on
- How mobile-optimized your site is
- What your web security looks like
- How you can enhance the user experience
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: SEO audit, page speed insights, mobile friendliness check, security monitoring
- Limitations: Only provides high-level audit, no detailed keyword or backlink analysis
- Use Case: Quick overview of website health and initial areas of focus
Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Freemium
Screaming Frog helps you perform super fast website audits. Unlike most of the others on this list, this will run natively on your computer. Once installed, you enter the URL of your website, and it will start crawling to find any duplicate content, missing tags, broken links, etc. Rarely will any error go unnoticed by Screaming Frog.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: On-page SEO audit for errors, broken links, and duplicate content issues
- Limitations: Crawler-based tool requires download and runs slow on large sites
- Use Case: Granular technical/on-page website audit
SEOquake
Free
SEOquake is a powerful free SEO toolbox for your browser. The Chrome extension acts as an SEO checker tool that performs on-page site audits and assesses both your internal and external links. Currently compatible with Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera, SEOquake can provide parameters for listings within the search engine results. Along with organic research data, SEOquake provides other useful tools, including an SEO Audit, Keyword Density report, Internal/External Link analysis, and even social metrics.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: On-page audit, internal/external link analysis, social metrics
- Limitations: Browser extension only, no full keyword research features
- Use Case: Quick technical/on-page SEO audit and analysis
SEOptimer
Free
SEOptimer is another one of the best and free tools available in the market. SEOptimer will help you know your website’s SEO. It’ll show you your on-page metrics, such as keyword usage and user experience (ex: speed and mobile responsiveness). It’ll also show you off-page metrics, such as your backlink profile, DA & PA. SEOptimer will grade your website and even give you recommendations.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: On-page optimization checks, backlink profiling, site grading
- Limitations: Limited functionality in the free version
- Use Case: High-level website audit with optimization recommendations
Seobility
Free
Seobility is an SEO tool focused on auditing and analyzing on-page factors like titles, meta descriptions, headings, and images. It crawls pages to detect issues and provide optimization suggestions. The tool is useful for improving technical SEO elements on a site.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: On-page optimization checks, technical issue detection, SEO recommendations
- Limitations: Free version only allows one website audit per day
- Use Case: Detailed technical/on-page auditing and optimization
Siteliner
Freemium
Siteliner provides on-page SEO and website auditing capabilities for optimization. It checks elements like titles, metadata, links, and page speed. The crawler-based tool gives a comprehensive technical audit.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: On-page auditing for optimization issues, crawler-based
- Limitations: Slow crawl speed for large websites
- Use Case: Technical/on-page website audit
Rank Tracking
Moz
Freemium
Without question, Moz is one of the greatest SEO Tools on the market. Moz can handle anything from site auditing to rank tracking, backlink analysis, and keyword research. It delivers industry-standard data as well as numerous page improvement tips.
You can also install MozPro for advanced functionality and the MozBar browser extension, which allows SEO analysis, Moz scores, and Google SERP information to be shown in your browser.
Moz allows you to:
- Track organic rank and performance of thousands of traffic-driving keywords.
- It helps you find new keywords with competitor research and SERP analysis.
- It provides metrics like Domain Authority and enables you to build additional backlinks.
- Crawl all your web pages to find any issues or errors.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Site audit for errors/issues, rank tracking, backlink analysis, keyword research
- Limitations: The free tool is limited, and paid plans can get expensive
- Use Case: Comprehensive SEO toolset for keyword research, link building, audits
Competitor Analysis and Benchmarking
SEMrush
Paid
SEMrush is one of the most popular SEO tools among small and medium-sized businesses. It also has a renowned competitor analysis tool that helps users evaluate their competitors and their own content. It gives detailed information and enables users to find the best-performing sites, content, and keywords.
SEMrush allows you to:
- Review backlinks pointing to your site.
- Identify keywords to develop an SEO strategy.
- Explore how you may boost organic traffic by optimizing your content.
- Identify the paid keywords or ad copy being used in your competitors' PPC campaigns.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Backlink audits, organic research reports, rank tracking for top keywords
- Limitations: A paid tool with a free trial for 7 days only
- Use Case: Competitor research and robust organic keyword tracking
SpyFu
Freemium
SpyFu is best used as a competitor keyword research tool for Google Ads. It allows you to find the most profitable keywords used by your competitors. It can also show you every ad campaign that is run by your competitors and their organic searches. It will also help you with keyword research, SEO competitive research, PPC competitive research, and the creation of custom lists and domains.
SpyFu allows you to:
- Download a competitor’s PPC keywords
- Download a competitor’s SEO keywords
- Review ranking trends over time
- Discover keyword ideas
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Competitor keyword research for PPC and SEO, ad campaign monitoring
- Limitations: The free plan has limited searches, paid plans are required for full access
- Use Case: Identify profitable keywords from competitors' PPC and organic activity
Local SEO
Fat Rank
Free
Fat Rank concentrates on local SEO optimization and tracking. It offers insights related to local rankings, reviews, citations, and competing local businesses. The tool is tailored for location-based SEO and monitoring.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Local SEO ranking insights, reviews, and citations monitoring
- Limitations: Specifically for local SEO, not broader SEO tasks
- Use Case: Optimizing and monitoring local SEO
SEO Extenstions
SEOcrawl SEO
Free
SEOcrawl SEO extension for Google offers an all-in-one solution to keep track of all SEO essentials. Check your website's headings, internal and external linking, international SEO and overall health, among many other functions, all compiled within a single free extension. Just click on the extension for a full report of the most important factors in SEO.
Features, Limitations, and Use Cases
- Key Features: Metadata, headings, canonical, international SEO and much more. Complete monitoring for your optimized sites.
- Limitations: Google Search Console integration required to see the keyword data.
- Use Case: Keep track of your site's overall performance and receive continuous suggestions to fully optimize it.
My Recommendations and Final Thoughts
After reviewing the many options covered, here are my top 3 picks for essential SEO tools in no particular order:
- Google Search Console - This free webmaster tool from Google provides valuable insights to monitor and troubleshoot site performance. It's a must-have for every website.
- SEMrush - The best for in-depth competitor analysis and keyword research. A free trial is available, but paid plans provide more access.
- Screaming Frog - A free on-page audit tool that crawls sites identifying technical SEO issues. Essential for optimizing page elements.
Determining the right mix requires assessing your budget, needs, and goals. But by investing in a few key paid tools and utilizing some of the free options, you can take your SEO efforts to the next level.
The bottom line is this: you have to consider your budget and determine the right mix of free and paid SEO software for your strategy, as your tech stack can get out of control quickly.
