The Top 10 Type Of Tools You Must Have To Do SEO Yourself
Feeling lost in the sea of SEO jargon and algorithms? You’re not alone. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can seem like a complex beast, but it can be an important party of the marketing mix for any business hoping to stand out online.
Because it rarely happens naturally anymore, when it comes to getting your business website on the first page of the search results, you have a choice- spend money or spend time.
Naturally, there are pros and cons to each. Many business owners feel that learning SEO is like learning to speak Sanskrit, so they feel it’s much easier to hire out this work to experts while there are definitely others who feel up to the task of taking it all on themselves.
If you’re thinking about a little DIY SEO, you’ll need an understanding of what tools to put in your belt to get things moving toward page one. We’ll give you that below, but first, we’re legally required to put in this next section.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. In simpler terms, it’s the practice of improving your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords. The higher your website ranks in SERPs, the more likely people are to find your website organically, without the need for paid advertising. Effective SEO helps attract qualified traffic to your website, ultimately increasing brand awareness, leads, and sales.
In other words, SEO is a way of bringing the very people who are looking for what you do to your digital front door.
Here are some tools to help you get some things done.
The 10 Essential SEO Tools
1. Keyword Research Tools:
Keyword research is the foundation of any SEO strategy. These tools help you discover the search terms and phrases (keywords) your target audience is using online. With this knowledge, you can optimize your website content to attract the right kind of visitors.
- Google Keyword Planner: This free tool by Google offers basic keyword research data, including search volume and competition levels.
- SEMrush: A powerful all-in-one SEO platform with advanced keyword research capabilities, including competitor keyword analysis and keyword difficulty scores. (Freemium model with paid plans offering additional features)
- Ahrefs: Another industry-leading SEO toolset with comprehensive keyword research features, including keyword ideas, search volume trends, and competitor keyword rankings. (Paid plans only)
2. On-Page SEO Optimization Tools:
Once you have your target keywords, you need to optimize your website content for search engines. These tools help you identify areas for improvement and ensure your website is technically sound and user-friendly.
- Yoast SEO: A popular WordPress plugin that offers on-page SEO optimization suggestions, including title tag and meta description optimization, internal linking checks, and readability analysis. (Free version with paid plans offering additional features)
- SEOptimer: Another free SEO audit tool that analyzes your website content and provides actionable recommendations for improvement.
3. Rank Tracking Tools:
Tracking your website’s ranking performance for your target keywords is essential to gauge your SEO efforts’ success. These tools allow you to monitor your ranking position over time and identify areas where you need to improve.
- SEMrush: (as mentioned above) offers rank tracking features alongside its keyword research capabilities.
- Moz Pro: Another comprehensive SEO platform with advanced rank tracking functionalities, including competitor rank tracking and historical ranking data. (Paid plans only)
- Google Search Console: A free tool by Google that offers basic rank tracking data and valuable insights into your website’s search engine visibility.
4. Backlink Analysis Tools:
Backlinks are essentially links from other websites pointing to yours. They act as a vote of confidence for search engines and can significantly impact your website’s authority and ranking.
- Ahrefs: (as mentioned above) offers advanced backlink analysis features, including competitor backlink profiles, broken link checker, and link-building opportunities.
- Majestic SEO: Another leading backlink analysis tool with historical backlink data and link building suggestions. (Paid plans only)
5. Technical SEO Auditing Tools:
Technical SEO refers to the behind-the-scenes optimization of your website for search engines. These tools help you identify and fix any technical issues that might be hindering your website’s crawl-ability and indexation.
- Screaming Frog: A powerful website crawler that identifies technical SEO issues like broken links, missing title tags, and mobile usability problems. (Free version with paid plans offering additional features)
- Sitebulb : A cloud-based SEO auditing tool that crawls your website and provides detailed reports on technical SEO issues and performance optimization suggestions. (Paid plans only)
6. Mobile Optimization Tools:
With the majority of web searches now happening on mobile devices, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is crucial for SEO success.
- Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test: A free tool by Google that analyzes your website and provides a report on its mobile-friendliness.
- Responsive Design Testing Tools: Most website builders offer built-in responsive design testing tools that allow you to preview how your website looks and functions on different devices.
7. Content Marketing Tools:
High-quality, informative content is king in the SEO world. These tools help you brainstorm content ideas, identify trending topics, and understand your target audience’s needs.
- BuzzSumo: A content marketing platform that helps you discover trending content and analyze what resonates with your audience. (Freemium model with paid plans offering additional features)
- AnswerThePublic: A free tool that generates a visual map of questions people are asking online related to your chosen topic. This can be a goldmine for content ideation.
- A Gazillion AI Writing Tools: From ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to a host of other tools like Writesonic, Jasper and others, there are now a wide variety of AI writing tools to help you with content ideas, planning and even writing to get you started on SEO-friendly content creation.
8. Website Analytics Tools:
Website analytics data provides valuable insights into user behavior on your website. By understanding how people interact with your content, you can optimize it for better SEO performance.
- Google Analytics: A free and powerful website analytics tool by Google that offers a comprehensive view of your website traffic, user engagement, and conversions.
9. SEO Learning Resources:
The world of SEO is constantly evolving. Staying updated on best practices is crucial for long-term success.
- Moz Beginner’s Guide to SEO : A free and comprehensive guide by Moz that covers the fundamentals of SEO in an easy-to-understand format.
- Google’s Search Central guide: A collection of free resources from Google offering in-depth information on SEO best practices and how Google Search works.
- Follow the leaders like Neil Patel, Matt Digitty, or Julian Goldie. There are many, many more.
10. Make It Loud Bonus Tool:
Feeling overwhelmed by the world of SEO? Don’t worry, Make It Loud Digital Marketing is here to help! We offer a free SEO consultation to assess your website’s health and identify areas for improvement. We’re also happy letting you know what we would charge to get your site ranking well.
Bonus: Pro SEO Tips
Here are a few actionable SEO tips you can implement right away:
- Optimize your title tags and meta descriptions: These are the snippets users see in search engine results pages (SERPs). Include your target keywords and craft compelling descriptions to encourage clicks.
- Build internal links: Link to relevant pages within your website to improve user experience and distribute link equity.
- Focus on high-quality content: Create informative, engaging content that provides value to your target audience. Search engines reward websites with fresh, valuable content.
We hope this blog post empowers you to take charge of your SEO journey! If you have any questions or need assistance implementing these strategies, don’t hesitate to contact Make It Loud Digital Marketing. We’re here to help your business roar online!
Conclusion
By utilizing these valuable SEO tools and staying up-to-date on best practices, you can take control of your website’s SEO and achieve significant organic growth. Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient, experiment with different strategies, and track your results.
Cliff Tillery, MBA is the Chief Operating Officer and SEO Director at Make It Loud which is a digital marketing firm located outside of Atlanta Georgia. More than 15 years ago, he started search engine optimization at this award-winning agency and has taught digital marketing skills to interns and new employees, business owners at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center, and other groups.
