Top SEO Tools for Businesses in 2020
Website promotion is not easy, especially if experience and budget are limited and only theoretical knowledge is available. Small, medium and large businesses use the same tools. It is only the scale and goals that are different.
Whether it is working with links or content, you can find help for every aspect of SEO promotion. Some systems are comprised of a range of tools. Others are narrow profiles that are designed for one aspect of optimization, for example, only the selection of keywords.
What SEO services for small business one should use from the list below, depends on individual needs. The best way to figure it out is through trial and error. Once you gain experience, you will be able to make the right decisions. Most tools are free to access or a free trial period.
Site Analytics and Auditing:
- Seoptimer
- Woo rank
- Seobility
- Screaming Frog
Multi-functional Tools:
- SEMRush
- Raven
- Moz
- SEO power suite
- SE Ranking
Google Tools:
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Google Lighthouse
- PageSpeed Insights
- Google Tag Manager
- Google Keyword Planner
- Google Trends
- Google Alerts
Working with Links:
- Majestic
- Fat rank
Working with Keywords:
- KeywordTool
- Kwfinder
- Ubersuggest
- Keywords Everywhere
Site Loading Speed Analytics:
- GTMetrix
SERP Monitoring:
- SERPWoo
- SERPstat
Improving the Site’s Interaction with Search Algorithms :
- XML Sitemaps
- Browseo
Content Optimization:
- Copyscape
- HubSpot
- Buzzsumo
Data Structuring:
- Structured Data
Additional Services:
- Robots.txt Generator
- HARO
- Mailshake
- Ninja Outreach.
Now, let’s look at some programs and services in more detail.
Free SEO Tools and Services
Free tools and services provide enough information for effective website promotion.
We suggest that you look at the services that Google offers:
- Google Search Console — is an indispensable tool for every optimizer. It allows you to verify whether pages are ranked by a search robot. It helps find the mistakes on a site, check the status of the index, and analyze internal and external links. You can only work on your web page.
- Google Analytics — is a tool for tracking volume and traffic sources, user behavior, and the effectiveness of different types of content. Like the preceding, this is another must-have for an optimizer. It shows you how the user behaves on your site and displays conversions and sales statistics. It only allows you to receive information about your web resources.
To use the Google Search Console and Google Analytics, add the code to the website (generating a tool) either manually or use the tag manager.
- Google Tag Manager — is a tool for the rapid creation and renewal of tags on a website or mobile application. It presumes that you are only working with your site.
- Google Adwords — is a service for launching available contextual advertisements
- Google Keyword Planner — is a keyword tool. It shows relevant and popular keywords that are suitable for promoting your business. This is an indispensable aid for compiling the semantic core and creating contextual advertising. To use Google’s keyword planner, you only have to have a Gmail account.
- Google Trends — is a great support tool for organically increasing traffic. It shows the query history, frequency, and seasonality. These competent analytics will reveal the trends or topics that are gaining popularity, so they can be used to increase traffic. This is a useful function for local businesses because the information available is available by region.
- Google Lighthouse — this is a relatively new tool. It helps determine a site’s performance usability and visualization. It identifies search engine optimization metrics and provides a list of improvements.
- PageSpeed Insights — is a service that checks page loading speed. None of the websites in the top search results is slow loading. Pay particular attention to mobile versions of the site. This tool will show how quickly the website loads and what should be done to enhance this rate.
Google Alerts — is useful for regularly monitoring competitors. By specifying several competitors, you will receive notifications when they are mentioned online.
ZipSprout — is a tool for finding partners and sponsors at the local level throughout the US.
Keyword tool io — is a free tool for identifying keywords that uses Google autofill data. According to representatives of the search engine, the words are generated automatically based on the most common queries.
It produces long-tail keywords. Each request returns 750 or more alternative suggestions. Another feature of the Keyword tool.io planner is selecting keywords for YouTube, Amazon, and other apps.
The paid version provides more than twice the amount of keywords and monitors the activities of your competitors in this aspect of optimization.
Is a browser extension for analytics of key optimization indicators. By using SEOquake, you will get detailed SERP analysis, an SEO site audit, including a full report on internal and external links, the abundance of keywords, statistics on social networks, etc. Learn more about how to create a SEO report.
Is one of the best services for checking a site’s loading speed.
GTmetrix can be used from the admin panel if you are using WordPress. It analyzes all pages (it is important to test not only the main page) and the download speed in different countries and on various browsers.
This service gives a detailed report in the form of clearly displayed data. There is an explanation for each row so that even novices can easily understand. Remarkably, the algorithm works based on two tools: PageSpeed Score and Yellow Score. Users receive data from two sources and see complex results.
An automatic test is available. That is very convenient because the loading speed of a site depends on many factors, including the server load level.
It is a service that will send notifications via email if the rate is extremely low (must be specified in the settings). That is an important and beneficial thing that allows you to react to possible negative changes promptly. GTmetric demonstrates how the site is displayed on various devices and different continents.
Is a web application that will be helpful and interesting for both beginners and professionals. This service allows you to see the site as a search engine would. In other words, without the work of a designer, only the skeleton.
You will see which external, internal, and no-follow links the search algorithm sees, how tags are displayed, content, and many other important figures. Based on this information, you will be able to see all the site’s shortcomings and make it more attractive specifically for the search robots.
HTML 5 semantic markup scheme is recommended by Google. The website Schema.org provides information for web developers, how and which metadata to add to the site to make it more understandable for a search robot.
It is a collaborative development of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex. By making markup following Schema.org, you are optimizing your snippet, so that it will have more structured information. For example, if this were a recipe, you could focus on the cooking time and calorie count. If it is an online clothing store, you can post information about every item, like the available sizes, colors, etc.
HARO (Help a reporter out)
Is a tool for link building and increasing brand recognition. This service allows people to connect with journalists as an expert in your field and quickly answer their questions.
To become an expert, all you have to do is register and specify the areas in which you can give expert advice. This service is suited for long-term use. Although it is unlikely to get quick results, there are times when small businesses undergoing a crisis get their second wind after being mentioned in prestigious media. The interaction with journalists via HARO is working for brand recognition and a slow, but steady increase in referrals. Read more at the Blogger Outreach article.
Paid services with free trial periods. Affordable SEO services for small businesses
Is a seven-day trial period for Pro and Guru tariff plans. It is one of the most popular and recommended services that allows you to implement a comprehensive internet marketing strategy. It is better to begin SEO for small business with SEMRush.
The offer is available in three packages: Pro, Guru, and Business. The first pack provides the minimum necessary for successful optimization with a small budget. The second tariff plan has additional features, such as historical data, branding reports, etc. The Business pack is suitable for larger companies, as it provides integration with Google Data Studio, access to API, etc.
SEMRush includes SEO, outreach to paid traffic, social networks, content marketing and PR, and marketing research.
SEO promotion includes:
- Technical SEO auditing.
- Semantic core collection.
- Monitoring positions in SERP.
- Recommendations to increase organic traffic.
- Competitor analysis.
- Auditing and analysis of backlinks.
With SEMRush you will increase the efficiency of PPC campaigns by getting:
- Competitor analysis in contextual advertisements and search results.
- Keyword analysis and solutions for creative advertising campaigns.
- Query management, including grouping.
- The optimization of undesirable inquiries.
- Analysis of Google Shopping campaigns.
- Local analysis of advertising campaigns.
SEMRush provides these opportunities for promotion on social networks:
- Competitor strategy analysis.
- Comparative analysis of performance on social media.
- Search for the most popular publications in your niche.
- Posting management on 5 social networks according to a set schedule.
- Increased coverage of Facebook posts.
- Image editing and link reduction.
- A tool that can be managed through a Chrome extension.
SEMRush helps create effective and engaging content, by providing:
- Content analysis with a few clicks of the mouse.
- Creative ideas for content.
- Shared access to the proposed content plan.
- Content optimization for SEO.
- Monitoring and analysis of brand references on sites and social media.
With this service, it is easy to conduct marketing research, the reports include this date:
- New development opportunities.
- Engagement rates and internet traffic.
- Information about new prospective clients.
- Emerging markets.
- Information for forming the most effective internet marketing strategies.
Is a free 14-day trial period.
This service conducts an instant site audit on all key parameters and gives optimization advice.
Internet marketers use this service for SEO analysis and promotion on social media. It is designed to improve site usability and many other important aspects of digital marketing.
It conducts analytics regarding backlinks, traffic, and keywords. WooRank also keeps track of keyword rankings, changes in search results, and local search ratings. This tool gives you the ability to analyze competitors’ strategies. This data is displayed in clear and concise reports. The WooRank scanner is designed for comprehensive analysis, it can find hidden errors that you did not even know existed.
The platform is used by freelancers and masters, as well as SEO and digital marketing agencies. A choice of three tariff plans is available: Pro, Premium, and Enterprise.
Is a free trial period of 14 days for all tariff packages.
This is a service that has positioned itself as the best analytics tool for small business owners. The trial period is enough to analyze all aspects of SEO and to understand whether it is suitable for you and if you should pay for it for future use. SEOptimer analyzes key aspects of ranking, providing clear and understandable recommendations for site improvement. All necessary improvements could be introduced without the help of expensive agencies.
By using this service, you can learn about the current status and improve the HTML markup, content sections, internal and external links, getting views on social media, and information about robots.txt and HTTP. You will receive good ratings for unique content, URL optimization, for having sections, such as a “body” and “head”.
The service allows you to use more niche based analytics tools for free, such as Meta Tag Generator, Keyword Generator, Robot.txt Generator, .htaccess File Generator, and XML Sitemap Generator.
It suggests 3 tariff packages, those being DIY SEO for site owners who are undertaking this alone and both White Label and White Label Embedding for digital marketers. The latter includes more extensive sit auditing opportunities, while the second package features PDF provision reports.
Has a 30-day free trial period.
It is another comprehensive service that enables the easy and effective implementation of SEO promotion.
It is a web application that scans the specified site every week and displays all the current errors. But that is not all. You will get optimization tips.
The weekly audit includes backlink monitoring, their working capacity, and rankings of the issuance of specified keywords. Moz offers users two options, the All-in-One Website SEO or the SEO-Integrated Business Listings.
The first option is a set of SEO tools that cover all of your site promotion needs.
SEO-Integrated Business Listings offers 3 tariff plans, all of which involve cataloging of various scales.
Offers a free 14-day trial period.
Its platform contains all the necessary tools for effective promotion.
It monitors the organic and paid promotion of competitors, backlink analysis by using key SEO parameters, given domains, anchors, etc.
It conducts full site analytics and offers a detailed report. It will help identify the shortcomings that are preventing the site from being in the top search listings. This service also suggests customized alerts concerning changes to your resource, as well as the sites of competitors.
SE Ranking assists you with keywords by choosing the appropriate words for your niche out of the three billion options. SE Ranking helps organize SMM progress with the analysis of key metrics and auto-posting.
The three tariff plans offered are Optimum, Plus, and Enterprise.
The second and third offers include monitoring pages for change, the use of sub-accounts, and other opportunities.
Is an online service for competitor tracking Because it keeps track of competitors in the area it is an excellent resource for local businesses.
This service analyzes websites and mobile applications. It is not only useful at the start of a business or when choosing a niche, but also for regular marketing and research. For a specific region, you can determine the level of traffic in a particular niche, the leading competitors, and the best methods for promotion.
The tool gives the full picture of traffic for every region in the world. When necessary, it will assist with choosing a region for a particular type of business. Data that indicates which social networks and sites generate the most traffic in a selected niche is also available.
There is more detailed information available for analysis. Similar Web shows the traffic on competitor sites, user behavior, and the failure rate. Desktop and mobile data are reported separately, but comparative traffic analysis is available. This is a free tool with additional opportunities available, but the prices are based on individual consultations.
Has three packages Pro, Plus, and large that are available for a 7-day free trial period, but the Enterprise pack is not available for testing. The cost ranges from $99-$499. The first two offers do not include analytics on YouTube or Facebook, search trends, etc. It is a tool that makes content marketing easier. It helps find popular and influential content. The user specifies a search query and then the system finds the most interesting material based on engagement. Content analysis is possible for any niche. With the help of this service, you will gain interesting ideas, by analyzing the audience activity for a particular request. Working with this tool includes the analytics of social networks. It tracks all references of the brand online. With its help, you can interact with leaders to gain their insight, get analytics, and reports.
Is a service with a 7-day free trial period. After the trial, they offer two packages: Flex ($119) and Pro ($199). Website recognition can be achieved by working with bloggers, journalists, and resources that are influential amongst your target audience. This service provides the filters to search for the appropriate authors or posters, even on social media. Ninja outreach makes it possible not only to find influential sites, but also to contact them, create teams of influencers, and easily structure and manage data.
Paid Tools
Is a tool for site auditing. It identifies the shortcomings that significantly affect ranking.
Screaming Frog SEO Spider — is the best SEO software for small businesses. The program has both free and paid versions.
The free variant covers searching for broken links, errors, redirects, duplicate pages, metadata, and page title analysis, visualizations, and the creation of an XML sitemap. The scan limit for this is 500 URL.
The paid version involves spot-checking by page type, custom source code search, JavaScript rendering, and other features.
Crawler software works on the principle of a Google robot by moving from one link to another within the page. This is a great program for the internal optimization of a website.
To generate additional data, Screaming Frog can connect to other tools, like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights APIs and Moz.
Is a keyword monitoring service. SEO Rank Tracker and online brand reputation monitoring are useful services for any company.
By using this instrument, users receive comprehensive information about a site in the search results. With the help of ORM tags, you can manage the integrity of your brand. This service saves data about your rating and presents it on a progress development graph. It sends notifications if there are changes to the current SERP situation that would require your attention.
This service will help improve traffic, by providing the rating of domains, monitoring the competition, analysis of the top 100 results for each keyword, and measuring the efficiency of URLs and domains.
SERPWoo has 7 tariff plans available, as well as free use that involves very little functionality.
The Lite and Pro tariff plans offer a 7-day money-back guarantee for new users.
This service provides access to the largest database of links online.
It captures new links faster than other similar tools. By setting up notifications, the user gets the opportunity to learn the exact timing of the link that leads to a site or blog.
This tool provides clear reports for each requested resource. The collected data is easy to analyze. These reports provide the user with the opportunity to track whether the work with the anchor is done correctly. If multiple links have the same anchor, the search engine might not rank them. The service can track down any errors and prevents the negative behavior of search algorithms,
The tool will find erroneous links if they exist. A common occurrence is when a link leads to a non-existent page. It is particularly important to correct these errors if the link is placed on a credible resource.
The tool allows you to not only analyze your links but also competitors’ backlinks. This way, you can get additional ideas for developing your business.
If you set up notifications, you will be alerted about new links via email. This feature saves time and effort.
It offers 3 tariff plans: Lite, Pro, and API.
This extension is for Chrome and Firefox. Installing the service allows you to see the necessary information in the search results.
Keywords Everywhere shows the average number of keyword searches per month. Data collected from the past 12 months is used for the calculation. The user receives a set of keywords with a long tail.
Keywords Everywhere shows the cost per click in Google Adwords. This tool will provide data about the number of companies that have launched an ad campaign for a specific keyword.
The fee for using the extension is 1 credit for 1 keyword. It is not necessary to subscribe to the service because for a month or longer, the user only pays for the requests made.
Mailshake — guarantees a refund within the first 30 days if the user is not satisfied. It is designed to attract customers through emails. It allows you to configure automatic mailing to a cold client list. Mailshake has the function of launching sales over the phone and on social networks. The entire range of instruments is located in one panel. It helps create effective and personalized conversations and automatic response tracking. Mailshake provides templates that help a novice learn the basics of email marketing and an experienced specialist generates original ideas. This function includes mailing list management, an answering machine, spam checking, a database of unsubscribers, etc.
A very useful tool is the Broken Link Builder. It seeks out non-functioning links that are suitable for your niche. You contact the resource owners and tell them that you can exchange it with fresh, relevant content. This way, you can ensure that your links are visible to your target audience. And the resource owners will be more than glad to oblige as this will be beneficial to them too.
Link Prospector — is a service for resource searching for posting links. It is oriented for content marketers and SEO specialists who are involved in link building. Developers even believe that the best and most engaging content will not achieve the desired effect if few people see it. Therefore, this tool provides 16 types of reports that can be conditionally split into several groups. To get a specific report, you must choose which type, indicate the keywords that are of interest, and you will get a huge amount of data to increase the reference mass.
Which SEO tool to choose?
It is your choice. You should experiment, test different variants and you will find the ideal tool kit for developing your business.
