If you’re starting your own business online, it’s very useful to know how to use SEO tools to get a higher ranking. The good thing about SEO tools is that there are tons of them. The bad thing is that most of them are rubbish. Depending on what you need for your business, there are different categories of SEO tools that you could use, such as tools for analytics, keyword research, link tools and so on. Here’s a handy guide to the best free SEO tools that you’ll most definitely need to use in 2020:
1. Google Search Console
It’s not a coincidence that Google is the most popular search engine- it’s simply the best. Some of the most used free tools come from Google. Google Search Console, or previously known as the Webmaster tool, is an essential tool for online marketers. The word “webmaster” used to be a bit misleading as the main focus of this tool is “search” and “optimization”. It provides high-quality data about site visitors, traffic, link data, etc. in a simple and straightforward way. One of the best features of the GSC is the Index Coverage Report. It shows you which pages of your website aren’t getting indexed and how to get things back on track.
2. Google Keyword Planner
Once you’ve mastered using Google Search Console, and you’ve decided that it’s time to gain more traffic from Google, Google Keyword Planner comes in handy. It’s another free tool by Google. It helps you find and research keywords and helps you understand what people are searching for. It could be used for evaluating keyword performance, such as the amount of traffic a specific keyword can produce; or it can help you determine your SEO strategy. Many other SEO tools used for keyword research, such as Keywords Everywhere, pull their data from Google Keyword Planner. The only downside of the GKP is that it’s a little bit complicated to use, but you can always find some of many tutorials or guides on how to use Google Keyword Planner.
3. CanIRank
While searching for an optimal keyword, have you ever asked yourself: “Can I rank for using this keyword?”. That is exactly what CanIRank is for. It’s a free SEO tool that gives you stats on the difficulty of a keyword. CanIRank is super-detailed and not only does it tell you if you rank for that keyword, but it also goes beyond data and provides you with suggestions to help you rank for a set term. It’s suitable for small businesses who are trying to improve their Google ranking.
4. Answer The Public
Considering that the most SEO tools for researching keywords get their data from the Google Keyword Planner, a tool like Answer The Public is a unique solution for finding keyword ideas. This nifty tool digs up all sorts of questions people ask on social media, blogs, and forums and turns them into brilliant keywords. One of the best features of this tool is “VS. Keywords” (for example PlayStation vs. Xbox), and Answer The Public has a whole section of the results just for the “Vs. keywords.” It’s great for creating long-tail keywords and validating your SEO efforts.
5. Google Page Speed Insights
Google declared that page loading speed is one of the top 3 ranking factors for mobile searches. Considering that today most people browse the web on their mobile phones, the importance of a website’s page speed must not be discarded. The user’s experience is influenced by the page speed and it affects the site’s ranking. Any good SEO company, like the folks from the GWM Melbourne office, for example, will tell you just how important these speeds are. A free SEO tool that gives you information on the speed of the site is Google Page Speed Insight. It also provides suggestions on how to improve it if needed. To offer better user satisfaction, you need to aim for a score of 90 or more which will improve your chances to rank in top search results.
6. Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is the most popular SEO desktop crawler you can download, that finds and fixes technical SEO problems within seconds. It generates a report of potential issues and discovers duplicate content. It can also be used for finding blocked URLs, broken links, and server errors. It’s ideal for smaller businesses as it allows 500 URLs per crawl for free. It’s fully functional for small projects and small site check-ups.
Conclusion
As you can see, finding good SEO tools is not as difficult as it may seem. The Internet is full of hidden gems that can help you boost your site on the top pages, and help you gain more recognition. The only important thing is to know what kind of tool you need, and how to properly use it. With the rising competition, and companies already “fighting” for the top positions, it’s essential to use the best SEO tools. We’re sure you’ll improve your digital marketing strategies by using some of the tools listed above.
