Before we dive into SEO tools, let’s take a moment to define what SEO is. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of increasing the traffic that comes to a website via a search engine’s results page.
So SEO tools are any tools that are used to maintain and improve a site’s SEO.
What Are SEO Tools?
SEO tools provide information on how to improve a website’s ranking on a search engine (typically Google). They do this by analyzing a website’s keywords, content, backlinks, rankings, and technical SEO optimization. SEO tools also include functionality for tracking the performance of your website and analyzing the SEO performance of competitors.
Some of the most popular SEO tools used by website owners and digital marketing professionals include Semrush, Ahrefs, Google Search Console, and Moz (more on these later).
Why Do You Need SEO Tools?
SEO is all about getting your website to show up higher in search results. The higher you show up in search results, the more likely people are to click on your link and visit your site. And the more people that visit your site, the more people you will be able to convert into customers.
SEO tools are specialized tools that provide insights into how you can improve your website’s ranking in search engine results. So unless you are not interested in increasing visitors to your website, SEO tools are crucial for any website owner!
Before we delve any further into the world of SEO tools, let’s take a moment to define 5 common SEO terms that every website owner should know.
5 SEO Terms You Should Know
1. Keywords
Keywords are words, phrases, or queries that users enter into a search engine to find information on specific topics.
For example, if you’re a plumber, some of the keywords you might target are “plumbing services,” “emergency plumbing,” and “plumber near me.” By optimizing your website content for these keywords, you can improve your chances of showing up at the top of search results and getting more leads.
There are a number of different SEO tools that can help you research and select the right keywords for your business. Once you have a list of keywords, you can start incorporating them into your website content, blog posts, social media posts, and other marketing materials. By doing this, you’ll be well on your way to driving more traffic to your site and increasing your sales.
2. Content
Content refers to the text on your website, as well as any images or videos. In order to rank highly on search engines, your content must be relevant to what people are searching for and also be high quality. In order to be relevant, your website content should include keywords that reflect a search engine user’s intent. High quality simply means it should be well-written and accurate.
3. Backlinks
Also known as incoming links or inbound links, a backlink is a link from another site that points to your website. Backlinks are an important factor in improving your website’s SEO. Search engines view backlinks as “votes” for your site, so the more you have, the better off your SEO will typically be.
Backlinks can also be an important source of the traffic to your website. When someone clicks on a link from another site and arrives at your site, that’s called referral traffic. Referral traffic can be very valuable since it’s people coming to your site who already know what you do and are interested in what you have to say or sell.
4. Rankings
Rankings refer to where your website appears in search engine results pages (SERPs). The higher you rank, the more likely people are to click on your website.
5. Traffic
Traffic refers to the number of visitors who come to your website. Traffic is usually measured in the number of unique visitors per month (that means repeat visits don’t count).
Traffic can come from different sources, including organic search traffic (people who find you through a search engine), referral traffic (people who click on a link from another site), or direct traffic (people who type your URL into their browser). SEO tools are used to increase the number of people that visit your site via a search engine.
Now that we’ve defined and explained 5 basic SEO terms, let’s take a look at 4 of the most popular SEO tools and what they do.
What Are The Most Popular SEO Tools?
There are a number of different SEO tools available on the market, and each has its own unique features and benefits. However, some of the most popular SEO tools include Semrush, Ahrefs, Google Search Console, and Moz. All of these tools can be helpful in improving your website’s search engine ranking.
1. Semrush
Semrush is a powerful all-in-one SEO platform that includes multiple features, including:
- Keyword research: This allows you to see what keywords are ranking for any web page.
- On-page SEO: On-page SEO provides strategies for improving SEO on your site.
- Local SEO: Helps improve your local SEO strategy.
- Rank tracking: Allows you to track daily changes of your target keywords.
- Link building: Provides strategies for strengthening your backlink profile.
- Competitor SEO analysis: Gives you information about how a competitor’s websites are performing in your industry, so you can improve your own site’s SEO.
Link building is the process of acquiring hyperlinks that point to your website.
2. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is another popular SEO tool that offers a suite of powerful features such as:
- Site audit: Uncover a website’s SEO issues in order to improve any issues that could be negatively affecting its SEO.
- Site explorer: Essentially a competitor analysis that lets you look at the organic traffic and backlink profile of any website.
- Keywords explorer: Helps you discover keyword ideas and analyze their difficulty and traffic potential.
- Content explorer: Helps you discover top-performing content in your industry.
- Rank tracker: This allows you to monitor your rankings over time and compare your performance to competitors.
3. Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google that helps website owners track their website’s performance in Google search results. Google Search Console also includes a variety of tools for analyzing the technical health of your site. Useful features for SEO include:
- Monitoring your website traffic.
- Learn the top queries used to discover your content.
- Discover the number of impressions your website receives (impressions are how often searchers see your website in search results)
- Discover the number of clicks your website gets via Google’s search results
- Learn the average CTR (click-through rate) for your site (a percentage of impressions that result in a click).
- Track the average position of your site in search results.
4. Moz
Moz is another popular all-in-one SEO platform that provides multiple features, such as:
- Site audit: Check a website for technical issues that impact SEO.
- Keyword research: Discover new keyword targets by analyzing various metrics around keywords, including competition level, keyword difficulty, searcher intent, and more.
- Rank tracking: Keep track of rankings for target keywords across various locations and devices.
- Backlink analysis: Analytics and strategies to help you understand and improve your backlink profile.
Contractor Growth Network Can Help With Your Contracting Business’s SEO
Now that you know the basics of SEO, it’s time to start thinking about how you can use these SEO tools to improve your own website. Luckily, there are plenty of options out there for every budget. The most important thing is to find a tool that works for you and your business goals.
Not sure where to start? We can help. Our team of digital marketing experts will work with you to create a custom SEO plan that fits your needs. Contact us today to set up a meeting!
