Last modified on: April 15th, 2024
With all the search engine optimization (SEO) tools on the market, how do you know which software is worth investing in? Find out how to choose SEO software below.
In this brief SEO software buying guide, we take a look at some key aspects to consider before buying SEO software, including potential benefits and features.
Benefits of Using SEO Tools
First of all, you might be wondering why use SEO software tools? There are several important reasons why SEO software is used and continues to grow in use.
Here are some key benefits of using SEO software:
- Access to competitor site data, trends, and link insights to guide SEO strategy.
- Track hundreds to thousands of keyword search engine rankings over time.
- Scan entire websites in minutes to detect on-site issues and opportunities.
- Keyword data like search volume for planning and creating content that ranks.
- Time-saving reporting features for creating and sending automated reports.
- Speed up tasks and create a system for your team or yourself.
- Stay organized when analyzing and monitoring many SEO metrics.
SEO software often provides valuable research data and actionable insights. Use cases range from managing small local SEO projects to large enterprise SEO campaigns.
SEO tools are used by many people and businesses who take part in digital marketing to generate web traffic and business opportunities, including freelance SEO professionals, small businesses, large national companies, and SEO agencies.
Factors to Consider When Buying SEO Software
Once you know the type of SEO features you'd like to see included in SEO software and/or you've tested the software, consider the following factors:
- Pricing options such as the number of keywords you can track, the amount of data you can pull, and the amount and type of reports you can create.
- The accuracy of data. This can be hard to tell if you don't have experience with many tools. Check out the best SEO software articles on this site for vetted, reliable tools.
- Usability of the software and how SEO data is organized and displayed.
- The included SEO features (examples to consider shared below).
SEO software commonly offers multiple plans with varying features and usage limits. Be mindful of each plan tier to ensure you select a plan that includes all the features you need with a suitable usage limit.
SEO Software Features to Consider
There are many types of SEO software available that are popular in the SEO community. Some software tools are very specific in their function and features, some are versatile toolkits with many features, and others are complete SEO platforms.
Understanding your SEO needs will help you choose the best SEO software for your business.
Ask yourself if you require any of the following key features:
- Rank tracking tools for monitoring keywords for more than one location.
- Keyword research tools for keyword search data and content planning.
- Site audit tools to identify site issues like broken links and optimization opportunities.
- On-page SEO tools for analyzing and optimizing page content.
- SEO reporting tool such as automated reporting and white-label reports.
- Competitor analysis such as backlink analysis and organic search traffic data.
The above features cover the major aspects of SEO.
Some tools might include additional features such as:
- Keyword research data for PPC (pay-per-click) advertising such as Google Ads.
- Social media management features like posting to Facebook from the software.
- Online visibility management features for managing local listings and citations.
- Integrations with free SEO tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
Test a Free Trial or Ask for a Demo
Once you have an understanding of the factors and features to consider above, it's time to check out some SEO tools!
Many paid SEO software tools offer either a free trial, limited access version, demo, or extra information about the tool if you contact the company.
Since SEO software often includes a variety of features, there is usually a learning curve and project setup steps required, especially with complete SEO software platforms. As a result, testing an SEO tool is a good idea before making a final purchase decision.
Knowing which SEO tool to invest in is especially important before adding keywords to track, customizing reports, and integrating other tools for additional data.
Imagine adding hundreds of keywords into an SEO tool, organizing these keywords with custom tags, and starting to collect search results data in the tool, only to switch to a new tool a week or month down the line, wiping your keyword rank tracking data and requiring a fresh keyword tracking setup. Not a fun time!
Choosing Search Engine Optimization Software
Hopefully, the information above about buying SEO software helps you choose software that is best aligned to your business and SEO goals.
For all-in-one SEO software with top reviews, I recommend Semrush or SE Ranking.
Both are leading SEO platforms in the industry. Semrush is a premium solution with many features for Google SEO, while SE Ranking is an affordable Semrush alternative that is growing in features and usage. Both platforms offer a free trial.
The right SEO software can provide valuable insight to boost your SEO strategy, increase the productivity of your efforts, and improve SEO performance.