A quick Google Search (or any other search) for ‘SEO tools’ can lead you down quite a large rabbit hole of SEO tools ads, lists of SEO tools and reviews of SEO tools. Though what are the best tools to use in 2023? In this blog, we are keeping it relativity simple and outlining some of the SEO tools we use at GlowMetrics and how you can use them to assist your SEO domination.

Top 10 SEO Tools we use in 2023

 

1. Semrush

What it’s used for: A bit of everything

While one of the only tools on the list that isn’t free, Semrush can’t be pigeonholed into one area offering over 40 specialised tools across the SEO spectrum. With tools in competitor analysis, website benchmarking, keyword research, link building, on-page SEO, reporting and social media management, Semrush sits as one of the best SEO and digital marketing tools out there.

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: Domain Overview, as the name suggests, grants the user overview detail in the authority score, organic traffic level, backlinks and keywords of your site’s domain.  

 

 

2. Google Search Console

What it’s used for: Google Search Visibility and Ranking  

Google Search Console helps website owners to monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot their site’s presence in Google Search results and the Google Discovery feed. Search Console provides tools and reports to track impressions, clicks, CTR, average position and what queries your pages show while also alerting you to any issues Google encounters with indexing, spam etc. A site owner can also use Google Search Console to fix any indexing problems and request re-indexing of new/updated content. 

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: Performance on Search results allows the user to see the individual metrics for organic traffic for each page with the ability to filter by query, country, device, search type and date.

 

3. ChatGPT

What it’s used for: Content Ideas/Keyword Research

I asked ChatGPT to define itself as an SEO tool and it conveniently sent me to this very useful blog:

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: ChatGPT can be used to start new ideas for content and keywords. Asking for some examples can spark your creative process!

 

 

4. Answer The Public

What it’s used for: Content Ideas/Keyword Research

Answer The Public is commonly described as a keyword research tool, that scrapes data from Google and Bing to generate keyword ideas and questions based on the user’s search query or topic. The data is then displayed to the user in a visual format, that allows the data to be easily digested.

If you aren’t signed in to Answer The Public you are gifted 1 free search per 24 hours, though if you create a free account you unlock 3 free searches a day. There are also several subscription options available.  

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: Similar to ChatGPT, Answer The Public can supply many great ideas to get started.

 

 

5. Screaming Frog SEO Spider

What it’s used for: Site/Element Inspection

Screaming Frog is a desktop-based web crawler that can be used to crawl, collect data on and audit a site for common SEO issues. Focusing on mainly on-site SEO, the crawler pulls data and notifies issues on site structure, and links, examines page titles, meta descriptions, meta keywords and much more.

Screaming Frog can crawl up to 500 URLs for free though you will need to buy a licence for more.

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: Crawl Visualisations provides visualisations of how the SEO spider has crawled your site, by the shortest path to the page.

 

 

6. META SEO Inspector & Alt Attribute Viewer

What it’s used for: Site/Element Inspection

Both extensions cover parts of what Screaming Frog can do, though a lot quicker and more manageable. META SEO Inspector supplies the user with a quick SEO check (common elements, social, structured data, mobile, mark-up, link and presentation) of any page they are on, while Alt Attribute Viewer displays alternative attributes for any images on the page the user is on.

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: Both extensions offer quick access to any page’s basic SEO elements.

 

 

7. Google Analytics/GA4

What it’s used for: Website Traffic Monitoring

Google Analytics is a free web analytics service used to track website performance and collect visitor behaviour and interactions by acquiring user data from each website visitor through the use of page tags. Google Analytics can be used to measure website traffic user engagement, conversion rates and many other key performance indicators.

In July 2023, the current version of Google Analytics will stop processing hits and will be replaced by Google Analytics 4 therefore you must set up GA4 before then.

If this all sounds very confusing, we offer a GA4 training course, in which you will learn practical techniques for planning and setting up your GA4 configuration, creating reports, and extracting valuable insights from your data.

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: Google Analytics gives you a great overview of how users interact with your site and the data can be used to help make better business decisions.

 

 

8. Schema Builder for Structured Data

What it’s used for: Structured Data

Structured Data is an extremely important part of page SEO as it makes it easier for Google to understand what your pages, products and your website are about. Though don’t just take my word for it – check out the following blogs:

Schema Builder for Structured Data is a very useful tool/browser extension which will allow you to validate your schema markup, and show any errors and warnings, while you can also generate and test markup easily using existing page content.  

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: The extension allows you to point-and-click to populate any schema fields, making schema creation a lot simpler.

 

 

9. Google Page Speed Insights

What it’s used for: Monitor how fast your site loads

Google’s Page Speed Insights is a free developer tool that allows you to monitor the user experience of any page on mobile and desktop devices. Using Core Web Vitals (https://www.glowmetrics.com/blog/googles-core-web-vitals-explained/) as the main assessment metrics, the report displays a traffic light system to show how your page speed compares to Google standards. The report also goes into further detail by listing out performance issues, while also giving some solutions to assist.

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: The performance issues and solution reporting are quite technical, though it is useful to help you and your web development team to get your page performing to Google standards

 

 

10. Yoast SEO PLUGIN

What it’s used for: SEO Optimisation on WordPress sites

Described as the #1 WordPress SEO plugin, Yoast helps you improve your website’s rankings on search engines, by helping you optimize your site’s content and keywords. By installing the WordPress plugin, Yoast displays several input boxes allowing you to manfully customise the title tag, meta description, URL slug and social title/description/image. Yoast also ranks your site on several SEO and content readability factors, pointing out problems, and opportunities for improvement and providing links on how to address the issues.

Favourite Feature/Why should you use it: Yoast is a simple way to optimise your pages for SEO. 

 

 

 

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