In certain professions, relying solely on your individual resourcefulness, physical prowess, or drive may suffice; however, search engine optimization(SEO) and digital marketing do not fall into that category. In this industry, success often hinges on a combination of strategic thinking, technical skills, and adaptability, making it essential to leverage specialized tools and resources. At this point you may be asking yourself: As a local business owner, how will I be able to achieve my online marketing goals without the experience and technical knowledge of professionals? Great question! Well, out of the dozens and dozens of options out there, I’ve devised a list of user-friendly and helpful SEO tools that I think are the best for helping local businesses achieve their online marketing goals.
What is an SEO Tool?
To start, let’s make sure we understand what SEO tools actually are. An SEO tool can be defined as a software or online platform designed to improve some aspect of search engine optimization, such as online visibility and ranking on search engines like Google. Widely used by online marketers and SEO professionals, SEO tools offer a range of features that serve various purposes, such as search query analytics, reporting automation, content optimization, website performance analysis or audits, and so much more.
What Makes a Good SEO tool?
As a local business owner, your time and resources are finite. Thus, it is clear that you are in need of an easy and effective SEO tool, but what exact characteristics make an SEO tool “good” or useful? What makes a “good” SEO tool for your business may differ from what would be considered a “good” SEO tool for professional SEO marketers, let’s say; however, there are some basic parameters we can use to determine the value of SEO tools. If you are unsure if a SEO tool is right for your business needs, ask yourself if the following characteristics are existent: (1) SEO-centric functionality, (2) value, (3), user-friendly, (4) integrated platforms. Now, what does this all mean? SEO-centric functionality means that every SEO tool should have an element that relates back to search engine optimization. This is step one–if your SEO tool of choice does not actually relate to any elements of SEO (i.e. keyword analysis, audit tools, on-page performance assessment, competitor analysis, etc.), you should probably look for another option. Secondly, if your SEO tool of choice requires a subscription, does the price equate to the quality of the product and its services? In this blog, I will offer some SEO tools that are free; however, the majority are not, so it is important to be able to properly gauge if the tools offered are extensive and comprehensive enough to warrant the subscription price. Although it ranks third on the list, this characteristic holds significant importance nonetheless. User experience and friendliness should be of your top considerations for SEO tools. Keep in mind that there will be a learning curve with all of the below noted SEO tools–as there is for everyone, SEO professionals and local business owners alike–but that learning curve should be relatively low so users are able to access features they need, as well as seamlessly integrate these tools into their performance1. Lastly, a key characteristic of a good and useful SEO tool is its ability to be integrated into other software products. To further elaborate, users should be able to integrate the offered SEO tools and features into their common-place business platforms that already exist, such as platforms relating to tasks like meetings, reporting, scheduling, and customer management.
The Top 7 SEO Tools for Local Businesses in 2024:
The following list was curated with the local business in mind. The listed SEO tools have been chosen because they are user-friendly and easy to navigate, with a minimal learning curve and no technical skills required. Also, keep in mind that in order to see meaningful progress via these SEO tools, there should be continuous effort put forth and monitoring in place to ensure long-term improvement in your business’s SEO2. Remember, a SEO tool is only as great as the effort you invest in utilizing it effectively. With that being said, let’s take a look at my top ranking SEO tools for local businesses in 2024:
- Google Search Console
Coming in first place is Google Search Console (GSC), previously known as Google Webmaster Tool. GSC is a free web service that allows for improved SEO, so while it does not technically fall under the definition of SEO tools, this Google service is excellent for optimizing your website’s visibility and traffic flow. This service will allow you to understand how Google is interacting with your site, which if you are at all familiar with SEO, you know that Google’s interaction and ranking of your website is key to successful SEO. Features of this free web service allows you to receive alerts about indexing and spam issues, check search queries, identify page errors or broken links, and overall optimize the visibility of your website. While Google Search Console lacks some of the more robust and advanced features of other SEO tools, it acts as a great starting point and introductory for local businesses trying to improve their SEO.
- Google Ads Keyword Planner
While this tool is also not technically considered an SEO tool, its utilization and application directly impact one’s search engine optimization performance. A big aspect of SEO is keyword research, which can be defined as the process of identifying and analyzing the words and phrases that people use when searching for information, products, or services on search engines like Google. To simplify, if your site keywords are not specified to that of your target audience, your site will not appear in the search results when users are searching for your specific good or service, which results in minimal to no site traffic. Enter, Google Ads Keyword Planner. This free web service is so easy to use! You simply plug your site URL into the search engine and Google will present you with tons of suggested keywords based on your URL. You can then begin to integrate some of those keywords into your site–it’s as simple as that!
- Google Analytics
How shocking! Another free Google web service to improve your SEO. You will quickly learn that Google will become your best friend when it comes to search engine optimization. Just as much as you want your website to succeed and have high online visibility, Google wants to provide users with sites like yours to meet user needs–your needs are mutually exclusive. This Google web service is for the local business owner who is a bit more tech-savvy. Google Analytics uses crawling bots and analytics to track website performance with the end goal of improving online marketing. Such a tool will help identify and organize sources of user traffic, gauge the success of marketing activities and content, as well as discover patterns within your user engagement. All of this information can be applied and leveraged to improve your local business’s SEO.
- Ahrefs
Ahrefs is an online platform that boasts many free SEO tools and resources. This SEO tool has quickly become one of the most popular tools on the market since their release in 2011. One of the features I love about Ahrefs is that it offers both free and paid SEO tools and resources. This allows you to first get comfortable and acquainted with the platform, as well as see its capabilities and effectiveness before dropping x amount of money on a subscription that you are completely unfamiliar with. I would also agree that the paid version of Ahrefs does fairly equate to the services and features you would be receiving. Another noteworthy quality of Ahrefs’ is that it is considered to be an all-in-one SEO tool, which means the platform offers an array of features, including but not limited to competitor analysis, site audits, content discovery, keyword research, and more. Furthermore, if you do opt for a paid subscription to Ahrefs, they offer user-support to help guide you through any confusion with the platform. Lastly, Ahrefs also provides free educational resources and classes, with live customer support if needed. All in all, Ahrefs is a wonderful SEO tool for local businesses that proves to be extremely user-friendly and effective.
- SemRush
SemRush is another fantastic SEO tool used and trusted by both professionals and local businesses. While this SEO tool can be on the pricier side, the features and services provided make it well worth the price. The platform offers an extremely comprehensive and extensive toolkit to address all of your SEO and local SEO needs. This SEO toolkit covers everything from keyword research and content to technical analysis and backlink analytics. I might add that SemRush is also highly organized and boasts various features that allow you to continually track and edit your projects. This platform offers a structured and straightforward approach to search engine optimization that makes it a great option for local businesses.
- Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is considered to be an SEO spider tool, meaning this platform utilizes a software that “crawls” around on a website to harvest and present data to the user. Screaming Frog can be an extremely useful tool for local businesses as this platform does not require you to have a deep or extensive knowledge of SEO in order to identify issues and their solutions–Screaming Frog will do it for you! Whether it’s addressing something as seemingly small as title tags or tackling more complex issues, Screaming Frog will filter these issues for you. Another great feature of Screaming Frog is that it boasts both free and paid features, so if you are at all hesitant about pressing send on your SEO journey, you can start for free at no loss. In addition, the paid version is set at a yearly price that I would consider as fair given the platform’s services and features.
- Surfer AI
If you are looking for a well-rounded SEO tool, this may not be the choice for you; however, if you are specifically looking to improve the quality and ranking of your content, this is just the tool for you! Surfer AI is a great option for local businesses who lack attractive and high-ranking content. Whether you are not an experienced writer or simply lack the time, Surfer AI will facilitate the research, writing, and optimization process of content creation for you! Content is one of the most important aspects of successful SEO, so while this SEO tool comes at a price, its features and their results are 100% worth it.
A Few Parting Tips to Keep in Mind:
I know that often people have this perception of digital marketing that it has to be extremely technical and complicated, involving a lot of coding and tech. While this can be true in some cases, there are many aspects of search engine optimization that are relatively straightforward and do not require much time. Thus, my point is do not measure the effectiveness or worthiness of a tool based on the time and knowledge required. Something as seemingly small as a title tag, as noted previously, has huge impacts on your search engine optimization! To add to that point, you do not need to have a SEO tool that will present you with one-hundred different tasks. While those types of SEO tools are out there and serve their own purpose, your search engine optimization can be greatly improved by just a few tweaks here and there. In this case, less is more. You by no means need to have the fanciest or most expensive SEO tool to start improving your search engine optimization, so do not let perceptions or lack of knowledge stop you from improving your local business’s SEO today!
Arielle recently joined the Zulu Shack Team and plays a pivotal role in SEO, as well as overall project management. With a double BA degree in Sustainability and Government, Arielle brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to the Zulu Shack Team. Her background in Sustainability and Government equips her with a deep understanding of complex systems and strategic planning, which she seamlessly applies to her role in SEO. Among family and friends, she’s known to be a phenomenal event planner, bringing her keen sense of style to personalize important events and celebrations. Whether engaged in her professional endeavors or pursuing her interests, Arielle’s boundless enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to growth positively impacts those around her.