Useful SEO Tools for Beginners

When you’ve just set up a new website it can be difficult to keep on top of everything and find out exactly what tools are out there to help you. With so many companies offering similar, at least on the face of it at any rate, services, choosing the right one for your needs can be tricky.

Here are a few SEO tools that might get you started:

Analytics Tools

These are coded into every page of your site and will be invisible to all visitors. Through your analytics data you will be able to determine how many people have passed through the site, as well as where they went, how long they stayed and other details.

You can then use the data to optimise your site fully; making changes where issues arise, as flagged up by dips in visitor numbers or an increase in bounce rate.

Google Analytics
This free tool is one of the most comprehensive and easy to use on the market. It’s straightforward to set up and will give you concise information on your visitor’s activities.

Statcounter
Offering various levels of analytics, from their basic free model to a more advanced subscription service, Statcounter is another hugely popular tool. The advantage it has over Google is that it logs and locates ISP addresses, which can help determine erroneous and even fraudulent clicks if you set up a Paid Search account.

Keyword Tools

As simple as they sound. A keyword tool will basically provide you with an analysis of some terms, giving you information on how often they are searched for and how popular they are elsewhere. The ideal scenario is a key phrase that is very popular with searchers but has limited competition. These tools can also be used to help create blog post titles and other keyword orientated features.

Wordtracker
Available in both a simple free version (offering Keyword Questions, rather than the keyword phrases themselves) and a slightly more complex subscription form, Wordtrack is perfect for locating niche keywords. It’s affordable too, and you can get an instant return on your investment when you start optimising your site.

Google AdWords
As with most things produced by Google, AdWords is both free and exceptionally useful. You can quickly locate huge numbers of key terms and related variations. Well worth trying out if you’re stuck with your SEO.

Spyfu
Get the inside track on what your competitors are doing with Spyfu. It will track down exactly what the sites around you are targeting, giving you a heads up on what to do with your own.

Hopefully that will give you a good starting point for your SEO. There are of course many other areas that you may, in time, require further assistance, but these should get you moving in the right direction.