SEO plays an important role for small businesses in order to
get noticed in the online platform and more customers. But engaging a
professional or employing expensive equipment is not easy going for small
business organizations that have limited resources. Luckily, we can also find
many SEO tools which are free to use for small businesses to improve their
online visibility. Below are the top 10 free SEO tools that are easy to use and
highly effective for any small business:
1. Google Search Console
This tool should be important for anyone who is in charge of a website as it has a close relation with Google. It gives you an understanding of how your site is ranking on Google SERPs. It allows you to see which keywords people are using to reach your site, look for indexing problems, and submit your site map for improved crawling. Besides, it informs you of any concerns, for example, mobile usability issues or security concerns, and even helps you take action to remove negative content from Google that could harm your brand’s reputation.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Find out which pages are converting.
ii. Look for mistakes that may harm your site’s standings.
iii. Track your backlinks to the site.
2. Google Analytics
Google Analytics provides insights into how users engage with your website. From the flow of visitors to finding out the pages that are most viewed, this tool can assist in telling one what should be done and what should not.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Count the total number of people who visited, their age,
and state of origin.
ii. Watch out for user activities in order to fine tune your
site.
iii. Get to know how successful your marketing campaigns
are.
3. Semrush (Free Version)
Semrush is indeed a paid tool, but there is a load of data you can use even without paying a dollar if you’re a small business owner. It is possible to do keyword research, monitor your website ranking, and analyze rivals’ actions.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Find out the appropriate keywords for your field of
business.
ii. Get insight into competitors’ websites.
iii. Check the progress of your site over some time.
4. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
Ahrefs is another SEO software that can be availed in the premium version; however, it offers a free version called the Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. This free version allows you to view backlinks to your site, track your rankings, and perform an audit to address technical mistakes.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Analyse back links to the site.
ii. Correct all the technical issues you find in relation to
SEO.
iii. Find out whether your site is more or less competitive
than your competitors.
5. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is most suitable for generating keywords related to your business. While it is created for advertisers, it can be useful for small businesses to find out which keywords are popular and plan content around them.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Find new relevant keywords.
ii. Check out the traffic and competition for specific
terms.
iii. Align the content of the plan with the user’s purpose.
6. Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO is an open-source WordPress plugin that makes on-page SEO easy for small business owners. It aids in enhancing your website ranking by directing you on how to use keywords, write meta descriptions, and structure your content well.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Ensure your blog posts and pages are keyword-optimized
for certain terms.
ii. Receive tips on how to make the text easier to read and
optimize for search engines.
iii. Develop XML sitemaps to enhance the crawling activity
effectively.
7. Google Trends
Google Trends makes it possible to track search queries and
how they shift with time as well as across space. It is a great tool for
tracking trends and for making content that relates to what people are looking
for.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Find out what hot topics are right now and get insight
into the seasonal trends.
ii. Compare keyword popularity in the past and at present.
iii. Define local marketing concerning search interests by
areas.
8. Google Business Profile (previously known as Google My Business)
If a small business wants to reach a local audience, the Google Business Profile should be used. It helps to get into the local search and Google Maps. Further, it is a useful tool for creating and editing the business profile which contains addresses, working hours, and customer feedback.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Increase website ranking in local search results.
ii. Respond to customers through reviews and keep them
updated.
iii. Monitor where customers locate your business when they
search on the internet.
9.Google PageSpeed Insights
PageSpeed Insights provides you with the performance metrics of your site in terms of speed based on the devices users use like desktop and mobile devices. It offers specific suggestions for decreasing the loading time, which is essential for site visitors' satisfaction as well as for search engine ranking.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Optimize page load time.
ii. Find out how to improve images, code, and servers.
iii. Improve mobile optimization for better ranking.
10. Surfer SEO (Free Version)
This tool is free and consists of a content editor and a SERP analyzer since content must be crafted and optimized properly for better rankings. The free features are most advantageous for a small business that is interested in enhancing the content of the site.
Why It’s Useful:
i. Keyword placement and density.
ii. Conduct a content audit on the competition to determine
the areas to target.
iii. Looking for tips on how to structure the content and
how to make it more easily readable.
Conclusion
These free SEO tools can make a lot of difference to small
businesses in enhancing their online presence and traffic to their website. While
there are basic tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics that give
you necessary data on how your site remains, others like Yoast SEO and Surfer
SEO help in content optimization. With these tools applied appropriately, you
will be able to build a great SEO base even when you lack deep pockets.
