Although SEO best practices are undeniably important, learning SEO is no easy task. That’s why you need to know about the must-bookmark directory of SEO tools created by SEOChat. Not only will they help you keep your content optimized and up-to-date—they can also help you stay ahead of the ever-changing Google algorithm curve, and keep your website (or your clients’ sites and blogs) functioning at optimum levels.
We recommend checking out all of SEOChat’s recommendations–they’re seriously a whole bunch of awesomeness. But to save time and cut to the chase, here are a few of our most favorite SEO tools
IMN Google Site Map Generator
Fixing broken links is not only good for SEO, it’s good for your customers – nobody likes getting stuck while trying to get around your website. And you might have more broken links than you realize. To find the problem areas, simply type your URL into the IMN Google Site Map Generator and you’ll get a full report that includes broken links, redirects and a site crawl. You can also opt to have the report emailed to you so that you can access it as needed.
Page Speed Checker
Page speed is a big, honkin’ deal. Slow loading sites not only get no Google love, they irritate the heck out of your customers and prospects. If your site is too slow, you’ll get dinged by the Goog from an SEO standpoint and likely lose visitors who lose patience with your lack of understanding about their need for speed. Use a tool like Page Speed Checker to periodically evaluate your page’s load time and, if it’s too slow, make changes accordingly. Get rid of unnecessary widgets or graphics that are slow loading — and you might even need to consider changing website hosting companies.
On-Page Optimization Tool
Admit it—you’ve always wanted to crawl inside Google’s brain, haven’t you? Get a jumpstart with the On-Page Optimization Tool, which lets you see your site as the search spiders do. Total geek alert there, because it’s pretty cool. Use the tool to evaluate (and refine) site elements like internal links, meta information and page content.
Keyword Position Tool
You’ve likely done keyword research to help drive your website and blog content—yet how can you be sure your site ranks for those particular keywords? Run a report with Keyword Position Tool, which checks results from Google, Yahoo and MSN to see what position your site holds for a specified keyword phrase; for example, “Not in top 100,” etc. FYI? If you’re sitting down to run a bunch of keyword reports at once, the Keyword Position Tool will run one report every 5 seconds.
Meta Tag Generator
Meta tags are super important. In essence, your meta tags tell Google (and other search engines) what the content on each page of your site (or blog) is about. And yes, Virginia, every blog post (and page of web content) needs a meta description. Meta descriptions make it easier for others to find your website and/or blog based on the keywords that you use in the description (that are also supported by the content in your post or on your page). If you’re relatively new to the world of SEO and web writing, you can use the Meta Tag Generator Tool to help generate effective meta tags. Simply enter a list of relevant keywords and a short description of your page and the tool will generate a list of meta tags that you can then incorporate into your site or blog post.
How’s that for a list to get you started? Be sure you check out the rest of the directory, too, especially if you have a specific SEO-related concern or query.
Have you used any of these tools? If so, what do you think? And if you’re willing to share details of other must-use SEO tools you’ve found, we’re all ears.
Shelly Kramer is a Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research. A serial entrepreneur with a technology centric focus, she has worked alongside some of the world’s largest brands to embrace disruption and spur innovation, understand and address the realities of the connected customer, and help navigate the process of digital transformation. She brings 20 years’ experience as a brand strategist to her work at Futurum, and has deep experience helping global companies with marketing challenges, GTM strategies, messaging develoment, and driving strategy and digital transformation for B2B brands across multiple verticals. Shelly’s coverage areas include Collaboration/CX/SaaS, platforms, ESG, and Cybersecurity, as well as topics and trends related to the Future of Work, the transformation of the workplace and how people and technology are driving that transformation. A transplanted New Yorker, she has learned to love life in the Midwest, and has firsthand experience that some of the most innovative minds and most successful companies in the world also happen to live in “flyover country.”