Are you considering whether SEO tools are necessary for your small business? The answer is yes, but perhaps not in the way you might think. Despite the hype, the need for and usefulness of software will depend on your business’s size, goals, and digital maturity. Here we take a common sense look at useful SEO tools for small businesses.
It is important to understand that no tool, plugin, or score can “boost” a website. SEO software simply provides feedback for you to consider acting upon. And knowing when to take action—or not—requires understanding and nuance.
What are “SEO Tools”?
SEO tools are software programs and online platforms that can help you optimize a website for improved visibility in organic search results. Tools cater to different aspects of SEO, including keyword research, content analysis, technical optimization, competitor research, performance monitoring, and more.
SEO tools include free services (like Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools), plugins (like Yoast or Weglot), and paid software platforms (such as Moz, Semrush, or Ahrefs).
Many small businesses buy plugins or software, but never get very far. Why? Because (1) tools can highlight “issues” that aren’t actually issues and beginners don’t know the difference, causing users to spin their wheels. And (2) many sites blindly chase green lights in Yoast (or “SEO scores” on other platforms), but this is a false type of success. An over-reliance on checklist tools distracts new users from understanding optimization.
Free SEO Tools: Start Here
Below is a list of free SEO tools that have been useful to the DIY clients we’ve worked with over the years. We advise mastering Google’s tools first, then branching out as needed.
Again, every DIY small business should first learn SEO fundamentals. This allows you to monitor your own site, to understand recommendations you read online, and if needed, to know when it’s time for an SEO consultation.
For All Sites
Google Search Console — Start here. GSC tracks your site’s performance in search results and helps identify issues and optimization opportunities.
Screaming Frog — Crawls your website like a search engine spider, helps to uncover technical SEO such as issues with broken links or 301 redirects. Makes quick analysis of page titles and meta descriptions. Most small sites won’t scratch the surface of SF’s capabilities. It crawls sites under 500 URLs for free.
Keywords — Free keyword tools can help you uncover relevant topics. Keep in mind, blindly following tool suggestions can lead to generic content or missing valuable niche opportunities.
Generative AI — AI tools can help you generate SEO content ideas, draft outlines, improve your writing, and make much of your work more efficient.
Bing Webmaster Tools — Similar to GSC, but for Bing.
Squoosh — A simple tool that reduces the file size of images without losing quality. Smaller files mean faster load times.
Google Analytics — GA provides in-depth insights into your website traffic, user behavior, and marketing campaign effectiveness.
Markup Generator — If you need to add structured data to a site, you can use free tools to create it and validate it. Note, Squarespace websites automatically handle most structured data, but adding schema markup is desired in some niche situations.
For Local Businesses
Google Business Profile — When focused on local SEO strategy, GBP optimization will help boost local visibility and attract customers. Also see Bing Places for Business.
For Ecommerce
Google Merchant Center — Connects your online store to Google Shopping and displays your products in search results.
See Ahrefs’ free options for easy-to-use tools that don’t require an account. Again, most small businesses do not need expensive research and analysis software to succeed online.
SEO Plugins: Depends on Your Site
A plugin is a small software add-on or extension. Plugins are usually controlled by a single company or developer, and are typically offered as a paid subscription.
Using plugins is a site-by-site decision. Many SEO plugin functions can be more efficiently handled directly on your website itself (or just by learning SEO basics). Handling these functions natively improves website performance and stability, as it reduces the reliance on third-party plugins which can slow down a site or cause compatibility issues.
For most sites, especially those on modern platforms with built-in SEO tools, plugins are not necessary. For beginners, plugins can easily lead to over-optimization and a misunderstanding of SEO principles. But for websites engaged in advanced SEO, like multilingual sites or enterprise-level projects, certain plugins can be valuable.
Google’s John Mueller offered practical advice on Twitter to small businesses: “never self-host, avoid plugins, buy your domain name, use a simple & reliable platform…”
Google’s John Mueller on Twitter
WordPress
Many WordPress SEO plugins originated to fill gaps in the platform’s technical capabilities. For example, automatic XML sitemaps were only released in August 2020. Prior to this update, users either had to manually create sitemaps (via a tool like Screaming Frog mentioned above) or rely on plugins.
Today, such functionalities are built into WordPress. However, beginners still often default to installing tools such as Yoast SEO without realizing plugins are not required. Some may find the guided checklists helpful, but it is worth noting that tools like Yoast continue to highlight factors like “text length,” even though a low word count does not indicate thin content—these sorts of metrics are rooted in older SEO approaches and easily misinterpreted by those new to optimization.
Squarespace
The Squarespace platform takes care of technical details for you—this is the entire point of Squarespace—making SEO plugins irrelevant. The platform handles XML sitemaps, canonicalization, robots.txt, and more. This said, if you have advanced requirements, such as a multilingual site, the platform offers a couple of SEO-related extensions.
Read more about Squarespace’s SEO tools and features.
Paid SEO Software: Assessing the Need
SEO software (like Moz, Semrush, Ahrefs) can simplify complex tasks for digital marketing agencies and SEO professionals managing multiple clients. These tools are designed to streamline repetitive tasks and provide comprehensive data analysis. They were not developed for the average small business user and are overkill for most small sites.
However, many small businesses now explore these tools. Why? SaaS (Software as a Service) platforms grow their revenue by either encouraging existing customers to upgrade to higher tier plans or by broadening their user base. In the SEO realm, this expansion strategy means trying to reach any business with a general interest in SEO. This is typically achieved through:
Content Marketing. Many SaaS platforms leverage content marketing to attract potential customers. Using the site: command on SaaS domains reveals the extensive amount of content they publish.
Affiliate Marketing. Affiliate marketers often promote SaaS products via “product reviews” and online mentions in user forums.
These pricey tools do play a legitimate role for SEO professionals. As organizations grow, tracking and optimization becomes more complex. In such scenarios, paid SEO solutions can make managing large websites, multiple sites, or multiple locations easier.
Recommendation
For small businesses embracing the DIY SEO approach, our recommendation is to start with a solid grasp of SEO fundamentals. Begin by familiarizing yourself with Google’s free tools (listed above) and the basics of SEO. After some hands-on experience, if you find a real need for more advanced features (versus just grasping at straws), consider exploring free versions or trials of paid tools before making any financial commitments.
Avoid tools focused on superficial metrics like character count, word count, or URL length. These are relics of a long ago era when a formulaic approach worked. Modern search engines are sophisticated, prioritizing user intent, content relevance, and overall search experience.
Using any SEO tool without understanding SEO principles is a bit like trying to fly an airplane without knowing how to pilot it. You or your team should have a solid understanding of SEO principles to effectively “pilot” the paid software options.
Final Thoughts
Free SEO tools, particularly those offered by Google, are an excellent starting point for everyone. The effectiveness of any SEO tool is not in the tool itself, but in how well you understand SEO principles and apply insights gained. Start simple, focus on learning SEO, read about common SEO myths, then evaluate more complex tools as your business’s digital footprint grows.
