We know that SEO has much to do with work from strategy and planning, but we cannot ignore that the technical aspect will be what transforms that strategy into real results. In this article, we share tools that help apply and execute an SEO strategy. And while this goes beyond technology, there are inevitably some technical aspects that are necessary.
In this regard, Bill Hunt, an expert in digital marketing, affirms that for good SEO, the only tool you need is your head.
Therefore, one of the most common mistakes in implementing SEO is over-reliance on tools, as we make decisions forgetting the importance of the human component and the experience of the work team, who have direct contact with the client and a deep knowledge of it.
Nevertheless, for those who are starting with their SEO strategy and need to know the main tools to include in their project, here is a useful list to start:
BASIC TOOLBOX TO HAVE A FUNCTIONAL SEO STRATEGY:
First of all, to start with SEO, we should already have at least a website.
After having this first fundamental requirement, we must monitor the performance of the website through Google Analytics.
At the same time, we need to inform search engines like Google and Bing that we have a website and want to establish direct contact with them. This is achieved through platforms or tools like Google Search Console, in the case of Google, and Bing Webmaster Tools, in the case of Bing.
Use tactical tools that allow for greater business intelligence, increase competitiveness, conduct keyword research, identify what type of questions should be answered on websites, and relevant tactical aspects at the content creation level. Some of them are: SEMRush, Ahrefs, and Moz.
In the next level, we find technical tools that allow identifying errors or improvement opportunities for a website. Some of them are: Screaming Frog and Sitebulb.
Finally, there is a tool that very few people take into account, which are spreadsheets, whether Excel, Numbers, or Sheets. Because the good thing about SEO is that, having the data, it can be entered into spreadsheets and make use of all their functionalities to perform validations and contrast relevant information, as well as generate performance reports that allow us to track the management carried out and the results obtained.
How to access Google Search Console and Google Analytics?
In both cases, to access Google Analytics and Google Search Console, it is a requirement to have a Google account (Gmail). With a personal account, for example, I can go to analytics.google.com and associate or link that account with the Analytics account. In the case of Google Search Console, it is done in a very similar way. Here the most important thing is to try to use the same account in all the tools.
For Bing, it is also possible to connect with your Google account and, with your prior authorization, they obtain all the information from Google.
For Google and Bing, it must be demonstrated that one is the owner of the website and that we have access to manage the domain of said website, which provides security and confidence that not anyone can access the information of a website, as a verification process is required in which it is validated that one is the owner and there must be prior approval.
What is Google Search Console and what is it for?
According to Google, Search Console is a free Google service that helps monitor, maintain, and solve website appearance issues in Google Search results. You don't need to register in Search Console to be included in Google Search results, but this program allows you to understand and improve the way Google sees a website. Google Search Console is Google's direct communication with webmasters or website owners and allows the search engine to notify improvement actions that can be used on a specific website. Secondly, it gives the direct version by Google about how the positioning of our website is and in which geographies we are visited the most, with which keywords, what our click-through rate is, and in what position we are.
Now, despite the fact that there are some tools that provide this information, Google Search Console is the one that provides direct information from Google and, therefore, is the most reliable.
Some alternative tools to Google Search Console or Google Analytics are: SEM Rush, Ahrefs, Moz, among others. These are useful and can be used to research and get an idea of how the landscape is, how the industry is, what type of information is trending, and additional data that allows for a good benchmark.
However, to know the real positioning of a website, the most reliable source is through Google Search Console or Bing Webmasters, which are the direct source of the search engine.
We hope this toolbox of essential tools for implementing an SEO strategy has been useful to you!
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