6 Essential SEO Tools for Beginners

Are you ready to jump into search engine optimization (SEO) but unsure about which of the 500+ software solutions is right for you? We can help with this list of the best SEO tools for beginners.

Check out our breakdown of the programs that will serve you well as an eager novice.

The 6 Best SEO Tools for Beginners

If you’re going to start anywhere with SEO tools, these six are your best bet.

1. Google Search Console

Fortunately, the search engine “king of the mountain” offers various free tools for SEO. Of these, Google Search Console is a must-have. 

With Search Console, you can monitor your performance on search engine result pages (SERPs). Then, you can use that information to optimize your site, especially on the technical side. 

For example, you can ensure that Google is crawling the right pages for indexing and ignoring those that don’t contribute to SEO. You can also find out the number of links that point to your site and their anchor texts. A possible drawback is that you’re not going to get the customizability, advanced reports, and long-term analysis of other options. 

Still, advanced SEO tools work best when they connect to Google Search Console to retrieve data anyway. That fact clearly makes it one of the best SEO tools for beginners to investigate first.

2. Google Analytics

Google Search Console’s number one accomplice in digging up valuable SEO information is Google Analytics. The tool gives a free website traffic report, with stats on pageviews, clicks, conversions, and more. Then, you can use its predictive analytics to figure out which actions you can take to improve your metrics. 

However, various users have complained about the latest version, Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The interface is too slow, buggy, and complex for many. Still, like Google Search Console, GA4 is going to be a fundamental part of your martech stack and remain among the best SEO tools for beginners to start with.

3. Yoast

Most websites are running on WordPress and can take advantage of the Yoast plugin. Shopify also has a Yoast app. This is a cost-efficient tool for discovering keywords with a free and paid version. 

Other features help you discover and correct technical issues, too. For instance, you can find and fix broken links, as well as easily set canonical URL tags to avoid content duplication. One of the things we appreciate is the guidance for improving content. As you write, Yoast will rate your writing for its readability and keyword usage. 

In addition, the tool provides suggestions for links as you write. This feature ensures you don’t miss a great opportunity to reference your own content and boost your site’s visibility. Another important feature for beginners is Yoast’s courses to enhance your SEO knowledge and skills. 

It’s not the most powerful tool, but it works very well. For those who want to dabble in SEO content creation, Yoast is an excellent starter tool.

4. Semrush

If you’re serious about SEO, you’re not going to do better than Semrush when it comes to bang for your buck. In fact, it’s our personal favorite at BKA Content. We even partner with them to provide a discount — proof positive that we believe this is the best SEO tool for beginners.

Semrush has exhaustive resources for learning and performing SEO. Its dashboards have everything necessary for analyzing keywords, social media, and optimization. 

Especially important are its competitor analysis tools. You can see what your competition is ranking for and figure out how to get ahead of them on fresh keyword and topic opportunities.

Of course, all of those SEO goodies do come with a higher price tag than basic solutions like Yoast. Still, Semrush costs less than some of its competitors. Also, you can start with a free version that lets you test how you like it before you pay for anything. We’ve discovered that the return on investment makes it well worthwhile when producing content for our clients.

5. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is in the same category as Semrush when it comes to high-powered SEO tools with an intuitive interface. There aren’t many arguments against it being one of the best SEO tools for beginners.

The name is a reference to the href (hypertext reference) attribute that creates a hyperlink. As this indicates, Ahrefs’ claim to fame is its ability to discover link-building opportunities. 

Additionally, the platform does great at auditing sites and giving analytics for improving SEO strategies. Ahrefs is a close second to Semrush, and you wouldn’t go wrong by using it. 

6. BrightLocal

BrightLocal puts the focus squarely on local SEO. It will help you quickly create local listings, as well as offer convenient tools for finding and correcting online mentions and citations. 

Furthermore, this solution doesn’t cost much because it’s only doing one thing, but it does it well. Take BrightLocal for a spin if you have a local brick-and-mortar or service-based business, such as a retail shop, restaurant, or home service.

A Few Honorable Mentions

A few other choices just missed the cut on our list of the best SEO tools for beginners. In particular, Google offers additional free tools:

• Keyword Planner: A Google Ads keyword research tool that can lead to SEO insights
• Trends: Data on the topics gaining in popularity online
• PageSpeed Insights: Your Core Web Vitals score to show how you can speed up your page
• Looker Studio: Not purely for SEO but still a helpful program that lets you build customized reports and visualizations

Any of these can be helpful if you have time to learn them.

Expert Guidance for Using the Best SEO Tools for Beginners 

As easy as some of these tools are to use, you have to make a real investment in time and brain power to maximize their benefits. That can be just a bit too much for many business owners and marketing teams.

Don’t despair! Our crew at BKA Content can provide assistance. Schedule a quick chat for a free consultation and recommendations of the best SEO tools for a beginner.