On Thursday, May thirty first, TechTarget hosted Dan Shure’s SEMNE discuss “12 Ways to Use SEO Tools You’ve (Mostly) Never Seen Before” at our Newton, MA workplaces. We had been excited to not solely host the event, however much more thrilled to study just a few new methods to make use of the SEO instruments and plugins in our ever-growing arsenal.
Dan’s primary objective was to present each single attendee with at the least one new instrument or one new method to use a instrument they’re already utilizing. Judging by the viewers reactions throughout his discuss and from the suggestions instantly afterward, he completely hit objective. Given that the viewers various from newbies to extra seasoned SEO professionals, this was no straightforward feat.
During his presentation, Dan lined seven SEO instrument classes he outlined as:
- Plugins
- Diagnostics
- Video SEO
- Make you look good
- UX
- Reactive
- Content
I’m not going to rewrite his presentation as a result of I’ll hyperlink to that on the finish for many who had been unable to attend or need to re-review, however I’d like to spotlight just a few of my favourite instruments that I used to be both already utilizing, have now realized a brand new method to use, or are model new to me and my workflows managing search site visitors and engagement for TechTarget’s huge community of technology-specific web sites.
SEO Plugins
I really like SEO plugins. They make it straightforward to execute real-time SEO analysis and evaluation with out all the time having to log in to your favourite SEO platform. (Not that there’s something incorrect with that.) If you’re like me and have already got fifty tabs open, you perceive the worth of not having to open one other tab and toggling between the 2 if you don’t want to.
MozBar, Broken Link Checker, and Keywords Everywhere are three of my favourite SEO plugins Dan included in his presentation. (Add hyperlinks to the instruments and screenshots.)
I’ve been utilizing MozBar because it launched. It has fast insights into area authority, on-page hyperlinks, optimization insights, key phrase knowledge and hyperlink knowledge. It’s nice as a high-level overview even inside the SERPs or as an entry level to extra in-depth evaluation inside the Moz platform.
Dan talked about utilizing Broken Link Checker to discover alternatives for hyperlink constructing attain out, however I find it irresistible for URL stage evaluation. When I’m content material for updating or fixing efficiency points, I completely need to know if the web page has any damaged hyperlinks.
And whereas I can verify in Ahrefs for damaged hyperlinks, this plugin permits me to do it on-page within the browser window whereas I’m assessing issues just like the inclusion of associated matters, wealthy media and subheadings.
Keywords Everywhere is a improbable add-on for Chrome and Firefox that exhibits search quantity, CPC and competitors knowledge from a number of websites in a single location. Additionally, utilizing its “individuals additionally seek for” function is one other good way to construct out knowledge for a content material technique or bundle.
SEO Diagnostic Tools
Diagnostic instruments are extremely necessary to all events concerned in SEO. There is all the time one thing to diagnose whether or not you’re an in-house SEO or operating an company.
SEMrush is a instrument I exploit for a lot of issues, however particularly the “Subdomains Report” Dan talked about is useful for conducting analysis prior to accepting a consulting gig. No one likes to discover shock subdomains that weren’t accounted for prior to quoting a challenge. It’s additionally nice for conducting aggressive evaluation and a improbable method to get a excessive stage snapshot of rankings and site visitors throughout all the subdomains in a community. The potential to drill down into those self same particulars is an environment friendly method to phase out particulars throughout analysis and evaluation.
Another nice tip from Dan is to use the Google Analytics date comparability hack, which is immensely useful if you’re diagnosing a drop in site visitors — simply ask my staff. As Dan mentioned, “it’s easy, the date evaluate is reverse.” By utilizing this hack, uncovering content material that has declined in efficiency over time is a snap. Once the content material is recognized, analysis and evaluation on causes, and uncovering potential enhancements can start.
Video SEO
VidIQ is nice video advertising and analytics instrument that was beforehand unknown to me. I don’t work with video content material as usually as I did earlier in my profession, however having a instrument the place I can execute YouTube particular key phrase analysis is a goldmine. Whether it’s stay footage from an trade occasion, an interview, or extra in-depth technical video content material, realizing what individuals are searching for and focusing on these alternatives is advantageous.
SEO instruments that make you look good
Interestingly sufficient, Dan supplied Answer the Public as a instrument to impress purchasers with and you already know what? It is spectacular. My staff makes use of this instrument to generate content material concepts with our editorial employees. One of the very best methods to make sure that a searcher is glad is by comprehensively answering their question and doing it effectively.
User Experience (UX) Tools
Funkify is one other instrument that was new to me. It’s a Chrome extension that enables you to expertise the online and interfaces as a person with a incapacity. As examples, a designer or product proprietor may use Funkify to simply simulate how somebody with colour blindness or ADHD is ready (or unable) to work together with a web site. Using this instrument and performing on the output can assist make sure that extra websites are correctly accessible to people with disabilities.
Reactive SEO Tools
HARO (Help A Reporter Out) is a web site the place reporters and sources alike could make connections for tales. Three instances a day, real requests are despatched out from reporters searching for trade consultants to assist with article writing. It’s an effective way to construct your private or firm model and improve discoverability of your content material by earned hyperlinks.
Content Hacks
One of the content material hacks Dan talked about is one which I exploit fairly a bit — the “Keyword Gap Report” in SEMRush. This report is improbable for figuring out alternatives to goal each your opponents’ rankings and the place they’re not performing effectively. In addition, it’s a very useful gizmo to assist gross sales groups craft pitches about how their websites could also be killing it organically and why a possible shopper ought to develop into their companion.
Final Thoughts
(*10*) and you may have to just be sure you are making use of the instruments you want and making the most of what works finest in your particular job and marketing campaign. There are many SEO instruments, plugins and hacks to benefit from past what I’ve reviewed right here.
Have some instrument suggestions? Add them within the feedback under.
Want to study extra?
Watch Dan Shure’s complete presentation, overview his deck, follow him on Twitter, and subscribe to his YouTube channel. You received’t be dissatisfied.
content marketing, Moz, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, SEM, SEO, SEO tools
