A working knowledge of search engine optimization(SEO)is useful for more than just search advertising and getting your site found for relevant keywords.
Search engines offer a window into our collective wants, questions, concerns, and curiosities. Knowing thebasics of SEOcan help you become a more effective entrepreneur overall, from using search volume to evaluate the demand for a product idea to establishing the empathy you need for effective copywriting.
Unfortunately, many of the bestecommerce SEOtools run $100 per month or more, which isn’t ideal if you’re a bootstrapped entrepreneur or still trying to wrap your head around SEO.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of free SEO tools to use for anything fromkeyword researchto backlink analysis.
Top 10 Free SEO tools for driving traffic to your website
- MozBar SEO toolbar
- Bing Webmaster Tools
- Ahrefs
- SEO Review Tools
- SEMRush
- AnswerThePublic
- WordStream by Local IQ Free Keyword Research Tool
- Keyword Tool
- Seed Keywords by Red Evolution
- Ubersuggest free keyword suggestions
Driving traffic to your websiteis a constant priority and challenge for many ecommerce businesses. These free tools forsearch engine marketingcan help you drive traffic to your site by optimizing for search.
1. MozBar SEO toolbar
MozBar, a free Chrome extension you can use after creating an account, will tell you any page or site’s Page Authority, Domain Authority, and Spam Score. This is particularly helpful when running acompetitor keyword analysis,这将告诉你会有多难,如何many quality backlinks you might need to build, to get a good ranking. MozBar also gives you other tools for conveniently analyzing on-page SEO and evaluating how useful a backlink from a certain page might be.
2. Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing Webmaster Toolsoffer a breadth of SEO features, including backlink tracking, keyword research, and site audits. You can use the free SEO tool to run reports as well. The Bing URL Submission Plugin for WordPress also automatically submits new URLs from your site to the Bing index so they’re more visible.
3. Ahrefs
Ahrefsoffers a suite of free and paid SEO tools for all sorts of things.
- Free Keyword Generator: insights across Google, Bing, YouTube, and Amazon, including keyword volumes and related questions
- Free Backlink Checker: crawl the web to see the top 100 other websites that link to yours
- Free Keyword Rank Checker: see where you rank for your chosen keywords
- Free Broken Link Checker: enter your website URL to see 10 broken links
4. SEO Review Tools
SEO Review Toolsis one of the most comprehensive collections of free SEO tools in a single place. It has more than 60 different tools with specific features, including technical SEO tools, content SEO tools, and SEO authority tools.
5. SEMRush
SEMrush is a comprehensive SEO tool with a wide range of features. Though you’ll need a paid account to access most of them, SEMrush offers the following free tools:
- Position Tracking: track your search rankings; free for up to 10 keywords
- Site Audit: a content and technical SEO audit of your site; free for up 100 URLs
- Listing Management: free audit of local listings on more than 70 platforms
- SEO Content Template: generate a content brief for your target keyword; 1 free template
- SEO Writing Assistant: guidance to writing content optimized for your keywords; one free template
- On Page SEO Checker: get recommendations to optimize existing content; free for up to 10 keywords
- Keyword Magic ToolandKeyword Overview: run 10 free keyword research reports each day
- Domain Overview: analyze up to 10 competitors for free
SEMrush also offers a seven-day free trial.
Free SEO keyword research tools
Keyword research is a big part of SEO, as it informs your content strategy. Free SEO keyword analysis tools help you identify which words and phrases to target.
6. AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublichas both a free and paid option. With its free tool, you enter a keyword or URL. AnswerThePublic will then provide a list of related keyword ideas in the form of phrases and questions—these make great headers forcontent marketingin blog posts and on FAQ pages. Download a CSV with the keywords or look at the visual analyzer.
7. WordStream by Local IQ Free Keyword Research Tool
TheWordStream free keyword toolalso provides recommended target words and phrases to incorporae into your SEO strategy. Enter a keyword or your website URL to receive a list of recommendations and keyword difficulty. It’s a great tool for coming up with both short- and long-tail keywords to target, filtered by industry and location.
8. Keyword Tool
Keyword Toolis another great keyword research tool for search engines like Google and Bing, as well as YouTube, Amazon, and social media platforms including Twitter and Pinterest. A free account will get you lists of recommended keywords while a paid subscription will also tell you things like search volume and keyword difficulty.
9. Seed Keywords by Red Evolution
Seed Keywordsis another keyword research tool, except this one works differently from the others. Rather than providing keywords and their search traffic and volume metrics, Seed Keywords leverages crowdsourcing. You prompt people to picture themselves in a hypothetical scenario and ask what they would search if they were in that scenario.
10. Ubersuggest free keyword suggestions
Ubersuggestis a free tool that provides keyword suggestions based on a URL or a target keyword of your choice. You get three daily searches with a free account, and anything beyond that will require a paid subscription. Ubersuggest will offer you a long list of keyword ideas you can use to generate product ideas, angles for capturing more organic traffic, your next blog post, and more.
Free local SEO tools
Local SEOshould be a priority for every business that maintains some sort of physical presence, be it a permanent brick-and-mortar store or a weekly table at your local farmers market.
11. Synup Listing Scan
TheSynup Listing Scanis a complete audit and review of your local listing profiles. Enter basic information and the free SEO tool will scan your digital presence and check your Google listing, as well as third-party listing sites like Yelp and your local chamber of commerce. You’ll also see your reputation via reviews.
12. BrightLocal
BrightLocal offers a host of free local SEO tools for small businesses to use. Some of those tools include:
- Google Review Link & Place ID Generator: create and share custom Google review links for customers
- Local RankFlux: track daily rankings and see suspected algorithm changes
- Local SERP Checker: perform localized keyword research
- Local Listings Health Scanner: scan for incomplete, outdated, or inaccurate listing information for your business across the web
Free website checker and content optimization tools
每一个搜索引擎优化策略是孔蒂的主要基石nt. Content includes more than just your blog—we’re also talking about metadata, product pages, support articles, and even your homepage. These free SEO tools can help you analyze your content to optimize for clicks and user engagement.
13. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog SEO Spideris a free SEO tool that runs an analysis on your website to find broken links and other SEO issues that might harm the user experience and, thus, your rankings. Screaming Frog will audit up to 500 URLs for free and tell you which pages need attention. You can also pay for more URLs.
14. Yoast SEO WordPress plug-in
Yoast SEOis a freeplug-in for WordPressand Shopify users. It helps you add structured data to your website pages. Essentially, this makes sure you’re using your keyword in the right places, such as in headings, meta tags, meta descriptions, and so forth. Yoast provides content grading in real time.
15. Rank Math WordPress SEO plug-in
RankMathis an all-in-one SEO plug-in for large and small businesses on WordPress. You can use a free account, which comes with 18 predefined schema types and complete integrations with Google Search Console, Divi, and Elementor. You can also do basic SEO audits. Paid accounts get more functionality including Google Analytics integration, rank tracking, and SEO reports.
16. GTmetrix
GTmetrixis a free SEO tool that runs an analysis on your website to check for issues like site speed and performance and the structure of your website. Create a free account to see video recordings of your site loading so you can identify issues.
17. HigherVisibility Google SERP Snippet Optimization Tool
TheGoogle SERP Snippet Optimization Toolis a real-time editor to help you write optimized meta titles and descriptions. As you enter the text in the form field editor, the free SEO tool will show you what it would look like in an actual Google search.
TIP:SERP stands for search engine results pages.
18. Merkle
Merkle also has a couple of free SEO tools, these ones targeted at ensuring your site content is optimized for traffic via organic search.
- Google SERP Simulator (Snippet Preview): automatically import your existing meta titles and descriptions and edit them in a real-time visual editor mimicking Google’s SERPs
- Schema Markup Generator (JSON-LD): create structured data on your website so you can optimize for SERP features such as rich snippets
Free Google SEO tools
19. Google Analytics
Google Analyticsis a powerful site analytics tool that includes SEO metrics to give you real-time insight into your website’s performance and visibility in search. Install the HTML code in your website’s code to start taking advantage ofGoogle Analyticsfor free.
Learn more:
20. Google Search Console
Formerly Google Webmaster Tools,Google Search Consoleis a free website analytics tool dedicated specifically to your website’s performance in Google searches. With it, you can dig deeper into your data, finding out click-through rates and which keywords you rank for, and submit XML sitemaps and individual URLs for ranking.
Learn more:
21. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Plannerhas two core functionalities: find new keywords to target and research estimated search volume and forecasts for the keywords of your choice. It will tell you search volume, related keywords and phrases, and how competitive each keyword is for paid campaigns.
22. Google Trends
Google Trendsis another great keyword research tool to inform your SEO strategy. Enter a topic or phrase and Google Trends will show you line graph charts depicting peaks and dips in search volume for that phrase. It will also tell you where in the world the phrase is trending, as well as trending related keywords.
23. Google Business Profile
Google Business Profileis an important free local SEO tool. With it, you can create and manage your Google listing that pops up when someone searches for your business. This is also what shows up in Google Maps. Note you’re required to have a physical business presence to use this tool, so online-only brands may not find as much value in it.
24. Google PageSpeed Insights
PageSpeed Insightsis a diagnostic tool that will help you identify SEO issues with page load time. If your site takes too long to load, your SEO rankings will fall. Simply enter your URL to receive an SEO audit and list of recommendations to optimize your site for better performance. You can run both desktop and mobile-friendly tests and SEO analysis this way.
Free SEO tools for link-building and backlink checkers
Search engines also like websites that appear legitimate. One way to increase your legitimacy is byearning backlinks—in other words, links from other sites, ideally with high domain authority.
25. Monitor Backlinks Free Backlink Checker SEO Tool
Enter your website URL into theFree Backlink Checker SEO Toolto find out which sites link to yours. You can also pay to upgrade for more advanced features.
26. Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
HAROis a website aimed at connecting journalists with sources. As such, it’s a great place to build relationships with the press, who can provide not only publicity for your brand but also backlinks to your website. View requests and pitch your submissions to those that are relevant.
27. Qwoted
Qwotedis a free SEO tool that functions similarly to HARO. With it, you create a profile to become an expert in the database. Qwoted will then match you with journalists seeking sources that fit your profile—a great way to develop press relationships and backlinks.
28. Help A B2B Writer
While HARO and Qwoted span pretty much every industry, B2B companies in particular may want to check out帮助一个B2B的作家．记者只被发送到排位赛的请求sources, so you won’t have to sift through a bunch of requests not relevant to your business.
Free SEO tools for Amazon
Amazon is also a top search engine for ecommerce shoppers. While some of the tools above also offer features for Amazon SEO, these tools are specifically designed to help sellers optimize on the third-party marketplace.
29. Sonar by Sellics
Sonaris a paid tool with free Amazon SEO keyword and ASIN research functionality. Find recommended keywords related to your product along with estimated search volume and relevant products already on Amazon.
30. Amazon Keyword Research By Helium 10
Amazon Keyword Researchalso offers keyword- and ASIN-based SEO research. In addition to search volume, this tool will also tell you an estimated number of competing products, match type, and frequency of related words.
Bring more traffic to your website with these free SEO tools
There are several paid software suites that offer robust features that cater to most SEO needs—from keyword research to backlink analysis—in much greater depth. But the tools above can prove pretty useful for the price (free).
Still, there’s bound to be handy tools we didn’t cover. What would you recommend? Share it in the comments below!
If you’re a Shopify store owner,check out the Shopify App Store for SEO appsto optimize your site for search.
Ready to create your first business? Start your free trial of Shopify—no credit card required.
Free SEO tools FAQ
What are some free SEO tools?
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Ahrefs Website Checker
- Screaming Frog
- Synup Listing Scan
- Answer the Public
- Google Keyword Planner
- Google Trends
- And more; view the full list above
Which is the best free SEO tool?
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- PageSpeed Insights
- Screaming Frog
- MozBar
What is the best free keyword research tool?
- AnswerThePublic
- Ahrefs Keyword Generator
- Keyword Tool
- WordStream Free Keyword Research Tool
- Seed Keywords
What are the benefits of using a free SEO tool?
- No cost
- Get content ideas
- Drive traffic to your website
- Diagnose SEO issues
- Test a tool before paying for it
What are the disadvantages of a free SEO tool?
- Limited features and functionality
- Lack of or inferior customer support
- May require the use of many tools to fill gaps