19 Best SEO Tools for Small Business Websites in 2023

SEO, or search engine optimisation, is essential for small business websites to rank high in search engine results and reach their target audience.

With so many options available, choosing the right SEO tool for your small business can be challenging, especially when you’re a beginner and don’t know a lot about the topic.

In this article, we will cover the best SEO tools for small business websites and give an overview of their pros and cons. As part of this, we’ve included a selection of tools which we believe are especially great if you’re considering DIY SEO for your small business – to save on costs.

So, let’s get started by exploring some of the different options available to help you learn how to improve SEO for your small business.

8 Great SEO Tools for Small Business (that are Completely FREE!)

With more and more businesses learning of the importance of ranking well in search engines, implementing good SEO has become a prime focus for many businesses across the globe.

For small businesses however, competing in the digital world can be challenging especially when competing against businesses with larger budgets.

But rest assured, there are a wide variety of options available that are particularly suited to small business owners, even if you only have a small budget to work with.

Here’s 8 free tools to help you learn how to improve SEO for your small business using SEO basics and simple DIY techniques.

1. Google My Business

Google My Business is one of the best SEO tools for small businesses, offering a free solution to manage online presence across Google platforms such as Search and Maps.

Pros:

• Easy to set up and manage
• Provides businesses with a platform to showcase their products/services, location, and hours of operation
• Enables customers to easily find and interact with your business online, especially if you don’t have a website
• Offers valuable insights into how customers interact with a business’s listing

Cons:

• Limited customisation options for the listing
• May require verification by mail, which can take several weeks
• Competition for visibility in Google search results can be high in certain industries or geographic locations

By creating and optimising a Google My Business listing, small businesses can improve their online visibility, attract more customers and manage their online reputation.

Looking for tips and advice to help you improve SEO for your small business?

Join our FREE SEO 101 Masterclass where we share critical tips to help you boost your online presence through SEO, without breaking the bank.

2. Google Search Console

A great SEO tool for small businesses, Google Search Console is a free webmaster application that provides insights on how Google crawls and indexes a website.

It also offers useful data such as search traffic, the top keywords used to find the website, and the number of clicks and impressions for each page.

The tool is particularly useful for small businesses as it allows them to monitor their website’s performance and take necessary steps to improve it.

Pros:

• Offers useful insights on website performance and search traffic
• Allows monitoring of website indexing and crawling
• Provides data on top keywords and page-level metrics

Cons:

• Steep learning curve for beginners
• Limited functionality compared to paid SEO tools
• Requires technical knowledge to interpret the data and make changes accordingly

3. Google Analytics

Google Analytics, with a market share of 31.55% in 2021, is a widely popular and free tool that assists businesses in measuring website traffic and user behaviour.

The tool’s information can be used to optimise SEO strategies and comprehend which marketing strategies are effective and which need improvement.

Moreover, Google Universal Analytics and Google Global Site Tag, with market shares of 24.04% and 17.96% respectively, also contribute to the vast pool of data available for businesses to gain insights into their online presence.

Pros:

• Can easily track website traffic, see where visitors are coming from and which pages are the most popular with customers when exploring your site
• Monitor user behaviour, such as how long people are staying on the site and what pages they’re visiting
• Set goals and track conversions, such as form submissions and purchases

Cons:

• Can be overwhelming for beginners, with a lot of data and features to navigate
• The setup process can be time-consuming and technical
• Some features, like customising reports and setting up custom dimensions, require a certain level of technical knowledge.

This is a very powerful tool for businesses looking to track and understand website traffic, user behaviour and conversions.

Sure, setting it up might take a bit of time, but the insights you’ll gain will be worth it. In fact, they could even help you improve your SEO in massive ways.

Related Articles:

• How to Get Your Website to Show Up on Google in the Tourism Niche
• 5 Ways to Improve Google SEO For Small Businesses in Australian Tourism

4. Google Trends

This is a free SEO tool that can help small businesses understand what people are searching for online and the trending topics in their industry.

Google trends is a great place to start when learning DIY SEO for small business because, by tracking search volume and related topics, you can gain valuable insights into the interests of your target audience.

This can help to inform your content strategy and help you stay ahead of the curve.

Pros:

• Provides real-time information on what people are searching for
• Offers insights into trends and topics related to your industry
• Helps inform your content strategy
• Completely free to use

Cons:

• May not provide in-depth data for niche industries
• Can be overwhelming for those new to SEO to interpret and use the data effectively
• Results can be affected by location, language, and device

5. Google Search Central (formerly Webmaster Tools)

Google Search Central is another essential free tool for small businesses looking to improve their SEO.

This tool offers insights into how Google crawls and indexes your website, allowing you to identify any potential issues that may affect your website’s visibility in search results.

Pros:

• Provides valuable information about how Google views your website
• Allows you to monitor crawl errors and submit sitemaps
• Offers keyword and query data to help you understand how users are finding your website
• Helps you identify and resolve any technical issues that may impact your website’s performance

Cons:

• The interface can be difficult to navigate for those new to SEO
• The amount of data available can be overwhelming
• Some features may require a certain level of technical expertise to use effectively

This tool is a must-have for any small business looking to improve their SEO.

Whether you’re new to SEO or a seasoned pro, Google Search Central provides valuable insights and data to help you optimise your website for search engines and improve your rankings.

6. Google Page Speed Analyser or GT Metrix

Both Google Page Speed Analyser and GT Metrix are website performance testing tools that help users to better understand how well their website is performing, and provide actionable insights to optimise the website’s loading time.

Some of the key features include:

• Testing website performance on both desktop and mobile devices
• Checking website speed, page size, and requests
• Identifying performance issues, including slow loading time and broken images

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Provides detailed website performance analysis
• Offers actionable insights to optimise website speed and overall site performance, so you can quickly learn how to improve SEO for your small business with just a few simple tweaks

Cons:

• Limited in-depth analysis for advanced users
• Basic analysis is free, but advanced features require a paid subscription
• Not all website owners may have the technical skills to use the tool effectively
• Beginners may not understand what to do to improve the actionable insights and recommendations

7. Ubersuggest (Free Version)

One of my favourite SEO tools for small business; Ubersuggest, is great for those starting out with keyword research, especially if looking for a free option.

The free version of Ubersuggest provides basic keyword data and insights, but those looking for more comprehensive data may need to consider a paid keyword research tool.

This tool offers a variety of tips and advice to help you learn how to improve SEO for your small business website.

Pros:

• Provides easy-to-understand tips around the SEO basics for small businesses including keyword research and competitor analysis
• Identifies popular keywords, long-tail keywords and keyword trends
• Provides insights on keyword competition and search volume
• Easy to use with a user-friendly interface

Cons:

• Limited features compared to the paid version
• Does not provide as much in-depth keyword data as some other paid tools
• Limited data available for some smaller niches or geographic locations

8. CoSchedule Headline Analyser

This SEO tool for small businesses analyses and grades the quality of your headlines and titles.

Pros:

• Provides an easy-to-read score based on best practices for headlines
• Offers suggestions for improving headline quality
• Helps ensure that headlines are optimised for search engines

Cons:

• Limited to analysing headlines only
• May not always provide accurate results, as subjective factors play a role in headline quality
• The free version has limited features, and the full version requires a paid subscription

9. Yoast SEO for WordPress (Free Version)

Yoast SEO is a popular WordPress plugin that helps business owners optimise their website content for search engines and improve their website’s search engine ranking.

Pros:

• Easy to install and set up for beginners
• Provides a comprehensive analysis of your website’s on-page optimisation including readability and keyword optimisation
• Offers suggestions for improving website content for search engines, plus a range of other SEO basics for small business owners to be aware of
• Integrates with Google Search Console for deeper analysis

Cons:

• Limited functionality compared to the premium version
• May not fully cover all SEO aspects, requiring additional plugins
• Limited support for custom post types and taxonomies
• Can slow down the website if not configured correctly

10. AnswerThePublic.com

AnswerThePublic is a great free SEO tool for small business owners. It helps content creators understand the questions and topics that are most frequently searched for by internet users and potential customers.

Pros:

• Provides a comprehensive list of questions and topics that users search for
• Offers an easy-to-use interface to get started
• Helps users identify popular trends and topics in their niche

Cons:

• Free version has limited features and only offers basic insights
• May not provide in-depth analysis of keyword data
• Can be a bit overwhelming for first-time users with the amount of information it provide

5 Best SEO Tools for Small Business With a Small Cost

For small businesses looking to optimise their SEO, there are a number of great tools available at a small recurring cost. The best of these tools include Coschedule, Ubersuggest, and Yoast SEO for WordPress.

These tools provide a comprehensive analysis of your website’s performance including keyword ranking and more, making them ideal for businesses with smaller budgets.

By using these low-cost tools, beginners can become more familiar with the main SEO basics for small businesses, allowing them to improve their SEO efforts, increase website traffic and get ahead of the competition.

If you’re looking for some of the best SEO tools for small businesses, we can confidently recommend the following:

1. Ubersuggest (Paid Version)

The paid version of Ubersuggest is a robust SEO tool for small businesses looking to improve their search engine visibility.

It offers a wide range of features, including keyword research, competitor analysis and site audit to help businesses optimise websites for search engines.

Pros:

• Detailed keyword ranking reports
• Site audit and on-page optimisation suggestions
• Simple-to-use interface which is relatively intuitive to navigate
• Offers a wide range of features for comprehensive SEO analysis

Cons:

• The cost of the paid version may be higher compared to other tools
• Some users may not need all the features offered in the paid version.

2. CoSchedule Headline Analyser (Paid version)

This is a tool that provides an in-depth analysis of headlines and blog titles to ensure they are optimised for search engines and effectively grab the reader’s attention.

Pros:

• Advanced functionality for optimising headlines, including headline scoring and analysis of readability, length, and sentiment.
• Integration with popular content management systems like WordPress and Google Docs.
• Option to analyse multiple headlines at once, making it easy to compare and contrast different headline options.
• Ability to see real-time results and make changes to improve your headlines.

Cons:

• Higher cost compared to the free version.
• Limited features compared to more comprehensive SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush.
• Not all users may need the advanced headline analysis features and could be satisfied with the free version.
• The results are dependent on the software’s algorithm which may not always match individual preferences or opinions.

3. Yoast SEO (Paid Version)

If interested in exploring DIY SEO for small businesses, Yoast SEO can be a great tool to start out with.

This popular website plugin helps small business owners improve their search engine optimisation by integrating seamlessly with your WordPress site.

Pros:

• An insightful SEO tool that offers a comprehensive analysis of your website’s content and provides suggestions for optimisation.
• Offers advanced features such as readability analysis, content analysis, and keyword optimisation.
• Integrates with Google Search Console for even more insights on your website’s performance.
• Regular updates to keep up with search engine algorithms.

Cons:

• Has a steeper learning curve compared to the free version.
• Requires a paid subscription for access to advanced features and regular updates.
• Only works on WordPress websites and cannot be used on other platforms.

4. Rank Math (Paid Version)

Rank Math is a powerful paid SEO analysis plugin for websites and has advanced features and a user-friendly interface. It’s a popular choice for small businesses and professionals alike.

Pros:

• Offers advanced SEO analysis and optimisation options
• User-friendly interface makes it easy to use
• Offers a detailed keyword analysis and optimisation recommendations
• Includes schema markup options for better search visibility
• Integrates with Google Search Console for improved analysis

Cons:

• Steep learning curve for beginners
• Limited features compared to other paid SEO tools
• May require some technical knowledge to use all features effectively
• Lack of phone support can be a problem for some users
• Limited integrations compared to other paid SEO tools.

5. Serpstat

Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO platform that offers keyword research, site audit, backlink analysis and competitor research. Its paid version offers more advanced features and data compared to the free version.

Pros:

• It is a comprehensive SEO suite in one platform
• Offers advanced features and data in paid version
• User-friendly interface

Cons:

• Not entirely free despite some claims
• Can be more expensive compared to other specialised tools
• Some users have reported bugs and slow load times.

Other SEO Tools for Small Business With a Larger Cost

When it comes to boosting a small business’s SEO strategy, the best SEO tool for small businesses may not always be the most expensive. However, there are some great SEO tools which are definitely worth paying the extra money for.

As examples, Ahrefs, Moz Pro, and SEMrush offer extensive features and data that can greatly enhance a small business’s SEO efforts, but they do come with a hefty price tag and a steep learning curve.

These tools provide extensive keyword research, competitor analysis, and site audit capabilities that can help resolve technical issues, ultimately leading to a better website ranking.

However, for small business owners with limited SEO experience and a smaller budget, these platforms may not be the best solution to start out with.

Instead, they’re something you can work towards as you build up your knowledge.

Related Articles:

• How Much Does It Cost to SEO Your Website in Australia

In Summary:

19 Best SEO Tools for Small Business Websites in 2023

In this article, we’ve discussed the 19 best SEO tools for small business websites to help beginners learn how to improve SEO.

Each tool has its pros and cons. From free tools like Google My Business and Google Analytics, to small cost tools like Rank Math and Yoast SEO. And even some more expensive options like Moz and Ahrefs.

That‘s why it’s important for you to know how to improve SEO for your small business using the right tools to fit your needs and budget.

SEO can be a complex and overwhelming topic, especially for those new to it. However, it is a critical component for growing your online presence and reaching your target audience.

If you’re interested in saving some cash by exploring DIY SEO for small businesses, ensure to check out our FREE SEO 101 Masterclass we aim to simplify the process for you.

We break down all the confusing jargon and show you how to use SEO to your advantage.

You’ll leave the course with a solid understanding of SEO, all the digital marketing buzzwords and simple ways to get your business noticed and found.

Take the first step towards a successful online presence, and sign up for our SEO 101 Masterclass course today.