Running a small business is no easy task and you need to ensure that you stay relevant in such competitive times. The idea of attracting people to your online presence needs to be given top priority.
The right SEO tools can keep you far ahead of your local competition and ensure that you build up a strong base of loyal customers. Optimizing your site and keeping track of various aspects is a must for small businesses or startups.
Here are a few tools that can help you out.
A WordPress site: There is nothing better than having a dynamic site that gives customers a common place to find your products and services. WordPress is your best option if you’re running a small business. The site you create can be the center of all your social media needs.
Setting up is easy and the best part being WordPress takes care of nearly 80% of all your SEO needs. Moreover, there are thousands of themes to choose from, and you don’t have to pay through your nose to get started. This is exactly what a small business needs.
Google Analytics: This is a hardcore SEO tool that gives you an all-round picture of how well your online presence is doing. You can use the powerful tool to track clicks, visitor behavior, views per page, etc. All this information can give you a good idea of changes that need to be made.
It also tracks keyword distribution and gives you a glimpse of how Google views your site. Vital information that will help you fine-tune your SEO tactics, Google Analytics is one of the most popular SEO tools out there today, utilized by small and big businesses.
Google Webmaster Tools: Another heavyweight that gives you a detailed report of how your website is doing. Simply setting up a site is not the end of your SEO journey. You need to ensure that it receives the exposure it deserves.
The Google Webmaster Tools not only pulls up site metric reports, but it is also a warning system. For instance, broken links and site errors will be highlighted and the site owner will be duly notified. If the Google Bot can’t read certain sections of your site, then the tool will tell you where you’re going wrong.
Open Site Explorer: This nifty tool from SEOmoz gives you a detailed report of all the links that are connected to your site. Backlinking is a major part of SEO and you need to ensure that all of them are of top quality. This free tool ensures that you’re always on track with regard to links.
A good feature of this tool is that it also helps you to conduct recon tours of competing sites in order to check their backlinks. Checking out their link building tactics will give you a good idea of how to make your strategy unique.
HubSpot: Before I go any further, you should know that Google Ventures and Salesforce.com pumped $30 million into this site so that it comes up to users’ expectations. Signing up gives you access to an ultra-simple content management system, blogging platform, plethora of keyword and SEO tools, the list is endless.
HubSpot is the place to be if you’re interested in making your small business grow with inbound and content marketing.
The 5 tools mentioned here should help you stay on top of all your SEO needs. The versatility you receive by using these tools will help you take care of optimization in a jiffy. Always remember that SEO is a continuing responsibility that cannot be ignored at any time.
About the Author
Andrea Walters, a freelance writer for www.satellitesales.com – The Lowest-Priced Satellite TV in America. Dish Network.