Using the right SEO marketing tools can be the difference between a successful digital marketing campaign…or a failed one. With the right tools, you can select the right keywords, identify technical SEO issues, make new link partnerships, and so much more.
Here is the definitive list of SEO tools your agency needs to simplify daily tasks, organize content, measure results…and, yes, even repair performance issues.
Project Management
Your project management tools should let the agency measure and evaluate tasks, budgets, rankings and…well…every aspect of a client’s needs. There should be a tool for timesheets that also connects to reporting functions for budget audits. Invoices for freelancers or per project contractors also should funnel into budget audits.
The editorial calendar should link to reporting capabilities for keyword audits or simplify data compilation for reports for clients.
The tool should incorporate workflow automation to help agencies audit task completion and help identify missed deadlines and late assignments.
Audit tools should and must simplify all processes to provide the agency and, of course, the client with the big picture. Nothing should go astray; the intelligence and capabilities of software should track everything that was once typed into spreadsheets, written on paper calendars, and programmed into phones.
Keyword Research
Identifying the right keywords is everything. Keyword research feels soooo 1999 but it’s still just as relevant, and makes all the difference.
It’s not just about identifying the keywords that your audience uses to find you..you also need to discover the keywords that are used at every stage of the buying funnel. What questions does your audience try to answer when searching for your product or service? What are some of their pain points?
All of this information should be part of your keyword research, and having the right tools for this is fundamental.
Once you identify the keywords, you’ll need to make sure you’re including this in your content strategy. You want to make sure you don’t cannibalize the keywords (repeat the same keywords over and over again), and that you are creating topical content hubs. Tracking these keywords, which ones were used, whether they’re linked to each other, whether they are ranking, how/where they are ranking..all of this is important to track.
Rank Tracking
Even though rank tracking is not as relevant as it used to be, as SERP’s are personalized and based on geolocation, it’s still important to use as a point of reference. There are multiple tools for this, and many also rely on Google Search Console for position data.With a click over to GSC, agencies can check views and other data about a client’s site or individual pages.
If you want to hit the top of the ranks, you need the tools to monitor what’s working…and what is simply old news.
Reporting
The client wants updates. How do you respond? If the answer is you open up a dozen different tabs for programs and spreadsheets to check updates on what blog posted that guest article or how the page on widgets is performing this week, well maybe you need a different way to handle compiling all the data.
All clients want results, and they want reports that detail either the successes or failures of a program or campaign. Look for programs that offer easy reporting tools. Compiling the reports should be simple. Yes, the program should offer templates! If it doesn’t offer reporting templates to simplify the reporting task, then delete that old worn out underperforming software!
On-Page SEO
What updates can you make to a page to improve the rankings for specific keywords? You’ll want to use on-page SEO tools that can give you optimization suggestions for specific pages and keywords.
Whether you should reduce the size of images, add alt text, add H1 and H2 tags, link to other relevant pages, or remove unnecessary redirects..all this data is important to know.
Also, once you optimize a page, did your results improve? Did the rankings and traffic increase, or decrease? Sometimes the optimization caused the page to drop in rankings. You’ll want to know exactly what happens to your optimization efforts so you can continuously fine tune your results.
Content Marketing
Content is king, and having a tool that helps you improve the process of creating content is fundamental. To effectively publish quality content continuously and repeatedly, the process needs to be streamlined and systematized.
Using a content marketing / editorial tool is fundamental to make sure your content pipeline is not only always functioning, but at a high quality level. Ideally, your content management tool should include workflow automation options, built-in editorial calendars, and other jazzy features.
Workflow Automation
Automation…what? Workflow automation tools let agencies keep assignments flowing seamlessly and without the annoyance of spreadsheets and constant emails…or screaming across the hall. It works like this: a manager creates a task, sets up the task workflow and the assignment moves along until it’s finished.
The workflow could include ordering an article to be written, then edited, sent to the client for approval, published on-site and then invoiced. Once the workflow is set, it moves along without any other intervention…well, each team member does have to check off that their part was complete, but otherwise, it’s all pretty hands off!
Content marketing also may include editorial calendar functions. This allows agencies to create a month or more of planned content. Each assignment is included on the calendar, and hyperlinks take team members to the individual project pages. These little content hubs also include data on keywords and may even link to data on how those words are ranking. The editorial calendar should be easy to interpret; the best SEO marketing programs let you view editorial calendars in several formats, like a classic calendar monthly layout or a simple list.
Content marketing tools also should allow for agencies to track a list of target publications or sites for content. This data also can be included in an editorial calendar.
Try Gryffin!
If you need a powerful tool to support in all aspects of your digital marketing campaigns, try Gryffin!
Automated workflow keeps content and assignments moving along. Tools within Gryffin sync to Google Analytics or Google Search Console to track rankings, find underperforming keywords and get the big picture of the SEO story. Is a page buried within Google’s depths? Agencies shouldn’t have to open multiple programs to figure it out! Reporting capabilities and auditing functions allow agencies to give clients all the details and ensure that nothing is missed, deadlines aren’t behind and budgets aren’t broken.
If your software doesn’t do everything you need it to do…delete it! Move on! Upgrade. Worried that a new program is going to be difficult to navigate? Maybe you aren’t so comfortable trying something else? Guess what? Gryffin offers a trial…a free trial! And we’ll help you navigate the newness! If the tried and true is just trying your patience…try Gryffin instead!