How can you work smarter and faster with SEO?
The answer is simple. With the help of the right tools. SEO tools help you gain competitive edge over your competitors. Tools help you to know exactly where they rank, pick off their best keywords, and track new opportunities as they emerge. However, any tool or facility, however powerful it may be, comes with its own pros and cons and it is very important for any SEO expert to weigh the pros and cons of any tool before jumping in to use it.
Tools exist to help you, but don’t constantly chase the ‘new shiny object’. It’s a fact that you can’t do SEO without tools to track, monitor, analyze and report. There is a galore of SEO tools, both free and paid, available and I am not going to get into which tool is best, because that is subjective.
But one thing that I have learnt through my experience is that if you will constantly look at tools, you would end up spending so much time learning new ones, that you won’t be left with enough time to focus on the actual SEO work.
The best way is to create a spreadsheet of the tools you are currently using and create columns that reflect what each tool is able to do. If there are holes in the data and capabilities within your existing set of tools, then look at what else is out there.
SEMrush is one tool that has been universally accepted by the SEO fraternity. It is an all-in-one search engine optimization (SEO)/search engine marketing (SEM) suite geared toward digital marketers. SEMrush calls itself “more than a keyword tool” as it includes competitive business intelligence data, social media listening tools, position tracking, site auditing, and backlink auditing capabilities.
Let’s discuss some of its pros and cons below. My experience with SEMrush shows that the pros far outweigh the cons.
PROS OF SEMRUSH
1. Get To The Top Of SERPs With Organic Reports
SEMrush has research tools and analytical reports that, when used correctly, will help your website rank higher in SERPs (search engine results pages). Much of the application’s value is based on its competitive business intelligence and how it uses this data in its reports.
Unlike other SEO tools in the market, SEMRush takes a simple but focused approach with its offerings. It primarily focuses on keyword research and competitive analysis. It is simple but effective.
2. Detailed Breakdowns Of Research Data
The great thing about the research data that SEMRush returns is how detailed its breakdowns are. This detailed approach is the same across the board for all of the different sections and is definitely an invaluable asset for market research.
3. Keyword Tools And reports For Paid Advertising (PPC)
SEMrush really shows off the importance of its keyword research tools when it comes to PPC. If your clients or your business use Google AdWords, Bing Ads, or Google AdWords, SEMrush can help take out the guesswork.
SEMrush rates keyword difficulty and suggest long-tail keywords.
You also have the chance to view the top performing ads within your or your clients’ industry. Compare copy, see how they use keywords, and see how you’re doing by contrast. View display ads, their placements, text ads, how they rank on various devices, and much more.
4.Backlink Audit
Professional SEOs know the importance of backlinks in any SEO plan. They know that Google looks for quality over quantity. SEMrush lists internal and external links on your site, and those backlinked to your website. They are rated for their “health”.
On a brighter note, SEMrush also suggests healthy and authoritative websites that would be a boon to your website’s SEO. The backlink checker tool currently contains more than 160 billion links and its database is constantly growing.
CONS OF SEMRUSH
1. Keyword Lists And Management
Because SEMrush is such a powerful tool, its keyword database is extensive. When researching a keyword, you may find yourself sifting through a long list of (maybe a hundred of pages) of keywords. It is indeed a tedious and time-consuming task to deal and manage such an exhaustive list of keywords.
2. Truly Technical
While the interface is straightforward and easy to use, the program is truly meant for SEO professionals. It is too technical for any business owner to get into the details on his/her own.
3. No White Label Reports
SEM lacks the option for white label reports. There is an option for “branded” reports, where you can use your own logo, but your clients will still know that you used SEMRush to generate those reports.
This is indeed a disappointing fact for SEO professionals because the ability to create white label reports is invaluable for them as it enables them to build a brand that their clients will remember. There is no option to truly create white label reports.
SEMRush might not be the most feature-heavy SEO research and marketing tool in the shed, but it does an amazing job at what it can do. Its capabilities as a keyword tool are intense, but it goes above and beyond. Social listening, backlink auditing, and best of all, competitor insights make it easy to increase our clients’ web presence and put them a step ahead of their competitors. If you are looking for a service that does exactly what it advertises, no more, no less, then this product is definitely one of the better choices out there.
To deal with the latest updates introduced by Google, every company needs a professional agency with trained executives to handle SEO and Adwords ads for better ROI. If you are looking for a affordable and reliable outsource SEO services company or Adwords management services company, get in touch with us. We have a pool of experienced professionals who may help you increase your company’s ROI.
