3 Best SEO Software for Agencies

Many modern businesses don't need physical products or storefronts to be profitable and successful. One example is digital marketing agencies that operate completely online. Although digital marketing agencies don't need heavy machinery or assembly lines, they still need software tools for insights, scalability, competitive analysis, client reporting, and more.

If you own a digital marketing agency, you know that understanding why you need these tools is the easy part. The hard part is choosing the right solution that fits your agency's unique needs and budget.

As an independent software review platform, we’ve tested more than 40 of the best SEO software providers across various categories based on extensive research and real user experiences. We aim to help business owners cut through the noise and select the best software for their needs.

In this blog post, we'll reveal the top 3 all-in-one SEO software for marketing and SEO agencies and explain what makes them the best picks for people in this industry.

Read: How to Compare Software

What Makes the Best SEO Software for Agencies?

Agencies and single businesses use SEO software differently. An SEO software that works for a single business doesn't necessarily work for an agency. Single businesses need user-friendly interfaces and tools that impact their unique goals, often with less complexity and scale. On the other hand, agencies need SEO software with advanced multi-client management, reporting, and scalability features to handle diverse client needs and large volumes of data.

To rank the top providers, we assigned weights to the criteria most important for agencies. We gathered data from ourselves and from user reviews to ensure unbiased rankings focused on real experiences.

The top factors we evaluated include:

Pricing

The price of SEO software is a consideration for most businesses, especially those working with a tight budget. You want to avoid overspending, but you also need software that will meet your needs. Plus, depending on its pricing structure, SEO software can get very expensive very quickly as your team grows.

With that in mind, we chose tools that either have affordable pricing plans or offer features and functionality that justify a higher price point. We also focused on scalability in our choices. For agencies, the cost of additional user seats and the flexibility to scale your team without sky-high costs are important factors. Many of the tools we chose include multiple seats in their pricing plans and offer reasonable rates for additional users.

If price is your main concern, check out our breakdown of best low-cost SEO software.

Comprehensive Features

To meet their clients' needs, agencies need software that offers a wide range of comprehensive features. Here are the key categories we focused on for this list:

• Keyword research: This is a cornerstone for any agency that provides SEO services. We evaluated tools based on their ability to show keyword volume and difficulty, reveal keyword trends, and provide volume and CPC data. We also examined how many keyword lookups each software can perform; agencies will need lots of volume in this area.

• Website audits: We looked for tools that offer thorough auditing capabilities to make sure a website can be monitored from any angle to best optimize for search engines and user experience.

• Competitor analysis: We assessed tools based on their ability to analyze competitors’ strategies, including their keyword usage, backlink profiles, and overall SEO tactics.

• Backlink analysis: We chose tools that scored highest for backlink analysis, including identifying high-quality backlinks, uncovering potential link-building opportunities, and more.

• Content optimization: We looked for tools that offer content analysis and optimization features for improving content's relevance, readability, and SEO performance.

Reporting

Many agencies need SEO software with reporting functions to maintain client transparency and trust. Comprehensive reports can highlight key metrics, track performance, and provide clear insights that clients expect to receive. Therefore, we have investigated which providers make it possible to create custom and detailed reports to present data professionally and comprehensively to reinforce client confidence and satisfaction.

Team Management

Good SEO software should allow agencies to easily add team members, assign specific roles, and control access levels. We looked for software that lets you create user roles, facilitate collaboration, and manage permissions, as these are all important features. These capabilities support better project management and improve overall productivity to make it easier for agencies to manage multiple clients and complex SEO campaigns.

Integrations

Agencies rarely rely on just one software tool. In most cases, they use a dozen different tools that help run the business, like project management software, knowledge-sharing tools, CRM software, etc. When these tools integrate with one another, it can make running an agency a lot smoother. That's why for this list, we prioritized SEO tools that easily integrate with other platforms, such as Google products, social networks, AI integrations, and more.

Scalability

Most agencies work with more than one client, which means they manage multiple projects. If this is the case with your agency, you'll need SEO software that supports multiple projects so that you can manage all of your clients in one central place. Team collaboration is also important. You want a tool that allows you to add team members and adjust roles and permissions as your business grows. When analyzing SEO software for inclusion in this list, we made sure to take these functionalities into consideration.

Support

Even the best software can have occasional bugs, so having access to prompt support is crucial, especially when the software is essential to running your business. Generally, email is best for detailed issues, chat is great for quick responses, while phone support is best for urgent matters. Knowledge bases and community forums are ideal for self-service when problems arise. We tested response times across email, chat, and phone channels and visited the knowledge bases these tools offer to determine the SEO software that provides the best support. All of the software options we're going to mention below have passed this check with a high score.

3 Best SEO Software for Agencies

Now it’s time to present our findings on the top 3 SEO software solutions tailored for digital marketing agencies.

As you read through these options, consider how each platform would integrate into your agency's workflow. Then evaluate the features, flexibility, and pricing to determine the best fit.

1. SE Ranking - Best for Small Teams

SE Ranking is an SEO solution with on-page audit capabilities, detailed competitor and keyword analysis, and customizable reports. It's built specifically for agencies, which is clear from their pricing model. Unlike most other software that dictates price based on the number of projects, SE Ranking meets agencies' needs with unlimited projects on its Pro and Business plans. The cheapest plan, called Essentials, supports 10 projects, which can also be enough for smaller agencies.

SE Ranking is an excellent choice for flexible teams as you can easily add seats for far less money compared to any provider.

You can easily customize each plan with different add-ons, like Content Marketing, Local Marketing, and Agency Pack. For example, the Content Marketing package includes an AI writer, content ideas generator, and plagiarism checker. If content production is not part of your offerings, there's no need to pay for this add-on.

Likewise, the Local Marketing package integrates with Google Business Profile and tracks local rankings, which can be handy if you manage local SEO campaigns. The pay-as-you-go options apply to other areas as well. For instance, you can choose exactly how many keywords to track or pages to audit based on your agency's needs.

Feature-wise, SE Ranking covers all core functionalities. It has website auditing, keyword research, backlink analysis, content marketing tools, and even a real-time rank tracker, which lets you monitor keyword positions across search engines with pinpoint accuracy. Competitor tracking is another powerful feature agencies can benefit from. You simply enter a competitor's URL, and you'll get an automated report detailing their organic and paid strategies.

2. Semrush - Best for Comprehensive Needs

If you're an agency, you've definitely heard of Semrush - it’s a veteran in the SEO software industry. The company has had ample time to perfect its product, which has resulted in a comprehensive toolset covering all aspects of SEO.

The powerful range of features comes with a higher price tag that can still be well worth the investment, especially for larger teams. What might convince you to sign up for a plan is that Semrush specializes in SEO since their launch in 2008. The keyword research database contains over 25 billion keywords, search volume, competition levels, and other metrics. It also supports PPC management if your SEO clients ask for paid search services.

Semrush also includes social media management features. You can create content, build your community, and analyze performance. If your clients work with influencers, you can track those partnerships, too.

3. Ahrefs - Best for Link Building

The last SEO software tool on our list is Ahrefs, a close second to Semrush's popularity among SEO professionals. It's best known for its robust backlink analysis via AhrefsBot, one of the most active web crawlers among SEO tools.

The user interface of Ahrefs is designed with simplicity and efficiency in mind. Custom folders help you organize client campaigns so that you can easily navigate between different projects. This feature is particularly useful if you're juggling numerous clients, as it improves workflow and productivity.

Ahrefs also shines with its top-notch auditing tool. It evaluates on-page elements, technical factors, and performance metrics to provide you with a comprehensive analysis of your websites. This detailed insight can help you pinpoint areas for improvement, optimize client websites, and drive better SEO results.

While Ahrefs may lack some of the functionalities found in Semrush and SE Ranking, it excels in the features it offers. The backlink analysis is unparalleled, and the auditing tool is highly effective. Additionally, while more limited you can still benefit from their keyword research, rank tracking, and competitive analysis that are critical if you want to deliver superior SEO services to your clients.

Choosing the Right SEO Software for Your Agency

The bad news is there's not a one-size-fits-all solution that works for every agency out there. What might work for one business, might not be the right choice for another. So how should you choose?

The good news is you can easily make a choice by thinking about your specific needs. What's your budget? Are there any specific features you're looking for? What services do your clients need? Once you answer these questions, you'll quickly arrive at a decision.

To sum up, if you're a solo practitioner or a small team on a tight budget, SE Ranking is likely your best bet. Its highly customizable pricing means you only pay for what you need, and there are no arbitrary limits on projects. You can scale up features and user seats as your agency grows.

For agencies focused primarily on technical SEO audits and backlink building, Ahrefs provides best-in-class backlink analysis and tracking. Its site audit tool also delivers actionable recommendations.

If budget is less of a concern and you want the most comprehensive tool on the market, Semrush is the clear frontrunner. In addition to covering all the SEO essentials, it has robust features for content marketing, social media management, PPC, and market analysis. For full-service agencies, the breadth of functionality is unmatched.

Compare the Top Options with Our Comparison Tool

Investing in a robust SEO platform is a smart move for agencies managing multiple client campaigns. The tool you choose will likely come down to budget and functionality needs. We recommend exploring the free plans or trials some of the tools offer to get hands-on experience with features and interfaces before deciding.

For an at-a-glance comparison, see our SEO Software Comparison Tool to view all options side by side. This tool will help you quickly identify the best fit for your agency based on key factors like pricing, features, and user reviews. Also check out our top picks for the Best Website Builders for SEO to ensure you're building your site on a strong foundation.

By taking advantage of free trials and comparison tools, you can make a well-informed decision that will enhance your agency's efficiency and effectiveness in delivering top-tier SEO services.