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It's no secret that the world of SEO can be a labyrinth of complex terminologies and concepts. One area of confusion that often arises is the interchangeable use of the terms "SEO software" and "SEO tool". While they might seem synonymous, these terms have two different meanings.
What Is SEO Software?
SEO software refers to a comprehensive, often all-in-one suite designed to cover a broad spectrum of SEO. Think of it as a toolbox - a single entity that houses various tools, each serving a unique function.
A prime example of SEO software is Semrush. As an all-in-one suite, Semrush provides a variety of features that cater to diverse SEO needs. From keyword research and competitor analysis to site audits and backlink tracking, Semrush has just about everything you need for SEO.
But even within the term SEO software, we should specifically distinguish between two types. On the one hand, between all-in-one software that tries to cover all SEO areas and specialized SEO software that targets a specific area of SEO. SEO software tends to cover many or a few of the following:
- Keyword research and analysis
- On-page SEO optimization
- Technical SEO audits
- Backlink analysis
- Rank tracking
- Competitor analysis
- Reporting and analytics
- Local SEO monitoring/management
With Semrush, we have already given you an example of an all-in-one SEO software. For specialized SEO software, let’s take Surfer as an example. Instead of covering everything like Semrush, Surfer primarily focuses on writing and optimizing content for SEO, but it also has content auditing and keyword research tools.
So, while SEO software can have different scopes, both all-in-one SEO software and specialized SEO software still act as a toolbox - they just might include different tools.
This brings us to the next term.
What Is an SEO Tool?
An SEO tool, in contrast to SEO software, typically refers to a specialized application or feature that focuses on a specific aspect of SEO. These tools can often be standalone applications, but they most commonly exist as part of a larger SEO software suite.
Using our earlier example, Semrush, we can delve into some of the SEO tools it offers. One such tool is the "Keyword Magic Tool," a feature designed specifically for extensive keyword research. This tool allows users to find the right keywords for their SEO campaigns by providing keyword volume, related keywords, phrase matches, and long-tail keywords.
Another tool within Semrush's arsenal is the "Backlink Analytics Tool," a specialized feature for analyzing a website's backlink profile. This tool provides insights into the number and quality of backlinks, helping users devise effective link-building strategies.
Are SEO Tools Worth It?
If you’re looking to optimize your site for search engines, SEO tools aren’t just worth it - they’re essential. Search engine optimization - like any kind of optimization - requires data. SEO tools can help you:
- Understand what people are searching for (and where and whether you can create pages or content that fill that need.)
- Analyze and optimize individual pages by evaluating elements like title tags, meta descriptions, and content. Some tools can even compare your pages to those of relevant competitors you want to beat.
- See how your website is currently performing, what keywords it ranks for, and how that changes over time.
- Monitor what your competitors are doing, including what they rank for, where they’re growing, and where they’re getting links and press.
- Detect technical issues that could be impairing your performance in search.
The Key Difference Between SEO Software and Tools
The essential difference between SEO software and SEO tools lies in their scope.. All-in-one SEO software, like Semrush, or specialized SEO Software like Surfer SEO are comprehensive platforms that provide multiple SEO functionalities. On the other hand, an SEO tool, like Semrush's "Keyword Magic Tool," is a specific feature focused on a particular SEO task.
While both terms play a significant role in the SEO landscape, using them interchangeably can lead to misconceptions. Recognizing the differences not only enhances your understanding of SEO but also enables you to leverage these resources effectively for our SEO strategies without confusion.
What Should You Be Using?
In the end, your question might be, what should I use for myself or my clients? An SEO tool, specialized SEO software, or all-in-one SEO software?
Whether you are doing SEO for your own business or have a marketing agency that provides holistic SEO services, you should always opt for an all-in-one solution. This software acts as the foundation for everything that follows.
If you urgently need more tools that no all-in-one solution can provide according to your needs, you can use specialized software, such as Surfer SEO for the creation and optimization of content.
Using individual tools for all different areas rarely makes sense, as you can easily lose track of the data and end up with different data sets. It can also get very expensive! If you want to use additional tools, it's best to limit yourself to Google's free ones for deeper research, such as Google Search Console, Google Trends, PageSpeed Insights, Rich Results Test & Schema Markup Validator, and so on.
Finally, if you’re not sure about your current software or aren’t using any all-in-one SEO software yet, make sure to visit our top picks for best SEO software. We analyzed more than 39 providers to discover the best-performing solutions across a number of metrics (so you don't have to).
FAQs
How many types of SEO tools are there?
We estimate that there are about 50 popular SEO software brands out there. We analyzed most of them to put together our list of best SEO software. In terms of SEO tools, there are likely hundreds of them, many of which are niche tools for specialized tasks. New software and tools come onto the market all the time as well!
Do you need software for SEO?
If driving organic traffic is a concern, it’s hard to do it without any data. SEO software can help you gather search and competitor data, and track how your website is performing over time. More specifically, it can give you the data you need to understand what keywords your audience may be searching for, how to create content that aligns with what they’re looking for, and even how to optimize that content on a more granular level. Most comprehensive SEO software can also help you find and fix any issues that may be preventing your site from performing as well as it could.
What is the best SEO tool?
That really depends on what you need! Most comprehensive SEO software provides a lot of the same functionality. What you choose will come down to your budget, your needs, and your preferences in terms of how much you like using each particular option. You can learn more about the process we recommend in our step-by-step guide on how to compare software. You can also compare SEO software side by side using our Comparison tool.
What is the most accurate SEO tool?
It depends on what you are looking for - different SEO tools tend to be known for different functionality and features. Here’s a quick overview:
Keyword Research
- Semrush: Has the biggest keyword database in the industry, making it an industry leader for keyword research.
- Ahrefs: Highly accurate for keyword volumes thanks to its large and frequently updated database.
- Google Keyword Planner: This data comes directly from Google and provides keyword data based on actual Google searches. (It’s also free.)
Backlink Analysis
- Ahrefs: Many SEOs love Ahrefs backlink analysis. It claims to have the largest backlink database in the industry, with its crawler processing billions of pages each day.
- Majestic: Provides in-depth backlink quality analysis.
- Semrush: Provides detailed backlink analytics.
Techncial Audits
- Screaming Frog: The most detailed crawler out there when it comes to finding technical SEO issues.
- Semrush: Evaluates websites on 140+ on-page and technical SEO factors.
- Ahrefs: Provides a very comprehensive and easy-to-navigate site auditing tool.
Rank Tracking
- AccuRanker: Provides updated keyword data every 24 hours or on demand, enabling real-time tracking. Can monitor thousands - or even millions - of keywords.
- Semrush: Provides comprehensive position tracking tools, including daily position updates.
- Ahrefs: Updates SERPs for tracked keywords weekly, although daily visibility is also possible for a fee.
- SERPWatcher by Mangools: Provides daily keyword position updates as well as device and location tracking.
Digital marketer with the conviction that properly deployed organic marketing delivers the best ROI in the long run. I'm deep into SEO but also enjoy sports, traveling, and absolutely love food.
