Are you juggling between client acquisition, managing existing client relationships, overseeing SEO projects and teams, and envisaging the future growth of your agency?
Navigating the realm of an effective SEO agency is no walk in the park. The evolving landscape of SERP features, search engines, client demands, and algorithm updates poses a unique challenge.
The workload can be immense, often diverting even the most seasoned SEO professionals from their core objectives. Manual efforts, regardless of team size, cannot suffice.
That is precisely why integrating top-tier SEO agency software into your tech arsenal is imperative. Let’s delve into the premier tools tailored for SEO agencies, empowering you to make strategic decisions and propel your agency to new heights. 🚀
SEO agency software refers to a suite of SEO tools engineered to streamline agency operations, harvest valuable search engine insights, foster seamless teamwork, and effectively manage SEO projects for clients. It is pivotal for nurturing a highly-efficient agency business. 👌
Running an SEO agency entails more than just technical prowess in SEO. Like managing any other enterprise, efficient team organization, real-time collaboration, and progress monitoring are paramount.
Oftentimes, SEO agency leaders and managers wear multiple hats throughout the day. 🧢
From auditing, strategizing, researching, writing, optimizing to facilitating cross-functional communication within the organization and with external parties and clients, the responsibilities are diverse.
Hence, the ability to automate tasks whenever possible while still delivering a personalized experience to clients is indispensable.
That’s where SEO agency software bridges the chasm.
These platforms streamline and automate both internal and external efforts within SEO agencies.
In essence, they empower you to:
✅ Establish efficient workflows for managing SEO campaigns
✅ Maintain content schedules
✅ Monitor multiple campaigns
✅ Guide clients through sales funnels
✅ Regulate project scopes
✅ Enhance team collaboration
…and more.
From keyword research and optimization to reporting and project management, let’s assess the software enabling you to steer your SEO agency adeptly. 🧑💻⚡️
1. Ahrefs
Optimal for SEO analysis
Unleash Site Explorer by Ahrefs
Leverage Ahrefs to amplify search traffic and optimize websites
Ahrefs stands as a comprehensive search engine optimization software, offering an array of features such as competitor audits, keyword exploration, link building, and rank tracking.
It incessantly crawls the web to monitor and amass a significant volume of data on new and existing websites.
Outstanding features
- Site Explorer: This tool amalgamates three SEO reports to unveil a website’s performance in a unified view, encompassing backlink analysis, paid promotion traffic, and organic visits
- Keywords Explorer: An excellent keyword tool for discovering keywords, offering keyword suggestions, evaluating their ranking complexity, and estimating potential traffic influx
- Site Audit: The Site Audit tool enables scrutiny of a website’s on-page SEO to detect impediments hindering higher SERP rankings
- Visualization: Visualize a website’s SERP performance with metrics like average rank, visit count, and ranking distribution
- Competitor Research: Compare your clients’ websites’ SEO progress with competitors over time
Constraints
- Ahrefs’ recent pricing revisions have elevated the cost of their SEO software
- Some essential tools, such as local SEO, are absent
- Enhancements in keyword research and suggestions could elevate competitiveness
- Keyword rankings and search volumes are not updated daily
Pricing
- Lite: $83 per month
- Standard: $166 per month
- Advanced: $333 per month
- Agency: $833 per month
Client evaluations and feedback
- G2: 4.6 out of 5 (450+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (480+ reviews)
3. Google Search Console
Ideal for technical SEO
Evaluate website performance, traffic, and upkeep online presence with Google Search Console (Image via Software Advice)
Ensuring search engines can locate and index your client’s website is one of the primary steps of any SEO project, falling under basic technical SEO encompassing facets like internal linking, meta tags, and sitemaps.
The optimal starting point for this endeavor is Google Search Console. This free SEO tool by Google enables you to ascertain if your client’s website is being crawled and flagging any issues.
Premier attributes
- Performance analytics: Access valuable insights on your website’s performance in Google searches, delineating traffic breakdown by countries, queries, and pages
- Website submission: Submit sitemaps and URLs, cross-check index coverage to ensure Google maintains an up-to-date overview of your client’s website
- Email notifications: Receive alerts when Google detects issues on your client’s site, facilitating swift resolution
- URL inspection tool: Garner exhaustive insights regarding crawling and indexing related to your client’s pages, including structured data, AMP, and video content
- Mobile usability analysis: Assess and upgrade your website’s mobile responsiveness through tailored analytics
Constraints
- The interface may be daunting for novices due to an array of functions and SEO terminology
- Lack of real-time information necessitates a wait of at least one day for website status reports
- Data is confined to 1000 rows; external plugins are required for additional information extraction
Pricing
- Free
Client evaluations and feedback
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (Over 150 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8 out of 5 (140+ reviews)
4. Screaming Frog
Ideal for SEO audits
Review backlinks and extract data from websites using Screaming Frog, a comprehensive SEO website audit tool
Analyze backlinks and gather data from websites using Screaming Frog, an SEO website audit tool
Screaming Frog stands among the top-tier SEO software available in the market. It enables you to analyze website pages and audit technical and on-page SEO.
Primarily an SEO software for data retrieval, it navigates and indexes an entire site, encompassing text, meta descriptions, images, alt-texts, and other essential SEO elements.
It also presents the information in a structured format, making it visually appealing for your potential clients.
Prominent attributes
- Detect broken links: Inoperative links can negatively impact SEO by affecting website retention time, bounce rates, and domain authority. Screaming Frog rapidly scans your site and identifies server errors and broken links (404s)
- Evaluate headings and meta tags: Assess the headings and meta descriptions during scanning, pinpointing instances where they are extensive, deficient in detail, absent, or excessively used throughout your website
- Analyze redirects: Recognize both permanent and temporary redirects, pinpoint redirect loops and chains, or migrate a set of links for evaluation during a website transition
- Generate sitemap.xml files: Produce sitemaps and image sitemaps in XML format. You can include parameters such as priority, change frequency, and last updated date for each URL
- Discover duplicate content: Identify specific permalinks with replicated content or partially duplicated elements such as headings, meta tags, or titles and unearth webpages with insufficient content
- Integrations: Integrate with Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and PageSpeed Insights. Screaming Frog can then extract visitor and traffic insights for all your pages in a scan for a better grasp of website performance
Constraints
- When dealing with large databases for scraping, it often consumes considerable time, crashes, or freezes
- The user interface is outdated and non-user-friendly for beginners. It can be overwhelming for new users
- Requires substantial storage to operate, scan, and save information. Cloud-based alternatives are not available
Pricing
- Free version: Suitable for crawling up to 500 URLs
- Paid version: $259 per year/license
Client evaluations and feedback
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (Over 85 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.9 out of 5 (Over 100 reviews)
5. Clearscope
Excellent for crafting SEO content briefs
Optimize your content to attract traffic to your website with Clearscope
Quality SEO demands quality content. However, creating such content can be challenging, especially when analyzing the top 10 search results to understand why they rank so high or determining what improvements you could make.
Fortunately, tools like Clearscope exist. It’s an AI-based SEO software that enables you to optimize every content piece you produce.
From keyword research and word count to drafting and finalizing your content, it helps you assess how your content compares to the top 10 Google search results.
Additionally, it offers suggestions about the words or phrases you should incorporate in your content.
Prominent attributes
- Keyword analysis: Enter a keyword and receive a comprehensive analysis of the top 10 search results and the subsequent 20 for the keyword on Google
- Text editing: Utilize an intuitive text editor that evaluates your content concerning SEO, readability, word count, and more
- Brief creation and outlining: Develop SEO-centric briefs and outlines to commence on the right path and communicate clear expectations with writers and other involved individuals
- Integrations: Seamlessly incorporate Clearscope into your existing workflow with features like a Google Docs add-on, shared reports, and a WordPress plugin
- Search intent assessment: Explore new keywords and their search outcomes to comprehend the intention behind each keyword and adjust your content strategy accordingly
Constraints
- Plans come at high prices. Even the most affordable plan is not budget-friendly for small businesses
- The user interface can sometimes lead you to unintentionally generate a report when you only intended to check a keyword
Pricing
- Essentials: $170 per month for one user
- Business: Tailored pricing for five users
- Enterprise: Tailored pricing
Client evaluations and feedback
- G2: 4.9 out of 5 (Over 80 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.9 out of 5 (Over 55 reviews)
6. BuzzSumo
Ideal for content intelligence
Gain immediate access to trending stories worldwide and discover top-performing content with BuzzSumo
One of the most effective strategies for ranking high in search engines is to identify topics and perspectives likely to attract numerous backlinks and social signals. BuzzSumo excels in this regard.
This tool is essential for link building as it simplifies finding ideas that are already creating buzz in the client’s industry.
Moreover, you gain insights into your client’s existing content or that of its competitors, such as which titles garner the most engagement on social media.
Prominent attributes
- ContentExploration: By utilizing this function, marketing agencies can unearth the subjects and trends that have the most impact on their client’s audience
- Analysis of Content: Acquire valuable insights into the best-performing content, including shares on social media, traffic, and backlinks
- Identify Influencers: Uncover the leading influencers and reporters in a specific field who are most likely to connect to your content or share it on social media
- Monitoring Brand: Keep track of when your client, a rival, or a significant event is mentioned across the internet. So that you can take advantage of opportunities to engage their audience or address a crisis before it spreads further
- Competitor Insights: Watch what strategies are successful for your client’s competitors and replicate their content creation or dissemination tactics or enhance what they are doing
Restrictions
- Depending on your needs, it can become expensive
- The interface may pose challenges and be overwhelming for beginners
- The data frequently does not match expectations and necessitates substantial filtering
Pricing
- Essential: $95 per month for one user
- Creation of Content: $199 per month for five users
- Public Relations & Communications: $199 per month for five users
- Package: $319 per month for 10 users
- Enterprise: $999 per month for 30 users
Rating and Reviews by Clients
- G2: 4.5 out of 5 (90+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 (135+ reviews)
7. Mailshake
Optimal for link establishment outreach
Transmit personalized emails at scale and organize email outreach strategies with Mailshake
There’s no use in forming exceptional content if nobody gets to view it. And to present it to a broad audience, you require an email outreach and link creation tool. That’s what Mailshake is — a cold email solution for promoting your SEO content.
Using Mailshake, you can execute personalized mail merge campaigns with automated follow-up emails. Additionally, you can also make phone calls and interact with your client’s audience on social platforms.
Prime attributes
- Customized email delivery: Apart from email addresses, you can transfer personal information of your contacts, like name, website, etc., to humanize your emails
- Automated follow-ups: Construct and schedule follow-up messages for your campaign just once, and Mailshake will keep sending them on your behalf until you receive a response
- Data analysis: You can observe metrics such as open and reply rates to determine and contrast the performance of all your email campaigns
- Live management of campaigns: This implies that you can adjust the settings of your campaign while it’s ongoing to rectify any errors or make enhancements promptly
- Pre-established templates: Mailshake offers a wide array of tested messages for various scenarios that you can directly use
Drawbacks
- The current version only supports G Suite and Gmail inboxes
- It is slightly more costly than other parallel software options
Costs
- Email Outreach plan: $58 per month/user
- Sales Engagement plan: $83 per month/user
Client Ratings and Reviews
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (99+ reviews)
8. BrightLocal
Most suitable for regional SEO
Enhance ranking, boost reputation, and construct citations with BrightLocal (Image through Software Advice)
For enterprises with physical outlets, local SEO is an exceptionally effective method to endorse them online. BrightLocal is a comprehensive local citation and SEO platform that provides valuable insights for the company of your client.
Through BrightLocal, you can obtain a thorough understanding of rankings in a specific region, identify SEO issues, and leverage personalized, customizable reports and client access portals.
Prominent features
- Reputation Management: This tool lets you nourish, monitor, and manage consumer reviews on various platforms. It also enables you to transform positive feedback into influential social evidence
- Examine local SEO: Utilize this tool to scrutinize the local digital footprint of your client and determine SEO challenges requiring attention with recommendations for rectification
- Construction of Citations: Quickly and accurately submit and trace your client’s listings on local directories and data aggregators
- Tracker for Local Rankings: Obtain an extensive overview of local web rankings and recognize the most effective approaches to enhance them
- Customize everything with your brand: Establish a reputation as a regional SEO specialist with branded SEO reports. Each document can be entirely personalized to showcase the most essential performance indicators
- Integration with social media: Through its connections with Facebook and Twitter, you can monitor the progress of your client’s websites on the internet. For instance, you can track an upsurge in views, followers, and likes. This aids your clients in boosting engagement and reinforcing social signals
Drawbacks
- At times, the platform and its analytics system can be slow and buggy
- A wide array of integrations can make the interface a bit perplexing
- You cannot incorporate multiple regions and their keywords in a single ranking report
Costs
- Individual Business : $24.17 per month
- Multiple Businesses: $40.83 per month
- SEO Professional: $65.83 per month
Client reviews and ratings
- G2: Rated 4.6 out of 5 (190+ reviews)
- Capterra: Rated 4.8 out of 5 (230+ reviews)
9. Zoom
Ideal for team and client communication
Engage collaboratively with teams and clients using Zoom
Establishing a successful SEO strategy can be time-consuming, with results often taking months to years. This underscores the importance of consistent communication between SEO firms and their partners.
Zoom stands out as a prominent choice for selecting a reliable video conferencing platform for your agency.
Zoom offers a range of cloud-based video meeting features, including high-definition video and voice capabilities, a phone dialer, and Zoom Rooms. Additionally, Zoom provides unlimited VOIP with toll-free calling in over 60 countries.
Top features
- Voice-to-text Transcription: Utilize Zoom’s Transcribe feature to create textual records of meeting discussions, saved as .VTT files
- Virtual Backgrounds: Choose from preset backgrounds or set your own to enhance professionalism
- Screen Sharing: Conduct productive team meetings and share your screen, with options to display your entire screen or specific windows during presentations
- Recording: Record meetings for future reference, saving recordings locally or in the cloud
- Unified Sign-On: Simplify conference sign-ins for all your company employees with the Single-Sign-On feature
- Collaborative Whiteboards: Engage in group discussions and project collaborations with a shareable whiteboard that allows annotation
Constraints
- Mobile app may lack user-friendly interface compared to the web application
- Intermittent audio and video delays and disruptions may occur
- User interface design may feel somewhat outdated
Pricing
- Essential: Free
- Pro: $149.90 per user per year
- Business: $199.90 per user per year
- Enterprise: Pricing available on request
Client ratings and reviews
- G2: Rated 4.5 out of 5 (52,500+ reviews)
- Capterra: Rated 4.6 out of 5 (13,400+ reviews)
10. Proposify
Optimal for creating SEO proposals
Access authorized content and construct appealing proposals with Proposify
Creation and sharing of proposals form a significant part of an SEO agency’s sales cycle. Proposify can be a lifesaver in this regard, enabling sales professionals to generate, deliver, monitor, and digitally sign contracts, agreements, and proposals.
By using this SEO agency software, you can gather valuable insights to enhance your workflow, expedite interactions, make accurate forecasts, and offer a seamless signing experience for your clients.
This saves your team countless hours spent on mundane tasks and allows them to concentrate on their core function: closing deals.
Top features
- Resource Library: Access a repository of premade examples, images, and other content for easy categorization and facilitation of access
- Custom Design Editor: Maintain consistent branding in your proposals with unique design elements like chosen fonts, images, and videos
- Role-Based Permissions: Ensure that only necessary information is disclosed, streamlining the deal preparation process and reducing the likelihood of costly errors
- Performance Metrics: Gather valuable data on prospects’ engagement with your proposals, identifying potential obstacles and areas for improvement
- Real-time Notifications: Stay updated on proposal engagement, payment progress, and other critical events for timely actions
Constraints
- Issues may arise when editing and saving documents, with the interface occasionally feeling cumbersome
- Duplication of specific content, such as tables, may pose challenges
Pricing
- Team Plan: $49 per user per month
- Business Plan: Starting at $590 per month for a 10-user team
Client ratings and reviews
- G2: Rated 4.6 out of 5 (900+ reviews)
- Capterra: Rated 4.5 out of 5 (260+ reviews)
Managing multiple clients simultaneously in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be challenging and time-intensive.
Fortunately, you can select from the aforementioned options and utilize the SEO agency software that best suits your team’s needs.
By leveraging these tools to streamline workflows, monitor progress, and remain abreast of industry trends, you can enhance client outcomes and expand your agency effectively.
If you require a solution to consolidate all client and internal projects, ClickUp offers comprehensive project management features to enhance productivity from inception to completion. It’s effortless to begin using ClickUp—give it a try and witness its impact on your SEO agency. 🧑💻⚡️
Author
Pladora Maria, a marketing consultant and copywriter, is also the co-founder of 24Slack—a distinguished content marketing, SEO, and PPC agency catering to brands in the AI/B2B/SaaS sectors.