Best SaaS SEO Tools From 12+ Years of SaaS SEO Experience
Building an arsenal of the best SaaS SEO tools will be invaluable to your business’s growth.
Using these tools in our SaaS SEO agency has helped us to drive more traffic, build more leads and increase revenue for SaaS business in almost every industry.
Take a look at our top picks to make sure that your SaaS business isn’t missing out:
- All-in-one SaaS SEO tool: Ahrefs
- Content creation: Surfer SEO
- Technical SaaS SEO: Screaming Frog
- Rank Tracking: Accuranker
- SaaS Reporting: Looker Studio
Comprehensive SaaS SEO Tools
When it comes to all-in-one SaaS SEO tools, there are three industry leaders: Ahrefs, Moz, and Semrush. This type of tool will be the main driving force of your SaaS SEO strategy.
Which one you decide to use will mostly come down to personal preference. Ahrefs is our choice thanks to it being one of the most accurate and flexible. It will handle the needs of almost all SaaS businesses.
Ahrefs
If you’re serious about ramping up your SEO game, Ahrefs is a tool you can’t ignore. Its range of functionalities makes it an excellent choice for most SaaS companies.
Useful features:
- Analyze your and your competitor’s keywords, rankings and backlinks
- Keyword research to find what your audience is searching for
- Check your website SEO health with an audit
- Track movements in keyword ranking
- Backlink analysis
While no software is going to cover all bases, Ahrefs is our go-to tool whether we’re working on a small business or enterprise SaaS SEO.
You’ll be able to see where your competitors are earning their links and pinpoint areas where you could potentially gain some ground. The insights from Ahrefs help to highlight gaps in your strategy or identify opportunities for growth.
Ahrefs has a wealth of informative tutorials available. These resources make it easy for anyone to effectively utilise all that Ahrefs has to offer.
Additionally, with keyword tracking capabilities that allow you to monitor rankings over time, this offers an overview of how well your efforts are paying off.
Moz
Moz has carved out a niche for itself with an impressive array of features. It’s similar to Ahrefs with a slightly more user-friendly experience while not quite as comprehensive a data set.
Moz has the benefit of having higher report limits so it allows you to gather more data as part of its plan.
You’ve probably heard SEOs talking about a website’s domain authority score which was developed by Moz (similar to Ahrefs domain rating). There is also a useful section about on-page optimisation that will show your page’s current standing and provide details on how to improve it.
Semrush
From keyword research to technical SEO audits to social media tracking, every aspect of your online presence can be enhanced using Semrush.
It’s really neck and neck with Ahrefs, the only slight difference is that Semrush has more features around social media and PPC advertising while Ahrefs does more with backlink analysis. Social media and PPC aren’t strictly part of SEO so whether you need them or not will depend on your SaaS marketing strategy.
SaaS SEO Tools for Content Creation
Content, and specifically on-page SEO, is the driving force behind getting your website to the top of search engine results pages.
If you’re not optimising your content then it’s unlikely that you’ll ever make it to the top in today’s competitive market.
When we work with SaaS companies we will optimise their old content as well as establish a process for correctly optimising new content. This can transform the success of old content especially and see you ranking for content that otherwise would have struggled to be seen.
Here are a few of the best SaaS SEO tools we use for creating optimised content.
Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO is a popular solution for optimising your online content and improving search engine rankings.
It offers a variety of features tailored to meet the needs of businesses in the SaaS industry. Its content editor will help you include all the relevant keywords to build relevance in search engines and improve your chances of ranking.
It also allows you to audit existing pages and provides solutions for you to enhance pages. Surfer knows this thanks to its crawling ability; it will look at what’s already ranking in the top ten so you can implement what’s already working.
There are customisation options as well that let you choose your competitors so you can really hone in on beating sites that are similar to yours.
User experience is at the forefront; its interface is intuitive and easy to navigate regardless if you’re an SEO beginner or an expert.
We use this SaaS SEO tool on a daily basis for a wide range of clients and know first-hand that it can get results.
Keywords Everywhere
This is a useful tool for quickly viewing SEO metrics from your web browser such as Google Chrome or Firefox.
Keywords Everywhere is a browser extension that will show the following information about each search result in Google.
- Search volume
- Cost per click
- Competition
- Trend data
Being able to quickly view this information while searching can lead to finding new ideas and analysing competitors on the fly.
They’re also constantly updating the software to match Google’s algorithm updates. For example, all searches include NLP keywords which is another positive of this SaaS software.
Answer The Public
To get even more information on what your users are searching for you need to be using Answer The Public.
It uses Google’s autocomplete to compile a list of all the questions and related keywords to your main keyword. Instead of you having to think of ‘how’, ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘why’ for your main search terms, it does it for you.
This can be a treasure trove of information and help to make sure you’re creating content on every aspect of your niche which builds topical relevance.
SaaS Technical SEO Tools
Technical SEO just isn’t possible without high-quality tools.
It’s also one of the more complicated areas of SEO so it pays to have a solution that makes your life easier. Ignoring technical SEO might be hindering your website without you even knowing.
More than that, an effective SEO audit for your SaaS website can influence where your SEO strategy needs to go next.
Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is one of the market leaders when it comes to technical SEO audits and gives you so much information to play with.
When we start working with a new client one of the first things we will do is run a crawl on Screaming Frog. From this, we can assess the technical issues and set about fixing them.
A few of the features include:
- Find broken links
- Audit redirects
- Discover duplicate content
- Visualise site architecture
- Analyse page titles and metadata
These features aren’t just available to your website but any website. So think of it like taking a peek inside your competitors’ websites.
Sitebulb
Another top SaaS SEO tool is Sitebulb. This is one of our favourites and is similar to Screaming Frog in its range of features.
However, it really excels with visulising the data in graphs which can make it easier to find what you need.
One of the standout Sitebulb features is its ability to perform comprehensive crawl analysis. This can be particularly useful for larger sites that have a lot of pages.
It can tell us if there are broken links, duplicate content issues, or anything else that might hold back our site’s performance on search engines.
Rank Tracking SEO Tools
Monitor the performance of your keywords across multiple platforms such as Google, Bing and even YouTube.
Accuranker
With AccuRanker, you can track keyword rankings in real time, receive instant updates on SERP changes, and even monitor the performance of your competitors.
The tool also seamlessly integrates with key platforms like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, and Looker Studio for comprehensive analysis.
While other SEO tools such as Ahrefs offer rank tracking, they don’t offer the details of Accuranker. It doesn’t just display the data, it allows you to create reports so you can really dig into what’s working and what’s not.
SaaS SEO Reporting Tools
These platforms offer robust capabilities that can transform the way we understand our SEO data, providing us with powerful analytics to make data-backed decisions.
Looker Studio
Formally known as Google Data Studio, this free SaaS SEO brings key insights into sharp focus.
This platform offers an array of integrations with various data sources such as Google Analytics or Google Sheets.
The customisable dashboard allows you to tailor your analytics view based on specific needs or goals, further simplifying the process of understanding critical metrics. This detailed perspective helps identify patterns and trends that may otherwise go unnoticed in traditional spreadsheets or reports.
Its strength lies in translating complex datasets into visually appealing and easy-to-understand formats through its advanced data visualisation features. Looker Studio also has collaborative capabilities where team members can collectively engage with shared dashboards and reports.
Woopra
Woopra offers a robust suite of features that allows you to track the end-to-end customer journey.
This can be incredibly useful to not only see how customers find your site but also what they do when they’re there. It’s highly likely that you have multiple touchpoints which can be a nightmare to track manually. With Woopra’s advanced analytics, this becomes much easier.
One other advantage of this is you can track users in real-time, identifying patterns and trends and seeing the results of conversion rate optimisation as they happen.
Customer segmentation is another standout capability of Woopra; it allows you to categorise customers based on their behaviour, demographics, or other criteria. By segmenting your audience, you are able to create personalised experiences that resonate better with each group, improving overall engagement and conversion rates.
The retention reports provide valuable data about how well you’re keeping existing customers engaged over time; this information is critical in refining your retention strategies.
Lastly, Woopra’s behaviour analysis tools deliver a clear view of how users interact with our brand across various channels.
Best Free SaaS SEO Tools
Just because these tools are free, doesn’t mean there any less useful. In fact, most of these free SaaS tools are incredibly powerful and we use them on a daily basis for our clients.
Google Analytics
From traffic source monitoring to goal tracking, Google Analytics provides comprehensive data that helps you understand where your visitors are coming from and what they’re doing on your site.
With its detailed behaviour flow chart, you can easily visualise the path users take through your pages, giving you valuable insight into their interests and engagement levels.
By analyzing user interactions and conversions, we can identify where potential customers drop off in our sales funnel or which pages have high bounce rates.
This data-driven approach allows you to make targeted improvements to our site design or content strategy, enhancing the overall user experience while maximising conversion rates.
Google Search Console
While Google Analytics gives you a look into user behavior, Google Search Console lets you view your website through the eyes of search engines. It’s an exceptional tool that should be a regular in your Saas SEO toolkit.
The console setup is straightforward; once you’ve verified your website, you gain access to a range of webmaster tools that help you understand how Google’s algorithms view and rank your pages.
It’s possible to view:
- Clicks
- Impressions
- Click through rates
- Search queries
On top of that, it alerts you to any indexing issues on our website. If there are problems preventing certain pages from appearing in search results, the console will flag them so you can rectify the situation promptly.
Google Trends
Google Trends allow you to visualise data on trending keywords, thereby providing invaluable insights into what your audience is currently interested in.
This tool lets you conduct a comprehensive trend analysis to understand not just what topics are hot but also when they are likely to peak based on seasonal trends.
Another useful feature of Google Trends is its ability to filter data by geographical regions. This can be great for local SEO.
PageSpeed Insights
This SaaS SEO tool, offered by Google, is all about providing data on your website’s loading time reduction and performance.
It helps you to understand your Core Web Vitals; metrics that Google considers significant in a webpage’s overall user experience and search ranking.
By pinpointing issues that affect load times or create friction for users, you can make necessary adjustments to enhance the overall user experience significantly.
For example:
- Largest contentful paint (LCP)
- First input delay (FID)
- Cumulative layout shift (CLS)
It not only gauges how quickly your site loads but also provides actionable recommendations on how to improve it.
Its focus on mobile optimisation is particularly crucial considering how many consumers now access services via their smartphones.
ChatGPT
By now everyone knows what ChapGPT is and how powerful it can be. It can be a useful source of content and ideation.
Use it as inspiration to help find content ideas, rewrite headlines or ad copy and much more. Think of it like a personal assistant.
However, like all tools ChatGPT has its limitations; it may occasionally generate less-than-ideal results or require human intervention to perfect the output. You’ll need to fact-check any content as it sometimes gets creative with the truth. Despite these minor hiccups, the potential benefits far outweigh any drawbacks.
What to Look for in a SaaS SEO Tool
We’re going to focus on three key elements: price, time-saving capabilities, and usability.
These factors should influence the decision-making process as we aim for solutions that offer maximum value for cost, help streamline our SEO efforts effectively, and provide a user-friendly interface for seamless interaction.
Price
You’ll be amazed at how affordable some SaaS SEO tools can be, offering a range of pricing options to suit different budgets and needs.
But remember, affordability isn’t just about the upfront cost. It’s also about ROI measurement: what kind of return are you getting on your investment?
A tool might seem inexpensive initially, but if it’s not helping improve your search engine rankings or drive more traffic to your site, then it’s probably not worth it.
Conversely, a pricier tool could end up saving you money in the long run if it delivers significant results. So when considering price, think about both immediate costs and potential long-term benefits.
Timesaving
The investment you make isn’t just about dollars and cents; it’s also about freeing up valuable time that can be better spent on other aspects of your business.
SaaS SEO tools serve as efficiency boosters in your digital marketing strategy. This eliminates the need for manual research and analysis, which is often time-consuming and prone to inaccuracies.
These productivity enhancements allow you to focus more on implementing effective tactics rather than being overwhelmed with information overload.
In short, utilising SaaS SEO tools optimises not only our online visibility but also operational efficiency across the board.
Usability
A well-designed tool that focuses on user experience can significantly impact productivity and efficiency, leaving more time for strategic planning and implementation.
Reliable customer support is another critical element that enhances tool usability. Nothing can be as frustrating as encountering a technical hitch without immediate assistance at hand. That’s why we always recommend choosing SaaS SEO tools with excellent customer support.
Types of SEO Tools for SaaS Companies
There is pretty much a tool for everything. In fact, there are two or three tools for every SaaS SEO task that you need.
This is why we wrote this guide but it can still be difficult to decide on what your SaaS business actually needs. If that’s the case then it can be helpful to break down the types of tools into the three main categories and choose one from each.
Comprehensive SEO tool: Offer all-encompassing features such as keyword research, link analysis and competitor research.
Technical tools: Designed to address specific aspects of SEO like site speed or crawl errors.
Content creation & optimisation tools: To help refine your content to meet SEO standards
The Benefits of Using SEO Tools
The benefits of these SaaS SEO solutions shouldn’t be underestimated. We use them every day and it would make our and your jobs a lot more difficult.
It’s hard to summarise all the benefits here but to highlight a few key ones:
- Gives you access to data in an organised way
- Improves performance through clear insights
- Allows you to make data-backed decisions
- Makes your business more time efficient
Also, these tools allow you to stay up-to-date with ever-changing search engine algorithms, ensuring your strategies are always relevant and effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it typically take to see results from SaaS SEO?
We’ve found that SEO progress and result measurement vary. Tool efficiency is key, but timeframe expectations should be realistic. Typically, it’s at least four weeks before noticeable results emerge.
Can SaaS SEO tools help with link-building strategies?
Yes, backlink analysis forms a key part of tools such as Ahrefs and Semrush. You can analyse inbound and outbound links of your competitors to help build link-building strategies.
Are there any potential disadvantages or risks of using SaaS SEO tools?
Data privacy concerns might arise and hidden costs could surface unexpectedly. Plus, integration challenges with existing systems to overcome.
Can SaaS SEO tools be effectively used by beginners, or is specialised knowledge required?
With a beginner’s guide, anyone can learn the SEO vocabulary and make an informed SaaS selection. Tool integration and understanding SEO analytics may take time, but it’s definitely achievable for beginners.
Do SaaS SEO tools come with customer support or training resources?
Yes most SaaS businesses recognise this as a hugely important part of their service and we made our picks based on services that have good customer support and training resources, as well as other factors.
Matthew Barby, Senior Director of Acquisition at HubSpot
"Whenever I have companies ask me if there are any great agencies in Australia, I always point them to Prosperity Media. James and team are always pushing out incredibly impactful work, and their depth of knowledge around SEO and content marketing is up there with the best in the world."