Are you looking for the best beginner-friendly SEO platforms or software solutions to help you improve your ranking on SERPs? You’re at the right place!
This post will show the best SEO software solutions for beginners (and pros alike!), whether you are starting a blog or want to become an affiliate marketer.
Search engine optimization is one of today’s most popular and influential organic digital marketing practices.
As the business world rapidly shifts towards a digital-first economy, businesses at every level are actively transitioning to the digital realm to maximize their online visibility, traffic, and sales.
Unfortunately, many startups and small businesses need more expertise or experience to create winning campaigns.
Then is where SEO tools offer strategic insights to help users outrank the competition and boost organic traffic.
However, choosing the right SEO tool or software can be complex, especially for starting.
Therefore, in this post, I’ll share a simple but practical guide explaining what to look for in a beginner-friendly SEO platform. More importantly, I’ll share my top picks in the market to get started with your SEO efforts.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, for which I may get compensation at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. I’ve personally used or thoroughly researched these products and stand for them. This site is not intended to provide financial advice but for entertainment only. You can read our affiliate disclosure in our Privacy Policy.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Beginner-Friendly SEO Platform
In the last decade, a rapid influx of SEO tools and platforms has helped professionals and businesses establish and improve their digital presence.
However, no solution is one-size-fits-all. Some are more suitable for marketing professionals and advanced users.
Meanwhile, others target beginners or non-marketing professionals looking to learn quickly and craft an SEO strategy.
Those are the best SEO tools for beginners.
Ultimately, choosing the right beginner-friendly solution comes down to the following factors:
Cost
Cost is an essential factor most beginners consider when looking for an SEO platform.
Most opt for free or paid solutions with free trials or versions to get an initial hands-on experience. However, these solutions could be faster or offer access to limited information and features.
In contrast, paid solutions offer more comprehensive research, tracking, and reporting tools users can use to generate more valuable insights.
User Interface
While experienced SEO professionals use sophisticated or advanced platforms, beginners look for simple tools.
SEO is a complex and time-consuming practice on its own.
Therefore, the last thing any user wants is to navigate a solution that’s too complex and get frustrated at the start of their learning journey.
You should opt for a solution with a friendly user interface and a vast knowledge base for self-learning.
Most top-ranked tools have a clear layout, simple navigation, and a seamless user experience.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is an essential feature offered by any SEO platform.
It enables users to find the best keywords to use when setting up campaigns regarding search volume, location, difficulty, and other factors.
Reporting
Amateurs and professionals using SEO to improve visibility must compile summaries of their tactics and collected information.
As a result, choosing the best SEO platform for your needs often depends on the type and quality of reports offered.
What are the Web’s Best SEO Software Solutions for Beginners?
The following are my picks of the best SEO platforms or software solutions for beginners in the market. Please note that I have compiled this list using the factors in the previous section:
1. SE Ranking – A Complete SEO Suite At an Affordable Price
Overview
Most SEO platforms and software solutions in the market offer a standout feature that separates them from the competition.
When it comes to keeping an eye on the competition, SE Ranking is king.
This powerful solution offers a complete SEO suite with all the essential features you’d expect to find, including keyword research, backlinks, etc.
However, it goes beyond this by offering in-depth website audits and competition analysis, real-time rank tracking, and a host of advanced features at highly competitive prices.
Top Features
- Built-In Keyword Grouper – SE Ranking offers a powerful keyword research/suggestion tool that allows users to segment keywords according to the niche, location, and target audiences.
- Website Audit – Using SE Ranking, users can identify and fix webpage errors and check them for best SEO practices.
- Rank Tracking – SE Ranking offers real-time keyword monitoring on Google and other popular search engines.
- Advanced SEO/PPC Competition Analysis with Access Control – SE Ranking enables users to find competitor keywords and strategies with customizable reports. Users can also add other users and limit their access accordingly.
Pricing
SE Ranking offers three plans for users based on features, the number of projects, and the number of users, among other factors:
- Essential (10 projects/1 user/5 competitors/250 keywords/6,000 backlinks) – $31.20/month
- Pro (Unlimited projects/3 users/10 competitors/1,000 keywords/30,000 backlinks) – $71.20/month ($119.2 for five users)
- Business (Unlimited projects/10 users/20 competitors/2,500 keywords/90,000 backlinks) – $151.20/month (rates vary according to the of users)
Bottom Line
Overall, SE ranking is a powerful tool any level of user can leverage to improve their digital presence.
However, the solution is highly recommended for beginners since it has been developed with ease of use.
Therefore, it offers a highly intuitive dashboard with a minimalistic design for seamless navigation.
Moreover, its plans are also beginner-friendly. The only downside is that it doesn’t offer advanced social media analytics features.
2. Serpstat
Overview
Serpstat is another popular SEO suite offering many SEO, PPC, and content marketing tools.
It has made a name for itself in the SEO community for being one of the best solutions for optimizing and running SEO campaigns.
As a result, globally-recognized brands, such as Shopify, Uber, and Samsung, are using it.
Top Features
- Enhanced Keyword and Competitor Research – Serpstat offers powerful keyword and competitor research tools to analyze URLs, search questions, and keywords for improved campaigns.
- Site Audit – Serpstat allows users to assess and evaluate their domain optimization scores in real-time and suggests improvements.
- Real-Time Positions Monitoring – Serpstate provides real-time position tracking on SERPs along with historical ranking data.
- Backlink Analysis – Serpstat offers 24 months worth of backlink data from millions of domains for score comparisons and improvements.
- Beginner-Friendly Interface – Serpstat offers a beginner-friendly interface with an easy-to-use dashboard and seamless navigation.
Pricing
Serpstat offers five monthly plans for users based on their use case and feature requirements. However, they offer discounted pricing if you opt for an annual plan instead of a monthly one:
- Lite (20 tools/1 user/4,000 daily searches) – $69/month
- Standard (3 users/branded reports/extended interface/5,000 daily searches) – $149/month
- Advanced (7 users/white label/extended interface/8,000 daily searches) – $299/month
- Enterprise (Unlimited users/12,000 daily searches/API access/100 projects) – $499/month
Bottom Line
Serpstat is an excellent solution for beginners and businesses.
It’s a complete SEO suite with powerful features, including backlink analysis, site audits, keyword research, and more.
If you’re just getting started with SEO, I recommend opting for the Lite plan. It has everything you need to improve your digital presence.
3. SEMRush
Overview
SEMRush is one of the most popular tools in the SEO community, especially among beginners or businesses with limited marketing resources.
The tool allows users to assess their rankings and explore new ranking opportunities.
You can also compare your site with some of the top-ranking sites in your industry or niche and download search data, keywords, and traffic reports for analysis.
Top Features
- Organic/Adversiting Research – With SEMRush, you can find and leverage the best SEO keywords and localize ad campaigns and web pages.
- Enhanced Segmentation – SEMRush enables enhanced market segmentation and competitor analysis for better audience targeting.
- Backlinks – SEMRush makes it easy to understand domain authority and create solid backlinks for improved rankings.
- Real-Time Automated Analytics – SEMRush offers real-time traffic analytics that can help users of any level discover lucrative opportunities.
Pricing
SEMRush offers three pricing plans for different types/levels of users depending on their budget and use cases:
- Pro (5 projects/500 keywords/10,000 RPR) – $119.95/month
- Guru (15 projects/1,500 keywords/30,000 RPR) – $229.95/month
- Business (40 projects/5,000 keywords/50,000 RPR) – $449.95/month
All packages offer basic SEO, social, and PPC tools, such as keyword research, website audit, and more.
The Guru and Business plan offers more advanced tools, such as a content marketing toolkit, GDS integration, PLA analytics, and API access.
Bottom Line
SEMRush is one of the go-to options for aspiring and experienced SEO professionals.
It offers a free version with limited functionality, perfect for users looking to get started with search engine optimization.
However, due to its vast applications and tools, it is also one of the most expensive SEO platforms in the market and is typically used by small and medium-sized companies.
Therefore, it might not be the most viable option for individuals with modest budgets. I recommend opting for the Pro plan if you upgrade to a paid solution.
4. Ahrefs
Overview
Ahrefs is among the most recommended SEO platforms in the market today.
It offers an intuitive user interface which makes it incredibly easy to use, especially for beginners learning the ins and outs of search engine optimization.
However, the critical reason SEO professionals opt for this powerful tool is its website crawlers which are only second to Google in terms of size and quality.
As a result, the software is the go-to solution for site audits, backlinks, and custom analytics reports.
Top Features
- Keyword and Content Research – Ahrefs is one of the best keyword and content research tools. It allows users to find and leverage the exact keywords competitors use and create optimized campaigns, blogs, and other forms of digital content.
- Backlink Research – With Ahrefs, users can instantly see all backlinks and download reports with advanced SEO metrics.
- SERPs Rank Tracking – Ahrefs is one of the few tools that allows users to track web and mobile keyword rankings.
- Web Monitoring and Alerts – Ahrefs offers real-time monitoring and alerts for keywords, backlinks, and mentions.
Pricing
Ahrefs offers four plans at different price points for users based on their use case and features requirement:
- Lite (SEO dashboard/site explorer/site audit/keyword explorer) – $99/month
- Standard (Lite plan features plus advanced site explorer/SERP updates/position history) – $199/month
- Advanced (Standard plan features plus advanced site explore & audit/Google Data Studio/2 years of history) – $399/month
- Enterprise (Advanced plan features plus access management/audit log/API/unlimited history) – $999/month
Bottom Line
Overall, Ahrefs is a powerful tool for beginners. It’s straightforward to use and provides some of the most powerful features in the SEO tool market.
Users can learn to backlink audits, research keywords, and perform competitive analysis within minutes. It also offers a wide selection of best free SEO tools.
The paid option includes a set of the best SEO tools for small businesses.
5. SpyFu
Overview
As the name suggests, SpyFu is an SEO tool designed for one core purpose – spying on the competition.
It offers various features and tools to help users extract valuable insights related to their industry and niche.
Moreover, the platform keeps things simple and organized. Users can type in their competitor’s site URL and get access to their keywords, paid ads, and organic search data.
Moreover, SpuFu has been active for over a decade, meaning users can access more historical data than other (newer) platforms.
Top Features
- SEO and PPC Research – SpyFu offers advanced SEO and PPC research capabilities with multiple metrics, such as backlinks, domain comparison, AdWords competitors, PPC keyword groupers, and more.
- SERP Checker – SpyFu offers an in-depth analysis of search engine results for enhanced competitor insights and easy-to-read and detailed reports.
- Domain Comparison – SpyFu allows users to view and compare their domain’s strengths and weaknesses with competitors’ domains.
Pricing
SpyFu keeps things simple by offering three plans based on the number of search results, data exports, domain overviews, and other factors:
- Basic (10k row search results/10k row data exports/100 domain overviews) – $39/month
- Professional (Unlimited search results/unlimited data exports/unlimited domain overviews/API access) – $79/month
- Team (Professional plan plus 2000 sales leads/5 user logins/40k keyword rankings) – $299/month
Bottom Line
I highly recommend beginners opt for SpyFu, especially those unwilling to splash out cash initially.
This tool offers many powerful features for free, including keyword research and competitor analysis, meaning you can easily upgrade later once you’ve become proficient in using it.
The only downside is that its crawler doesn’t come with web-wide coverage. Therefore, while it offers over a decade’s data, its database contains limited domains.
6. WebFX SEO Checker
Overview
WebFX is a full-service digital marketing agency offering a wide range of innovative solutions and services for lead generation, social media marketing, content marketing, and UI/UX design.
It also provides a free SEO checker using which users can learn how to rank higher on SERPs and improve their traffic.
Top Features
- Web-Based Solution – WebFX offers a web-based SEO checker report tool using which you can quickly identify and fix your site’s issues.
- Real-Time SEO Analysis – WebFX allows users to plug in their information and generate instant analysis related to site speed, backlinks, security, keywords, and content optimization.
- Image Optimization – WebFX allows users to optimize images with alt tags, SEO-friendly file names, and size alterations.
- Support – WebFX offers SEO services, meaning users can interact with its support team for information about its SEO checker and services.
Pricing
WebEx’s SEO Checker is free to use. All you have to do is visit the official site and enter your site details to get started.
Bottom Line
Overall, WebFX’s SEO Checker is an excellent solution for beginners looking for a free solution to commence their SEO campaigns. While it’s not the most robust solution in the market, it offers many premium features for free, such as site speed analysis, meta tag assessment, content grading, and in-page link audit, to name a few.
Therefore, learning the ins and outs of search engine optimization is an excellent solution before upgrading to a more robust solution.
7. SEO PowerSuite
Overview
SEO PowerSuite is a powerful SEO software solution for the desktop. It offers a full range of advanced SEO tools, from keyword research to site audit, link-building, and rank tracking. It is among the few tools that enable users to run unlimited projects and keyword checks. It is an excellent solution for startups and individuals looking for an inexpensive SEO tool for a complete optimization workflow.
Top Features
- Advanced Keyword Research Tools – SEO PowerSuite offers a whopping 24 keyword research methods with local SEO tracking for geographic segmentation.
- Page and Site Audits – The software allows users to quickly review errors, red flags, and other issues and suggests solutions to fix them.
- PPC-SEO Analysis – SEO PowerSuite integrates with Google Ads, Analytics, and Search Console to provide complex organic and inorganic SEO stats.
- Built–In Backlink Checker – SEO PowerSuite comes with one of the most extensive backlink indexes in the SEO tool market. With this, users can enhance DA and link quality.
Pricing
SEO PowerSuite offers a free version and two annual plans (licenses) for users:
- Free Version (Unlimited websites/unlimited keywords/1,100 backlinks/500 URL crawls) – $0 (Free for download)
- Professional (Unlimited websites/unlimited keywords/unlimited backlinks/unlimited URL crawls) – $299/year ($24.90/month)
- Enterprise (Professional plan plus watermark-free reports, multi-format data) – $499/year ($41.50/month)
Bottom Line
SEO PowerSuite is one of my most recommended solutions for beginners looking to get started for free or with a tight budget. It offers a wide range of features on its free version using which you can learn the ins and outs of SEO. Plus, its premium versions are highly affordable compared to most mainstream solutions in the market.
Wrap Up
So, there you have it – My seven picks of the best SEO platforms and software solutions for beginners. Of course, you can try out an abundance of free and paid tools, including UberSuggest, MoX, Wooranks, and others.
However, the tools in this list are straightforward and highly recommended by most SEO professionals. So, go ahead and try them out to see which one works best for you.
If you want to know how to create a successful blog, and use SEO to your advantage, in this post you can have the steps to start a blog as a business.
Also here is one of the best courses where you can learn how to take advantage of SEO for blogging, among many other tactics.
