We’ve been through a number of search engine optimization tools and are constantly searching for new ones that bring the most transparency to our clients, while presenting the information clearly and not in techno bafflegab that nobody but the most seasoned SEO experts can understand.

If you have any experience looking through Google Analytics reporting, you know that while the information looks positive and valuable, you may have a hard time interpreting the results to focus on what can help you improve search engine rankings. The best tools that are out there condense information from Google Analytics, Google AdWords and other sources to give you the clearest picture of where your business is doing well and where you need to improve.

Despite the unclear reporting, there is a wealth of information that you can get out of Google Analytics. However, some of it needs to be set up, and isn’t automatically gathered when you set up a Google Analytics account, such as demographic information on website visitors. One of our services is ensuring that Google Analytics is set up properly to get the metrics you want, and that a report is created which gives you transparent, clear results.

What do we look for in a tool?

Search engine optimization isn’t all about Google Analytics. Clients want reports on social media traffic, digital marketing traffic (usually from Google AdWords) and search engine optimization all on one report. Additionally, those reports have to be clear and offer clear action items that need to be pursued to improve rankings. Clients want a total picture of their online presence, and we look for tools that give it to them.

Swydo

Swydo’s strength is its customization. Other tools don’t give you the opportunity to customize information in a report, and if they do, it’s usually a clunky process. Swydo makes it easy to create custom client reports done to their exact specifications.

It also offers clear Key Performance Indicator (KPI) tracking to show if specific areas need attention. If, for example, one of your KPIs is spending, you have the option to get an instant alert if it runs too high. KPIs are also indicated clearly on reports, but the ability to get an instant alert if a KPI is running off track is a must-have feature. We find it engaging, insightful and a cut above the other tools that we’ve used in the past.

Raven Tools

Raven Tools is an old standby in the search engine optimization world, and it continues to improve its offerings. They offer an excellent all-in-one package that gives us full transparency over the things that matter to clients – keyword rankings, social media, and a complete SEO audit that quickly identifies problem areas. Clients love the interactive reports which they can view anywhere on a computer or mobile device, and which are automatically updated when they request changes. While its customization is not as good as Swydo’s, Raven still offers an amazing tool that’s easy to use both for us and our clients.

Agency Analytics

Agency Analytics is another old guard on the SEO reporting block, but it is more of an “all-in-one” tool than being purpose-built for search engine optimization. It gives high-level metrics for SEO, social media (including Instagram) and Google Analytics so you can monitor content performance. If you are looking for a good all around reporting tool rather than a deep dive, Agency Analytics will work for you.

We continue to look for SEO reporting tools that drive the best value for our clients, rather than improving our convenience level. If you’re interested in finding out what we can do to improve your search engine rankings, contact us today.