You don't need expensive software to take care of your website's SEO. Some of the most useful tools are free, and several come straight from Google. Here are the ones I'd set up first for any small business.
1. Google Search Console
If you only set up one tool, make it this one. Search Console shows which searches your site appears for, how many people click, which pages are indexed, and whether Google has found problems. It's also where you submit your sitemap and request indexing for new pages.
2. Google Analytics 4
Search Console tells you what happens in Google. Analytics tells you what happens on your site: how many visitors you get, where they come from, which pages they read, and whether they contact you. Set up key events, like contact form submissions and phone clicks, so you can see what's actually producing leads.
3. Google Business Profile
For local businesses, your Business Profile is an SEO tool in itself. Its performance reports show how people find you on Search and Maps, and how many call, ask for directions, or visit your website.
4. PageSpeed Insights
Paste in any page to see how quickly it loads and what's slowing it down, on mobile and desktop. It reports Core Web Vitals, the speed and stability measurements Google uses, and gives specific suggestions.
5. Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing is smaller than Google, but it also powers other search tools. Setting it up takes a few minutes, and you can import your site straight from Google Search Console.
6. Rich Results Test
This checks the structured data (schema markup) on a page and shows whether it's eligible for enhanced results, like review stars or FAQs.
7. AI assistants
Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are useful for brainstorming the questions customers ask and drafting FAQs. They're also a way to check how AI describes your business. Always review and fact-check what they write before you publish it.
Set up Search Console and Analytics first, then leave them running. They only report data from the day you install them, so the sooner they're in place, the more history you'll have.
When a paid tool makes sense
Paid tools like Semrush add competitor research, keyword volumes, rank tracking, and site audits. They're worth it when you're actively competing for searches. For many small businesses, the free tools above cover the essentials.
I use all of these, plus Semrush, to research, optimize, and track how clients show up in search. If you'd like them set up properly, or help reading what they're telling you, I can help.
