Top Free SEO Software You Need to Try in 2025

Listen, if you want folks to find you on the internet, you gotta get savvy with SEO. It ain’t some fancy secret anymore.

It’s like fishing, you need the right bait to get a catch. And in 2025, these free tools, they’re your bait.

See, 75% of all the traffic out there comes from search engines.

That’s a big piece of the pie, and if you are not in it, you are probably missing out.

First up, there is Google Search Console.

It’s like having Google on the phone, telling you how your site is doing. It shows you impressions, clicks, all that jazz. And where you are in the rankings.

No messing around, just the facts, what’s working and what’s not, plain and simple.

You wanna rank number one for “best SEO software,” well, this is your starting point.

You’ll see the keywords people use, the pages that are hitting, and the ones that are missing the boat. It’s all there. It is pretty cool huh?

Now, Google Analytics, that’s the other side of the coin.

Once they land on your site, what do they do? This tool will tell you, It’s like watching a fly in a jar. How long they stay, if they bounce right off.

You’ll get a better idea of what grabs their attention, and what makes them leave faster than a cat in a bathtub. Plus, you see where they’re coming from. Social, organic, referrals? It’s all there.

You can track your campaigns, your traffic and see what works.

If you sell stuff, you’ll see the purchases, the conversions, the bread, and butter, that’s what this tool will do for you.

You can even see the forms they filled, the downloads, it’s like a spy tool, but for your own site, kind of neat, right?

Don’t forget about Bing Webmaster Tools.

Bing, yeah, it’s the other guy, the second most popular one.

It has around 3% of the searches, which is not nothing.

Bing has it’s own quirks, it’s different from Google. You gotta play by their rules too.

More eyes on your site, more chances to catch something.

This tool is great for submitting sitemaps, checking errors, and getting a different perspective on keywords.

Just like Google’s tool, but with a Bing flavor, it’s like a different spice, you might like it.

Bing doesn’t care too much about social signals, so keep that in mind.

It’s not the end of the world if your social media is not working great, you can still rank pretty good there.

And then there is Semrush, they got some free stuff.

Their Keyword Overview, it tells you how tough a keyword is, how many people are searching for it.

The Site Audit will check for problems on your site, tell you what you gotta fix.

It’s like getting your car checked by a professional, except that this one is free. And you can see what backlinks your website has.

These free tools give you a good foundation, like a free trial, but for SEO.

You can check what your competitors are doing, see what their backlink profile, and content strategy. You can copy them, but be smart about it.

You are doing this to win, not to just play the game, right?

Look, these tools are not just for nerds with pocket protectors, they are for anyone that wants more people visiting their website, and more money, that is probably why you are here, right? You can’t do SEO right without them, it’s like trying to build a house without a hammer.

Each tool has its purpose, and together they show you where you are, and where you need to be. No messing around, just straight-up data. Use them, and get your piece of the internet.

Table of Contents

Google Search Console: Your Free SEO Command Center

It’s a straightforward deal, Google Search Console gives you the lowdown on how your website is doing in Google’s eyes.

Think of it as your direct line to the search engine, telling you what’s working and what’s not, no fluff, just facts.

You get to see how Google sees your site, which is the key to getting seen by everyone else.

This is not some optional extra, it’s the foundation.

You need to know how your site is performing, what keywords you’re showing up for, and if there are any problems. Google Search Console lays it all out. It doesn’t do any fancy tricks.

It just gives you the information you need to fix things and make your site better.

If you’re serious about SEO, you need to be using this tool, period. It is the ground zero.

Understanding Your Website’s Performance

Google Search Console shows you the real score on how your website is performing in Google search.

You get data on impressions, clicks, and your average position in search results.

This data isn’t just for show, it’s what you need to understand if your SEO efforts are paying off. Here are a few key metrics to watch:

Total Clicks: How many times people clicked through to your site from Google search results. This shows how visible you are.
Total Impressions: How many times your website appeared in search results, even if users didn’t click. This tells you your potential reach.
Average CTR Click-Through Rate: The percentage of impressions that resulted in a click. This metric is key for judging the effectiveness of your titles and meta descriptions.
Average Position: Your average ranking for your keywords. This is what you want to improve.

Table: Performance Data Example

Metric	Last 7 Days	Previous 7 Days	Change
Total Clicks	1250	1100	+150
Total Impressions	10000	9500	+500
Average CTR	12.5%	11.6%	+0.9%
Average Position	12	13	-1

These numbers aren’t just data points, they tell a story about your site’s visibility and user engagement.

You need to be checking this regularly, looking for patterns, and adjusting your strategy based on what you find.

The changes in these numbers from the previous periods tells you the direction your website is heading.

You also get to see the specific pages that are performing well and those that need work.

Use this to pinpoint the content that’s attracting clicks and the pages that aren’t.

Is there a pattern to what works and what doesn’t? Google Search Console gives you the information to dig deeper.

You need to use it to make data driven decisions on what needs to be fixed, improved or doubled down on.

Identifying Technical Issues

Google Search Console isn’t just about performance, it is also your go to for catching technical problems that can hurt your SEO.

The tool alerts you to any issues that might stop Google from crawling and indexing your website. Here’s what you should be looking for:

Coverage Report: This report shows you which pages on your site have been indexed by Google, and which have issues. Look for errors, warnings, and excluded pages.
- Errors: These are critical problems that can prevent Google from indexing your pages. You need to address these immediately.
- Warnings: These indicate potential issues that could harm your SEO. They should be reviewed and fixed.
- Excluded Pages: These are pages that Google has decided not to index. Some exclusions may be intentional, but some may be due to technical issues that you need to address.
Mobile Usability Report: This report highlights any issues that might make your site difficult to use on mobile devices. With the rise of mobile traffic, this is critical.
Core Web Vitals: This section measures your site’s user experience based on loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. If these metrics are poor, they could be hurting your rankings.
Security Issues: Google Search Console alerts you to any security problems, like malware or hacking. These can ruin your site’s reputation.

List of Common Technical Issues

404 Errors: These happen when users try to access non-existent pages. They lead to a poor user experience.
Slow Loading Times: If your site takes too long to load, users will leave.
Mobile-Unfriendly Design: Websites that are not responsive to mobile devices perform poorly.
Duplicate Content: Having multiple pages with the same content can confuse search engines and hurt your SEO.
Broken Links: These can damage your site’s authority and lead to a poor user experience.

You need to act fast when Google Search Console alerts you to a technical problem.

These issues can seriously damage your SEO if ignored.

Regularly check the tool to make sure your website is working and functioning correctly.

This will keep your website optimized for search and user experience.

Analyzing Search Queries and Keywords

Google Search Console gives you direct insight into the keywords people are using to find your website.

This data is straight from Google, telling you exactly what’s working, and not just some third-party guess.

You should be looking at this to refine your content and SEO strategy. Here is what you get:

Queries: The actual search terms that people use to find your site. These tell you which keywords you’re already ranking for.
Clicks: The number of times people clicked on your website for each query. This shows which keywords are driving traffic.
Impressions: How often your site appeared in search results for each query. This shows how visible you are for these terms.
Position: Your average ranking in search results for each query. This helps you pinpoint areas for improvement.

Example of Keyword Data

Query	Clicks	Impressions	Position
best seo software	50	500	10
free seo tools	100	1000	5
top seo strategies	20	200	20
how to improve seo	30	300	15

This data shows that for “free seo tools” the website is performing better, with a higher number of clicks.

But for other keywords, there is room for improvement.

You should use this information to make data driven decisions about your content and SEO approach.

Identify High-Potential Keywords: Look for keywords where you have a high number of impressions but a lower number of clicks. This indicates an opportunity to improve your meta descriptions and titles.
Find Low-Hanging Fruit: Check for keywords where you’re ranking on the second or third page of results. With a little bit of work, you can move these to the first page.
Content Ideas: Use the search queries to generate new content ideas. What are people looking for? This can give you insights into what you need to write about.
Track Performance: Monitor the performance of your keywords. Are your rankings going up? If not, you may need to adjust your content and SEO strategy.

Google Search Console is the best way to get direct insights into how your site is performing in Google search.

It gives you the information you need to understand your website’s strengths and weaknesses. Use it.

Google Analytics: Diving Deep Into Your Data

Google Analytics is the other side of the SEO coin, the tool that shows you what happens after a user clicks through to your site.

While Google Search Console tells you how you’re doing in search results, Analytics shows you what people do once they arrive on your site. It’s a tool to really understand your audience.

You need to know how people are using your site, which pages they like, and where they’re leaving.

Google Analytics tells you this, so you don’t just have a website, you have a tool to understand how to make it better. This is how you optimize the user experience. Understanding the data will give you an edge. It’s not complicated, it’s a necessity.

Tracking User Behavior on Your Website

Google Analytics tracks everything, from how long users spend on your pages to the specific links they click.

This information shows you how well your content is engaging your audience.

If you are not using this data, you’re just guessing. Here are some key metrics to keep in mind:

Time on Page: The average time users spend on a particular page. This helps you determine if the content is engaging and easy to read.
Bounce Rate: The percentage of users who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate indicates that your content is not meeting the user’s needs.
Pages per Session: The average number of pages a user views during a single session. This metric tells you how many pages on your site interest them.
User Flow: This visual report shows you the paths users take through your website, showing you the pages they visit first and where they drop off.

Table: User Behavior Metrics

Page	Average Time on Page	Bounce Rate	Pages per Session
Homepage	2:30	40%	3.2
Blog Post 1	3:45	25%	2.8
Blog Post 2	1:15	60%	1.5
Contact Page	0:45	75%	1.1

This data tells you a story.

It appears that “Blog Post 1” is performing well with low bounce rate, while users tend to leave quickly when they land on the “Contact Page”. This insight gives you what you need to improve areas that are not working as well as you would like them to.

Identify Engagement Opportunities: If a page has a high bounce rate or low time on page, it needs work. Think about improving the content, layout, and readability.
Optimize User Paths: If users are consistently dropping off at a certain point, something is wrong. You might need to rethink the user interface or calls to action.
Improve Content Strategy: Use the data to figure out what kind of content resonates with your users. If a certain type of article is popular, create more like it.
A/B Testing: Google Analytics can help you test different versions of a page and see which one performs better. Test your content to get optimal results.

You’re not just putting content out there.

You should be seeing how the audience is reacting to it. This is what Google Analytics lets you do. Use it.

Understanding Traffic Sources

Google Analytics breaks down your traffic sources so you know where your visitors are coming from.

Knowing your traffic sources is essential for figuring out what’s working and where to focus your efforts. Here is how the tool breaks down your traffic:

Organic Search: Traffic from search engines like Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. This is the most crucial traffic for SEO.
Direct Traffic: Visitors who type your website’s URL directly into their browser, or who have bookmarked it. It’s not always easy to track where direct traffic came from.
Referral Traffic: Visitors who come from links on other websites. This shows who is sending traffic your way.
Social Traffic: Visitors from social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Knowing which social platforms are driving traffic is important.
Email Marketing: Traffic from your email campaigns.
Paid Advertising: Traffic from paid ads like Google Ads.

Chart: Traffic Sources Breakdown

Traffic Source	Percentage of Total Traffic
Organic Search	50%
Direct	20%
Referral	15%
Social	10%
Email Marketing	5%

This tells a story of how users are reaching your website.

You can see that Organic Search is a main traffic driver, but also Social, referral and email are bringing users to the site.

This type of information allows you to fine-tune your marketing strategies, and lets you know where to invest more time and resources.

Focus on Organic Search: If organic search is a big source of traffic, make sure your SEO is on point. Focus on content that is relevant, keywords, and technical SEO.
Build Referral Relationships: Reach out to websites that refer traffic to you. These are partners, and you need to strengthen those connections.
Improve Social Media Engagement: See what social platforms drive the most traffic. Focus on content that resonates with the audience.
Analyze Paid Campaigns: If you are running ads, see if they’re paying off. If not, adjust them or change your approach.
Optimize Email Marketing: Email can be a powerful channel to bring users back to the site, and increase returning user metrics.

Your traffic comes from different places, and Google Analytics helps you understand all of them.

You need to focus on the traffic that is relevant to you, and that will get your business to the goals you need.

Setting Up Goals and Conversions

Goals and conversions are key to measuring success in Google Analytics.

These are the specific actions you want users to take on your website.

If you are not tracking goals, you are not able to track the effectiveness of your marketing and SEO efforts. Here are a few examples:

Form Submissions: When users fill out a contact form or a sign-up form. This shows interest in your product or service.
Purchases: When users buy something on your website. This is the ultimate goal for most e-commerce sites.
Downloads: When users download a file, such as a PDF or ebook. This is a sign that they are interested in your information.
Time Spent on Page: If users spend a certain amount of time on a specific page, that might indicate engagement and interest.
Pages Visited: If users visit a certain number of pages or a specific set of pages, it might indicate that they are interested in more of your content.

Example Conversion Data

Goal	Conversions	Conversion Rate
Contact Form Submissions	150	2%
Product Purchases	50	1%
Ebook Downloads	200	3%
Time Spent on Blog Page	300	4%

This data shows you the effectiveness of different types of conversion actions on the website.

It lets you know that users are more likely to engage with the website when downloading an ebook or spending more time on a blog post, so you should double down on this type of content.

Focus on Key Conversions: Set up goals for the actions that are most important for your business. If you want leads, track form submissions. If you sell products, track purchases.
Analyze Conversion Rates: See which pages convert well and which ones don’t. If a page has a low conversion rate, you might need to make adjustments.
Improve User Experience: A good user experience is essential for conversions. If your pages are confusing or hard to use, users will leave without completing an action.
Optimize Call-to-Actions: Use clear, compelling CTAs that encourage users to take the desired action. Make it as easy as possible for the user.
Test and Adjust: Keep tracking your conversion data and make changes based on the results. The conversion rates are not static and fluctuate based on your actions.

Tracking goals is how you figure out if you are going in the right direction.

Google Analytics gives you the tools to define what actions are important to you, and it tracks those metrics.

Analyzing Audience Demographics

Google Analytics gives you insights into who is visiting your website.

This information lets you fine tune your marketing and content efforts.

Understanding the demographics of your audience allows you to tailor your content to the right audience. Here are the key audience metrics to consider:

Age and Gender: Google Analytics provides demographic information about your users. This allows you to target your message more effectively.
Location: Knowing where your users are located geographically lets you know where the bulk of your audience is.
Interests: Google Analytics also provides data on the interests of your users. This data is based on their browsing habits.
Technology: See what kind of devices people are using to access your site and what browsers they are using. This gives you insights on how to optimize your website for different browsers.
New vs Returning Users: Google Analytics allows you to see if the users coming back to your website, or if the bulk of the traffic is first time visitors.

Example of Audience Demographic Data

Demographic	Percentage of Total Users
Age 25-34	30%
Age 35-44	25%
Male	60%
Female	40%
United States	40%
United Kingdom	20%
Tech Enthusiasts	50%
Mobile Devices	70%

This data lets you know that the website is popular with the 25-44 age group, and mostly with males, and with a global audience, with a focus on the US & the UK.

It also appears that most users are coming from mobile devices.

This allows you to fine tune your content strategy and design your website with the right user in mind.

Targeted Content: Knowing your audience allows you to create content that appeals to their specific interests, and demographics.
Location-Based Targeting: You can create content that is relevant to users in specific locations. This will allow you to target different user groups in different regions.
Device Optimization: Optimize your website for the devices your users use the most, such as mobile phones.
Personalized Experience: With this data you can personalize user experience by showing different content and offers based on their interests.
Marketing Strategy: Use demographic information to create a more targeted and effective marketing plan.

Google Analytics will show you who you are talking to.

If you don’t know your audience, how do you expect to reach them? Use this information to your advantage. It will give you an edge over your competition.

Bing Webmaster Tools: Not Just For Bing

Bing Webmaster Tools is another free tool you should be using for your SEO efforts.

While most focus on Google, you don’t want to ignore Bing.

It may have a smaller market share, but it is still a significant search engine, and you want to capture this traffic. You need to be optimizing for Bing too.

Bing Webmaster Tools is similar to Google Search Console but gives you the perspective of the second most popular search engine, and this is very important.

You need to be using both to maximize your search visibility.

This tool is more than an extra, it’s part of your SEO strategy.

Understanding Bing’s Ranking Factors

Bing has its own way of ranking websites, and understanding those factors is essential for optimizing your SEO for the search engine.

While there is some overlap with Google, there are also some unique factors to consider. Here are some of Bing’s ranking factors:

Relevance: Like Google, Bing prioritizes content that is relevant to the user’s query. Your content must be high quality and easy to read to rank well.
Authority: Bing considers your website’s authority and credibility, as well as its popularity. A website with many high-quality backlinks tends to rank better.
User Engagement: Bing takes note of user behavior like click-through rate, time on page, and bounce rate. It prioritizes websites that provide a good user experience.
Freshness: Bing values fresh and updated content. If your content is old and outdated, you won’t be ranking as well as you could.
Mobile Friendliness: Bing also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites. This is essential because of the rise of mobile use.
Website Speed: Bing considers how fast your website loads. You need to make sure your site loads quickly to avoid a negative impact on your rankings.

Table: Bing Ranking Factors vs Google Ranking Factors

Factor	Bing	Google
Relevance	High Priority	High Priority
Authority	High Priority	High Priority
User Engagement	High Priority	High Priority
Freshness	Medium Priority	Medium Priority
Mobile Friendliness	High Priority	High Priority
Website Speed	High Priority	High Priority
Social Signals	Low Priority	Medium Priority

This table shows the ranking factors for both search engines.

While most ranking factors are the same across both platforms, it is important to note that social signals seem to have less weight in Bing’s algorithms. This might influence your strategies.

Content Quality: Create high quality content that is relevant to your target audience. Focus on writing articles that are informative and engaging.
Backlink Profile: Work on building a strong backlink profile with links from reputable websites. Quality backlinks matter more than quantity.
User Experience: Make sure your website is easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and fast loading. If users have a good experience on your site, it will have a positive effect.
Regular Updates: Keep your content fresh and up to date. Create new content and update existing content regularly.
Social Media: While social signals have a low priority on Bing, they can still help with your overall SEO efforts.
Technical SEO: Address all technical issues on your website, such as crawl errors and sitemap issues.

You should not be ignoring Bing if you want to capture all the potential traffic to your website.

Understanding Bing’s unique ranking factors allows you to optimize your site to make the best out of your SEO efforts.

Managing Your Site for Bing Search

Bing Webmaster Tools gives you all the resources you need to manage your site’s presence in Bing search.

Just like Google Search Console, you can use this tool to manage how Bing crawls and indexes your site.

You should be using this tool on a regular basis, it is not just an extra. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Site Submission: Submit your sitemap to Bing so they can easily crawl and index your site. This will help them discover all your pages.
URL Submission: You can submit individual URLs to Bing for indexing. This is useful for newly created pages that you want to index as fast as possible.
Crawl Errors: Bing Webmaster Tools will show you any crawl errors it encounters. Address these issues to make sure all your pages are being indexed.
Keyword Research: Bing has its own keyword research tool that can help you find relevant search terms to target. This tool provides insights into what people are searching for on Bing.
Backlink Analysis: See who is linking to your website. This allows you to keep track of your backlink profile and disavow harmful links.
Performance Reports: Bing provides performance data for your website, including impressions, clicks, and keyword positions. This allows you to see the overall trends of your traffic.
Indexation Insights: Bing provides you with insights on how many pages of your website are currently indexed by Bing. This information helps you find pages that are not being crawled.

List of Actions to Manage Your Site

Submit your website’s sitemap
Submit individual URLs for indexing
Analyze crawl errors and fix them
Use Bing’s Keyword Research tool
Analyze your website’s backlink profile
Review performance reports and adjust your strategies

Bing Webmaster Tools is an essential tool for SEO professionals and website owners.

It gives you access to the information you need to optimize for the Bing search engine.

If you want the most traffic possible, you need to use all available tools.

You are not doing SEO properly if you don’t use both Google & Bing tools.

Keyword Research Opportunities on Bing

Bing has its own keyword research tool in Webmaster Tools, which offers you insights into what people are searching for.

This gives you a new set of data points, which is crucial in the fast paced environment of SEO.

If you only focus on Google, you are missing out on another source of valuable traffic.

Bing’s keyword research tool can be helpful for uncovering keywords you might have missed with other tools. Here are some of the things you can do:

Find Relevant Keywords: Discover keywords that are relevant to your website, and target audience.
Search Volume: See the search volume for each keyword, so you know how many people are searching for it.
Keyword Trends: Understand how search volumes fluctuate over time. This gives you information about seasonal trends.
Question Based Keywords: Find questions people are asking that are related to your niche. This helps you to identify opportunities to create new content.
Long-Tail Keywords: Discover long-tail keywords, which are phrases that are more specific and less competitive.
Geographic Targeting: Focus on keywords that are relevant to your target location. This helps you optimize for specific regions.
Competitor Keywords: Find keywords your competitors are ranking for on Bing. This helps you develop a competitive SEO strategy.

Example of Keyword Research Data from Bing

Keyword	Search Volume Monthly	Trend
best free seo software	500	Stable
top seo tools	1000	Stable
how to do keyword research	300	Trending Up
what is on page seo	200	Stable
free seo audit tools	400	Stable

This data shows that certain keywords are stable and have a consistent search volume, and others are experiencing more traffic.

You should be using this to determine the effectiveness of your current strategies, and where to focus your efforts.

Content Creation: Use keyword data to create new content that will resonate with your audience. Create blog posts, guides, and videos based on the data you collect.
Content Optimization: Optimize existing content to rank for keywords found through the tool. You can always improve the current articles on your website.
Identify Opportunities: Identify opportunities to improve your rankings. There are always ways to grow and get more traffic.
Competitive Analysis: Understand what your competitors are doing by analyzing the keywords they rank for.
Local SEO: Use location-based keywords to target users in your region.

Bing Webmaster Tools gives you another perspective on keywords.

You are ignoring a big chunk of potential traffic by not paying attention to this tool.

It is a must to optimize for Bing, along with Google, to get the maximum results from your SEO efforts.

Semrush Free Tools: A Glimpse of Power

Semrush is a well-known name in the SEO world and it offers a suite of powerful tools that can give you a big advantage.

While the full version requires a subscription, there are free tools that you can use to improve your website’s search visibility.

The free tools might be limited, but they are still powerful and useful.

You might not have all the access of the paid version, but even the free tools give you a strong foundation for SEO success.

This is not just an option, but something you should take advantage of.

It’s about using what is available to you.

Semrush’s free tools give you the leverage you need.

Keyword Research with the Keyword Overview Tool

The Keyword Overview Tool from Semrush is a great resource for understanding the potential of different keywords.

You can get valuable data on search volume, keyword difficulty, and related keywords. This information is key for your SEO strategy.

You should be using this tool to identify the best keywords.

This free tool gives you crucial information to help you decide which keywords to target.

You are getting a peek into the type of data that the paid version offers. Here is what you can do with it:

Search Volume: See how many people search for a specific keyword every month. This tells you the demand for a keyword.
Keyword Difficulty: Assess how hard it will be to rank for a certain keyword. The higher the difficulty score, the harder it is to rank.
Global Volume: See how popular a keyword is in different countries.
Related Keywords: Discover keywords related to your primary search term. These can be used for content creation.
Phrase Match Keywords: See keywords that include your target term.
Broad Match Keywords: Discover keywords that are semantically related to the term you have entered.
SERP Analysis: Review the top-ranking pages for your target keyword to understand why they rank so high.

Example of Keyword Overview Data

Keyword	Search Volume	Keyword Difficulty	Global Volume
free seo tools	10000	60	15000
best seo software	5000	75	7000
how to do seo	2000	50	3000
on page seo checklist	1500	40	2000

This data tells you that “free seo tools” has the highest search volume, but a medium difficulty to rank for.

You should be using this to prioritize your keywords and decide which ones to target with your content.

Keyword Selection: Select the keywords that have a good balance of search volume and difficulty. Target keywords that you can realistically rank for.
Content Strategy: Develop a content plan that targets relevant keywords. Your content should answer the questions your audience is asking.
Competitive Analysis: Use the tool to see what keywords your competitors are targeting. Then, create a strategy to outrank them.
Content Optimization: Optimize your pages for the keywords that have the most potential. This means incorporating your keywords into titles, headings, and content.
Long-Tail Keywords: Use the related keywords to find long-tail keywords. These are easier to rank for.

The Semrush Keyword Overview tool gives you insights that are essential for success.

Use the free features to improve your SEO, you won’t be disappointed.

You need to be using it to have an edge in your SEO strategy.

Site Audit with the Site Audit Tool

The Site Audit tool from Semrush is a powerful resource that can identify issues that might be affecting your website’s performance.

While the free version is limited, it can still give you an overview of critical SEO problems.

This tool can help you address any issues that are hurting your SEO.

This is not an option if you are serious about SEO, it’s a must-use resource.

It will point out the problems you need to address, to improve your website’s rankings. Here are the key things it checks for:

Technical SEO: The tool checks your website for technical problems that can hurt your SEO. This includes issues like broken links and crawl errors.
On-Page SEO: Semrush will point out on-page optimization issues that you need to fix. This includes missing meta descriptions and titles.
Website Speed: The audit tool checks for website speed issues. Loading time is a crucial factor in SEO.
Mobile Friendliness: See if your website is mobile-friendly. This is a crucial SEO ranking factor.
HTTPs Issues: Check if your website is using a secure HTTPS connection.
Duplicate Content: The tool flags pages that have the same content, which hurts SEO.
Crawlability: The tool checks if search engines can access all the content on your website.

Example of a Site Audit Report

Issue	Status	Recommendation
Broken Links	10	Fix broken links to improve user experience
Duplicate Content	5	Use canonical tags or rewrite duplicate content
Slow Loading Times	3	Optimize images and reduce server response time
Missing Meta Descriptions	20	Write unique meta descriptions for every page
Mobile Friendliness	Pass	Site is mobile-friendly

This data shows where the website is falling short.

You should fix the technical issues that have been pointed out to improve the overall user experience, and the website’s rankings in the search results.

Prioritize Issues: Focus on the issues that have the biggest impact on your SEO. Start by fixing the problems that are marked as critical.
Fix Broken Links: Repair all the broken links, both internal and external. This improves user experience and your site’s authority.
Optimize On-Page SEO: Fix all on-page SEO issues, including meta descriptions, titles, and heading tags.
Improve Website Speed: Reduce your loading time by optimizing images, and using a CDN.
Address Technical SEO: Fix issues like crawl errors, and ensure your website is crawlable by search engines.
Regular Audits: Run regular audits to make sure your website is optimized for SEO.

The Site Audit tool from Semrush is a powerful resource for fixing the technical and on-page SEO issues.

Use it regularly to make sure your site is healthy and optimized for search. You shouldn’t be skipping this tool.

Exploring Backlinks

Semrush offers a set of free backlink analysis tools that give you valuable information.

Backlinks are important because they signal to search engines that your website is credible.

You can use this tool to identify your backlinks and see the quality of those links.

While the free tools are limited, they can help you understand your backlink profile, and identify where your website is getting its links. This is information you need to grow your website. Here are the key features:

Backlink Overview: See the total number of backlinks pointing to your website. This gives you an idea of your website’s authority.
Referring Domains: Identify the websites linking to your site. This is crucial for understanding where you are getting traffic.
Authority Score: This number from Semrush tells you the quality of the websites linking to your site. A higher score means higher quality backlinks.
Anchor Text: See what words other websites are using to link to your content.
Link Type: Identify the types of links to your website, such as text links, or image links.
Follow vs Nofollow: See if the links are do-follow or no-follow. Do-follow links contribute to authority.

Example Backlink Analysis Data

Metric	Value
Total Backlinks	500
Referring Domains	150
Authority Score	45
Top Anchor Text	“SEO Tools”
Percentage of DoFollow	80%
Percentage of Nofollow	20%

This shows that the website has a decent number of backlinks from a decent number of websites, and a good percentage of them are

Final Thoughts

In 2025, you’ve got a solid arsenal of free options.

Google Search Console gives you the raw data from Google itself.

It tells you what’s working and what isn’t, no fancy frills, just cold, hard facts about how your site is performing in the world’s biggest search engine.

It will show you technical problems, and will keep your website in top shape.

Google Analytics will then help you understand what’s happening once the user gets to your website, where they’re clicking, and where they’re leaving.

You need to know how people are moving through your site, what content they’re engaging with, and where they’re dropping off. It’s crucial to making a website work for you.

These tools are not extras, they are the backbone of an effective SEO strategy.

Then there’s Bing Webmaster Tools, which will give you a new perspective, and will give you insights on how the second largest search engine sees your website.

You can’t just optimize for one engine, you have to optimize for all, and get the most visibility.

Bing might have a smaller market share, but ignoring it is leaving potential traffic on the table.

It’s important to use every resource to maximize results.

And if you’re looking for a more comprehensive look, the free version of Semrush will give you a peek into the power of a pro-level tool.

Even the free features of Semrush can make a big difference.

It is a great way to get a taste of a robust tool, and gives you access to keyword research, site audits, and backlink analysis, enough to get started with a solid SEO foundation.

So, you’ve got the tools, what do you do with them? It’s about using data to drive your decisions.

You need to look at the numbers, analyze them, and make smart adjustments to your website.

Are you ranking for the right keywords? Is your content engaging? Are there technical issues holding you back? The numbers don’t lie, they show you how your website is really doing.

You should always be looking at where your traffic is coming from, which pages are getting the most clicks, and the demographic of your audience.

These pieces of information can be used to fine tune your content and overall strategy.

Data analysis should be part of your regular routine, and if you don’t, you are just guessing.

This is not just about getting more traffic, it’s about getting the right traffic.

The free tools mentioned here aren’t a magic solution, but they are a great starting point.

You will need to consistently put in the time and effort to get where you want. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.

It’s a continuous process of learning, testing, and improving, and these free tools provide a good start and will set you on the right track.

In 2025, there’s no excuse for not having a strong SEO strategy.

You’ve got the tools you need, now go out there and use them.

No more guessing, you’ve got all the data you need to make your website work for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Google Search Console and why do I need it?

Google Search Console is your direct line to Google, showing you how your website is performing in search results. It’s not optional, it’s the foundation.

You need it to see what keywords you’re ranking for, how many clicks you’re getting, and if there are any technical issues. It’s the ground zero for SEO.

How can Google Search Console help me improve my website?

Google Search Console shows you how your site is performing, what keywords are bringing you traffic, and if there are any technical issues holding you back. It gives you the data to make informed decisions.

You can see the pages that perform well, and the ones that don’t, and take actions based on that.

What technical issues does Google Search Console identify?

Google Search Console flags technical issues like crawl errors, mobile usability problems, and slow loading times.

It alerts you to security problems and shows you what pages are not being indexed.

You need to fix these issues to make sure Google can find your website.

How can I use Google Analytics to understand my audience?

Google Analytics tracks how people use your site, what pages they like, and where they leave.

It tells you about their behavior on your website, how much time they spend on pages, and the path they follow.

This is how you optimize the user experience based on the user’s behavior.

What are the key metrics in Google Analytics I should be tracking?

You need to keep an eye on metrics like time on page, bounce rate, pages per session, and user flow.

These metrics tell you if your content is engaging, and where you need to focus your efforts.

You should be making adjustments based on that data.

How does Google Analytics help me understand my traffic sources?

Google Analytics breaks down your traffic into categories like organic search, direct traffic, and social media.

This shows you where your users are coming from, and where you should be focusing your marketing efforts.

It will give you insight on where to invest more time and resources.

What are goals and conversions in Google Analytics and why are they important?

Goals and conversions are the specific actions you want users to take on your website, like form submissions, purchases, or downloads.

They tell you if your SEO and marketing efforts are working.

You need to be tracking them to see if you’re going in the right direction.

What is Bing Webmaster Tools and why should I use it?

Bing Webmaster Tools is like Google Search Console, but for Bing.

You need it to optimize your site for Bing’s search engine.

This tool helps you understand how Bing sees your website and gives you access to useful data that will allow you to increase the traffic you get from this search engine.

How does Bing’s algorithm differ from Google’s?

While there’s overlap, Bing focuses on relevance, authority, user engagement, freshness, and mobile-friendliness.

Social signals may have less weight in Bing’s algorithm, but they should still not be ignored.

You need to focus on what makes the two search engines similar, but also what makes them different.

How can I use Bing Webmaster Tools to manage my site?

Use Bing Webmaster Tools to submit your sitemap, check for crawl errors, do keyword research, analyze backlinks, and review performance reports.

It’s essential to use it to maximize your visibility on Bing search.

You should be using it regularly as part of your SEO strategy.

How does Bing Webmaster Tools help with keyword research?

Bing’s keyword research tool helps you find relevant keywords, understand their search volume, and see trending topics.

You might uncover keywords you’ve missed with other tools.

You need to make sure you don’t miss this opportunity, it can make a big difference.

What are the free tools offered by Semrush?

Semrush offers free tools like the Keyword Overview Tool, Site Audit Tool, and Backlink Analysis tools.

These tools give you valuable information to improve your website’s SEO.

Even with limitations, they still have power and are very useful to your website.

How can the Semrush Keyword Overview Tool help me?

The Semrush Keyword Overview Tool shows you search volume, keyword difficulty, and related keywords.

You can use this data to pick the best keywords to target in your content.

You should use it to get an edge in your SEO strategy.

What kind of issues does the Semrush Site Audit Tool identify?

The Semrush Site Audit Tool identifies technical and on-page SEO issues, as well as website speed and mobile-friendliness problems.

You need this data to fix these problems and improve your rankings.

You shouldn’t be skipping this tool if you are serious about SEO.

How can I analyze my backlinks with Semrush for free?

Semrush provides free backlink tools that show you the total number of backlinks, referring domains, and authority scores.

This is important to understand your backlink profile and identify what websites are linking to you.

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