Do you want to learn how to rank websites on search engines, videos on YouTube, or your business on Google Maps? Mastering SEO tools is essential. While there are many tools available, some of the most effective ones are completely free.
In this class, we’ll explore 23 free SEO tools that will help you improve your strategy. These tools enable you to discover keywords, track trends, create content, manage web, local, and video SEO projects, and measure your performance. Let’s get into it!
The best 23 SEO tools of 2025
- Google Ads Keyword Planner
- Google Trends
- Google Search
- Microsoft Advertising Keyword Planner
- Chat GPT
- Gemini
- DALL·E 2
- Midjourney
- Stable Diffusion
- Pexels
- Canva
- WordPress
- Rank Math
- Google Maps
- Google Business Profile Manager
- YouTube Predictive Search
- YouTube Research
- YouTube
- Advanced Google Search
- Google Ads Library
- PageSpeed Insights
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
Keyword Research Tools
The first step in an SEO strategy involves gaining a deep understanding of how users conduct searches, identifying the most relevant keywords, and making informed decisions about which keywords to focus on. This foundational step is crucial for the success of any SEO campaign, as it sets the direction for all subsequent efforts.
Google Ads Keyword Planner
Google Ads Keyword Planner is a versatile tool designed to help users search for and analyze the most pertinent keywords for a Google Ads advertising campaign. However, many SEOs have ingeniously adapted it for their own needs, using it to gain insights into keyword performance and search trends. This tool is accessible for free, with costs incurred only when running actual ad campaigns. This means that users can take advantage of its capabilities without any financial commitment. I’ve personally relied on it since the beginning of my journey in SEO. In the past, it was available to everyone without restrictions, but it has since been integrated into the Google Ads platform, requiring an account for access.
What makes this tool particularly intriguing? There are two main aspects: the ability to discover new keywords and the capacity to evaluate whether these keywords attract significant search traffic.
Google Trends
Google Trends is a tool that enables users to analyze and compare the search volume of keywords over various time periods and across different geographic regions. Despite its broad scope, I don’t utilize it frequently because it tends to provide very general data. However, I find it useful on occasion. For instance, before creating a YouTube video, I might input a broad term to evaluate whether the topic is currently trending or if its popularity has waned.
Google Search
Google’s search function remains the most widely used tool globally. By conducting a search for a specific keyword, such as “SEO course,” you can observe the diverse types of results that appear, including local businesses, websites, videos, and Wikipedia entries. The content presented by Google is essential for shaping your SEO strategy, as it provides insights into what users are searching for and how they engage with different types of content.
Microsoft Advertising Keyword Planner
Microsoft’s tool serves a similar purpose as the Google Ads Keyword Planner but is tailored for Bing. With Bing’s integration of Chat GPT, I decided to explore this keyword planner, considering that Bing may become increasingly significant in SEO strategies. However, my experience has been less than ideal so far as Microsoft unexpectedly suspended my account without explanation, and I am currently in the process of appealing this decision.
Content Optimization Tools
Once you’ve selected your keywords, the next step is to generate content, which can include text, images, or videos. Creating content is crucial for achieving higher search engine rankings. Fortunately, AI tools can now assist in managing some of this workload, making the process more efficient.
Chat GPT
Chat GPT, a product of OpenAI, is capable of generating coherent and relevant text responses, which makes it an invaluable tool for content creation. For instance, parts of this class, including tool definitions, were crafted using Chat GPT.
Although it is quite useful, Chat GPT is not without its limitations. It can sometimes provide outdated information and may not always align perfectly with your unique writing style. The Bing integration offers real-time internet access and resources, but it tends to be less polished.
Gemini
Gemini, a product of Google, is a complimentary AI tool specifically designed to assist content creators in optimising their work for better search engine visibility and user engagement. It supports various tasks such as bulk optimisation, generating search-optimised titles, and enhancing image optimisation.
While Gemini simplifies many processes, it also helps with creating accessible content, refreshing posts, and identifying relevant subtopics or questions to attract more traffic. Whether you need a title generator or ideas for content updates, Gemini streamlines and enhances the SEO process.
AI Image Optimization Tools
AI tools such as DALL·E 2, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion are capable of generating images based on textual prompts provided by the user. Among these, Midjourney is known for delivering the highest quality results; however, it has transitioned into a paid service. These AI-generated images are particularly useful when you do not have access to original visuals, though they continue to be a subject of debate due to various ethical and legal considerations.
Pexels
Pexels offers a vast collection of free, high-quality stock images and videos that are available for use in your website projects or video content, providing an excellent resource for enhancing your visual media without additional costs.
Canva
Canva is an online platform designed for creating a wide range of custom designs, such as posters, infographics, and videos, by utilizing its extensive library of templates and intuitive user-friendly tools. It is particularly effective for tasks like resizing images or crafting simple visuals. However, for more complex video editing strategies, particularly those intended for platforms like YouTube, more advanced tools such as Premiere and OBS are recommended due to their comprehensive features and capabilities.
Tools to Create Web SEO Projects
With your selected keywords and prepared content, it’s now the perfect moment to start building your website. This process involves several steps, each crucial for enhancing your online presence.
WordPress
WordPress stands out as the most effective CMS for optimizing SEO, offering a versatile platform to create not only websites but also blogs and e-commerce stores. Although the core WordPress software is free, you will need to invest in a domain and hosting services to get your site online.
Opting for the right theme, such as GeneratePress, is vital as it ensures your site has fast load times, which is a critical factor for user experience and search engine rankings. For designing your site, Gutenberg is highly recommended as it helps you avoid the pitfalls of using heavy visual editors that can slow down your site.
SEO Plugins
Installing an SEO plugin is essential to fully optimise your website for search engines. Some of the most popular choices is Rank Math. While Rank Math is my top choice due to its comprehensive features, SEOPress is rapidly gaining traction and popularity thanks to its positive user reviews and feedback.
Plugins to Improve Loading Times
In order to significantly enhance your website’s speed, it is crucial to install cache and WebP plugins. This step requires some technical configuration, but achieving fast load times is indispensable for ensuring SEO success and providing a seamless user experience.
Local SEO Tools using Google Maps
Not everyone searches on Google Web many people use Google Maps, especially on mobile devices, to find nearby businesses and services. This makes Google Maps a key platform for improving your visibility and reaching local customers.
Google Business Profile Manager
Using the Google Business Profile Manager, you can create and update your business profile to appear on Google Maps. This tool allows you to add essential details like your business name, address, phone number, website, and working hours. Keeping this information accurate and complete helps your local business show up when users perform a Google search for services or products in their area.
Tools for Video SEO Projects
Video SEO involves optimizing and ranking video content on platforms like YouTube and Google Videos to increase visibility and engagement.
Predictive Search
YouTube’s predictive search feature suggests relevant keywords as you type, based on the most popular and frequently searched terms by users, helping you to target the right audience effectively.
YouTube Research
YouTube’s “Research” tool, which is accessible through channel analytics, provides insights into audience search behaviors and emerging trends. This tool is currently available in select languages, including English and Japanese, allowing creators to tailor their content to meet audience demands.
YouTube
YouTube itself is a crucial platform for video SEO. By uploading videos, you can drive significant traffic to your website and establish strong backlinks, thereby enhancing your online presence and authority.
Competitor Analysis Tools
Knowing what your competitors are doing can help you improve your SEO strategy, and the best part is you can do it for free using tools from Google.
Advanced Google Search
The Advanced Google Search tool lets you check out your competitors without your search history messing up the results. You can filter searches by language and region, which is super helpful if you’re targeting specific areas. This way, you can see what kind of content your competitors are creating, what keywords they’re using, and how they rank in different regions.
For example, if you want to see how businesses in another country are ranking for a specific keyword, you can simply select that region and language. It’s a great way to get ideas and learn what works without any bias from your search habits.
Google Ads Library
The Google Ads Library is another brilliant free tool where you can see which ads your competitors are running on Google. It shows you their ad content, designs, and messages, so you can understand what they’re doing and figure out how to do it even better.
This tool is perfect for spotting trends and improving your own campaigns. By checking out ads similar to yours, you can come up with more creative ideas and stand out in the search results.
In short, using Advanced Google Search and the Google Ads Library helps you keep an eye on the competition, learn from them, and improve your content and strategy—all without spending a penny.
Backlink Analysis Tools for your SEO Performance
Once your project is live and accessible to users, it’s crucial to evaluate its success to ensure it meets your objectives. SEO requires ongoing monitoring and regular optimisation to maintain and improve your website’s visibility and effectiveness.
PageSpeed Insights
PageSpeed Insights provides a comprehensive analysis of your website’s load speed and overall performance. It offers detailed recommendations for improvement, focusing on key areas such as performance, accessibility, and SEO metrics to enhance user experience and search engine ranking.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics offers insights into website traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates. This year, the well-known Universal Analytics is transitioning to the more advanced Google Analytics 4, which provides enhanced features and capabilities for data analysis.
Google Search Console
Search Console enables you to monitor your site’s performance in Google search results, identify and fix technical errors, and analyse keywords that are driving traffic to your site. It’s considered the ultimate tool for comprehensive SEO analysis and strategy development.
We’ve covered the most essential free SEO tools to assist you in building, optimising, and monitoring your SEO strategy effectively. For more in-depth guidance and a thorough understanding, check out my complete SEO course, where we explore these tools step by step. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your SEO skills!
