There is no shortage of SEO software tools to choose from. Some are basic keywords tools, while others perform advanced SEO audits, functions and reports. One of the most noteworthy keyword research and SEO analytic tools is SEMrush. It’s a long-running contender, but how does it hold up with the constant competition that pops up at every turn? Here is my SEMrush 2018 review.
So Much More Than A Keyword Tool
Keywords are complex, but SEMrush simplifies everything keyword-related and completely eliminates the guesswork. Type in a generic ‘off the top of your head’ industry or product keyword, and you will instantly be met with a user-friendly and easy-to-read visual display including:
- Organic search volume
- Paid search volume
- CPC distribution
- Keyword trends
- Keyword position tracking
- Similar and suggested keywords—some of which may be a better fit
You can also export these findings into an Excel document to review them further. The information you gather can be used to help you select what keywords to use on your website, content marketing, organic content and paid search. Most importantly, it helps you identify the keywords with low competition and high search results. There’s more too!
Analyze Your Competition
Ever wondered what keywords your competitors are ranking for? With SEMrush, there’s no need to wonder. Enter your local, nationwide and global competitors’ URLs to see what keywords they are ranking for and compare/contrast the keywords they are using. Keep an eye on what they are doing so that you can tweak your keywords accordingly. In addition, you can also view the traffic to your competitor’s website. One downside is that your competitor's traffic will be a ballpark range and is sometimes off by a significant number. Nonetheless, it is better to have a ballpark range than no idea at all.
Post To Social Media
A feature that really makes SEMrush unique is that you can preschedule your posts to Facebook and Twitter. Yes, there are other tools that can do this for you, but SEMrush has a few features that most cannot compare with. For example, you can get additional post ideas, reschedule successful posts, and analyze your post-performance in the same place that you are analyzing your overall digital performance. One downside is that you can only post to Facebook and Twitter, so you will need another tool to preschedule your posts to Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and more. In addition to posting, you can track and analyze your competition on Facebook and Twitter. So even if you stick with your current social media scheduling tool, at least take advantage of your ability to track your competition.
In-Depth SEO Audit
There are lots of free and simple “SEO audit” tools out there, some are even built into WordPress. However, the tools in SEMrush are quite advanced. Learn the real-time tweaks you can make to your website and content in order to improve your organic reach. This includes a backlink tracker that ensures your links are high-quality and still live. You can even track your competition's backlinks.
Intuitive Layout And Reporting
Our SEMrush 2018 review wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t discuss the intuitive layout and reporting. While there are worthy competitors with some similar features, they just aren’t as easy to read. However, SEMrush does an excellent job of visualizing data in a manner that even new and DIY marketers can easily comprehend.
Pricing
Some businesses may see the price point as a disadvantage, but it all depends on how you look at it. Time is money and time wasted creating content and marketing materials with the wrong keyword research and data means missed traffic and conversions. If the information you use is properly implemented, you will easily make back your investment each month and more. Also, this tool is what gives freelance marketers, startups, local businesses, and established businesses their online competitive edge.
The current monthly subscriptions are $99.96 per month for the Pro plan, $199.95 per month for the Guru plan, $399.95 per month for the Business plan, and custom quotes which are available for the Enterprise plan. The major differences include built-in branding for the Guru plan, white label reports and API access for the Business plan, and on-site training and a long list of add-on features and customizations for the Enterprise plan.
Overall Score: 5 Stars
While there are less expensive alternatives to choose from, SEMrush remains the top contender since 2008 and is still going strong. Sometimes SEO tools have a difficult time keeping up with algorithm changes and SEO trends, but SEMrush is committed to staying one step ahead of the game. If you are currently using a keyword-only tool and aren’t sure how the added tools features will positively impact your marketing outcomes, start with the SEMrush 7-day trial.
