When it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) I’m no expert. Although, I like to give myself a fighting chance to improve search engine ranking.
I’ve been building up an arsenal of tools that I use. Some I’ve had to pay for but there are some free gems out there too.
My Tools To Improve Search Engine Ranking
If you’re looking for tools to improve search engine ranking yourself then these will come in handy.
Seasoned bloggers will have heard of many of these tools but may not have tried some of them yet.
Synthesis
I migrated my blog from HostGator to Synthesis back in August.
Synthesis is a managed WordPress hosting option that specialises in sites that use the Genesis Framework. They do also support other WordPress theme frameworks too (although that doesn’t currently include Thesis 2.0+).
I’m spoilt with Synthesis. As standard I get daily backups, Sucuri scanning, brute force protection and real time site monitoring via Site Sensor.
Synthesis is built for speed and security. Coupled with some other features I’m going to mention below, that gives it a great big thumbs up when it comes to SEO.
Genesis Framework
Moving to the Genesis Framework (aff link) was a no brainer for me. It’s search optimized and supports Schema.org code. That makes it easier for search engines to understand what your site’s all about.
With Synthesis web hosting you get the Genesis Framework and the Sixty Nine child theme free. I’d already bought it before I moved to Synthesis but it was nice to get an extra child theme.
You can read more about the Genesis Framework in my review:
WordPress SEO ByYoast
WordPress SEO by Yoast is at the top of the list of must-have plugins.
The Genesis Framework has some built-in SEO options like many theme frameworks. If you want to have more control over your SEO efforts though you need a dedicated plugin to do that.
For most people, the free version of WordPress SEO by Yoast will be enough to help improve search ranking. There are paid options now as well though that you may want to consider.
Scribe
As part of my hosting account with Synthesis, I get access to Scribe (aff link).
Scribe lets me research ideas before I start writing. It helps me locate discussions on social media about a topic I want to write about. After I’ve finished writing it tells me about other topics and keyword phrases I can use in to improve search engine ranking.
Scribe evaluates my content and lets me know how I can tweak it for better search engine rankings. That’s like how WordPress SEO by Yoast works but in more depth. It also checks over my entire site content to give me an understanding of how I can improve my future content strategy and get better search engine rankings.
Market Samurai
For finding keywords I can use to rank better on the search engines I use Market Samurai (aff link).
It’s my favourite keyword research tool. It allows me to find out exactly how much competition there is on keywords I’m thinking of using. It makes me better informed on whether they’re worth using.
It also helps me find related long tail keywords that I can use to enrich my posts and help improve search engine ranking. Whilst using keywords isn’t the be all and end all of SEO these days it’s still important.
W3 Total Cache Pro
In the past I’ve had a torrid time with W3 Total Cache.
I’ve gotten over that though. I’ve had to because W3 Total Cache Pro comes as standard with Synthesis hosting! The good thing though is that Synthesis provided me with all the settings I need to get the most out of the plugin.
W3 Total Cache Pro includes a Genesis Framework extension that uses fragment caching. That means once enabled page requests are served 30-60% faster. With Google citing page speed as being one of ways to improve search engine ranking, I’ve got that covered.
CloudFlare
Last but not least is CloudFlare. Since I moved to Synthesis, CloudFlare doesn’t make so much difference in speed gain as it used to. With shared hosting it helped immensely with that.
What I use CloudFlare for is to minify my CSS, javascript and HTML. The recommended settings for W3 Total Cache Pro don’t include minify. I’m happy to use the CloudFlare settings though because they are designed not to be aggressive and break things on a site.
I also use the RocketLoader feature but that doesn’t make such a difference since I moved away from shared hosting. Using CloudFlare improves my Google Page Speed score and that will help to improve search engine ranking.
Which Tools Do You Use To Improve Search Engine Ranking?
I’m sure there are other tools that people use to help with SEO and search engine ranking. It’d be great to hear about your favourite tools in the comments section below.
Without a doubt, moving to the Genesis Framework was the best decision I ever made when it comes to my blog. Remember, one low price gives you unlimited everything!
