The ability to decipher data and translate that information into an actionable strategy is what differentiates good SEO campaigns from great, lead-generating SEO campaigns. That being said, even the most experienced SEO strategist would have trouble getting traction on a campaign without the right set of SEO tools available.
As more and more SEO tools continue to flood the market, it’s important to know which tools provide the most accurate and relevant data when performing SEO in 2025. I have been performing SEO since 2017 and have tried nearly every SEO tool on the market, and I can confidently say there are tools I could not imagine trying to plan and run a successful SEO campaign without.
Whether you are fresh out of college, a seasoned search engine optimizer, or a marketing manager looking for ways to improve your department, the software and services listed below have been vital to 321 Web Marketing’s success and should be considered as the top SEO tools in 2025.
What Are The Most Important Factors To Consider When Choosing An SEO Tool?
There are two primary factors that should be considered when choosing an SEO tool, how easy is it to use and how accurate is the data that is being provided? Not only should the tool be easy to use on a daily basis yourself, but it should also be easy to teach others to understand and use correctly.
There are many SEO tools on the market today that offer a plethora of features and functionalities which may be great for a seasoned strategist, but could pose problems for an organization with marketing staff that are less experienced.
When determining the accuracy of data for a given tool, it’s best to perform the same research across a few different platforms and comparing their results against one another. For instance, if I am trying to decide between using Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz as my go-to data source for keyword and backlink research, I would establish a set date and data point within my Google Analytics account and see how the data compares to what is given in the other platforms.
In the above example, you can see I set a date range of April 7, 2025 – April 12, 2025 in our Google Analytics 4 property and will be using organic traffic as my data point to use for a comparison.
I then matched my authoritative data point grabbed from GA4 and compared those numbers with the organic traffic data provided by Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz for the same time period.
As you can tell from the charts, Ahrefs provided the closest organic traffic data average to the Organic traffic data retrieved from Google Analytics 4 (off by 25 users). Where as Semrush and Moz both gave me organic traffic data that was far lower than what our actual organic traffic was during that 5 day period.
| Platform | Traffic Data | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| GA4 | 2144 | |
| Ahrefs | 2119 | -25 |
| Semrush | 571 | -1573 |
| Moz | 482 | -1662 |
The Best SEO Tools Of 2025
The following tools stand out in 2025 for their capabilities, reliability, and alignment with current SEO challenges. Each one addresses a specific piece of the SEO workflow, from in-depth technical analysis to content creation powered by AI.
Ahrefs
Out of all the software and services discussed on this list, I would rank Ahrefs as the most versatile and user-friendly SEO tool on the market, as it pertains to planning and evaluating an SEO campaign.
Ahrefs is particularly strong for single-site SEO, making it popular among content marketers and growth teams who want a focused look at their own domain, or a competitor’s. It excels in surfacing underutilized keyword opportunities and provides clean data visualizations that help translate findings into action.
Although Ahrefs doesn’t offer as many PPC or content marketing tools as Semrush, it outpaces competitors in link data accuracy and organic traffic insights. It’s a solid choice for those who want focused analysis without unnecessary feature overload.
Over the years I have used similar platforms, such as Semrush and Moz, and although these two are great options to consider for your SEO research and analysis needs, Ahrefs has proven to be the superior product when it comes to data accuracy, usability, and continuous feature improvement.
Pros
- Website Auditing Capabilities
- Keyword Searcher Intent Labels
- Competitor Gap Analysis (Keywords & Backlinks)
Cons
- Unreliable Keyword CPC Data
- Content Explorer Not Very Useful
- Higher End Of Pricing (Especially If API Is Needed)
Screaming Frog
Alongside Ahrefs, Screaming Frog continues to remain as one of the top go to technical SEO tools for our project managers, marketers, and strategists here at 321 Web Marketing. This software does not focus on keyword data or backlinks, and instead, focuses on identifying technical issues or opportunities such as broken internal and external links, duplicate content, missing meta descriptions or image alt text, and more.
The Screaming Frog SEO Spider mimics search engine behavior to crawl websites and uncover issues that may impact indexing, user experience, or ranking potential. Being able to review websites technical SEO on a page-by-page basis, provides immense value to marketers looking to improve on-page SEO and interlinking opportunities.
However, with the sheer volume of information Screaming Frog is able to retrieve, this tool is not recommended for an inexperienced marketer, as it could be easy to get lost in the data or focus on the wrong metrics.
A cool feature that is worth noting is the ability to create visualizations of various data points. For instance, when improving on-page SEO and looking for opportunities for strategic interlinking of valuable pages, Screaming Frog’s 3D Directory Tree Diagram is a great method visualizing pages that could be used/improved.
Pros
- Technical SEO Auditing
- Anchor Text Variations
- Useful Visualizations For Interlinking
Cons
- Requires Some Configuration
- Can Be Slower With Larger Websites
- Loads Of Data, Overwhelming For New Users
WhatConverts
Although not directly correlated with SEO metrics like website user analytics or keyword research, the WhatConverts platform bridges the gap between SEO performance metrics and campaign lead generation.
This software provides critical information about leads coming in through your website via phone calls/texts, chats, and form submissions such as keywords used, entry landing pages, and the mediums in which they entered from (organic, direct, referral, etc).
As a company, we’ve tested a variety of conversion tracking tools, but few come close to WhatConverts when it comes to data attribution clarity and ease of integration. It’s especially powerful when paired with Google Ads and SEO campaigns, allowing you to attribute pipeline value across both paid and organic channels with precision.
Pros
- Customizable Lead Qualification & Reporting
- Complete Lead Attribution Across Channels
- Keyword-Level Tracking For Organic & Paid Search
Cons
- Learning Curve For Beginners
- Requires Manual Setup To Maximize Accuracy
- Not Ideal For Brands Without Clear Conversion Actions
Google Analytics 4 & Google Search Console
I am very aware Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console are two different platforms, however, I grouped these two tools together as they should be used in tandem with one another. Admittedly, I was initially pretty reluctant to using GA4 when it finally replaced Google Analytics UA, as I had been using UA for years and was not a fan of their updated UI and features.
When I finally gave in and started utilizing the new system for my campaign research, I was blown away and the level of data granularity the platform had to offer.The ability to dissect traffic metrics by various segments, dimensions, and metrics, has proven to be a key component in understanding user behaviors unlike ever before.
Google Search Console has always been one of my most utilized tools out of all of Google’s offered marketing-related platforms. Among the many different features GSC offers, the ones I use the most include: page indexing tools & reports, sitemap indexing, core web vitals, and search results performance metrics.
GA4 Pros
- Event-Based Tracking For Deeper Insights
- Cross-Platform & Cross-Device Reporting
- Predictive Metrics & AI-Powered Insights
GA4 Cons
- Steep Learning Curve (Especially When Compared To UA)
- Limited Historical Data
- Custom Reporting Often Required
GSC Pros
- Indexing & Crawl Diagnostics
- Security & Manual Action Alerts
- Free, Direct Data From Google Search
GSC Cons
- Delayed Reporting
- Limited Query & Page Data
- Lack Of Conversion Or Engagement Metrics
Looking to get the most out of Google Search Console? Here are some of our top Google Search Console tips from our experienced team of SEO strategists!
Surfer
Although the time on market has not been very long (when compared to SEO services like Ahrefs), I found that Surfer offered some very interesting and useful AI-driven insights and capabilities. The focus of this platform is centered around improving and optimizing content, whether that be blog content or service pages (any website content really).
Personally I found that Surfer’s suggestions were not as strategic as I was hoping for, but I do think this platform would be beneficial for large teams of relatively new marketers or independent SEO contractors. The Content Editor and SERP Analyzer provide live feedback as users write, showing how content compares to top-ranking pages for any keyword. It also includes keyword research and basic audit functionality.
Pros
- Fast, Scalable Content Production
- Visual Guidance That’s Easy To Use & Teach
- Real-Time, SERP-Based Content Optimization
Cons
- Risk Of Over-Optimization
- Lacks Technical SEO Capabilities
- AI Writing Output Is Often Generic
SEO Tool Notable Mentions
If the software and services mentioned above appeared on the 1st page of SERPs for “Top SEO Tools”, then the following SEO tools would rank right outside the top 10 and should still be considered as good options for marketers and marketing departments alike. The following SEO tools are viable alternatives to the top SEO tools in 2025 listed above.
Semrush
Semrush continues to lead the all-in-one SEO platform space. Its standout features include keyword research via the Keyword Magic Tool, backlink analysis, technical SEO audits, on-page optimization guidance, and competitive intelligence. The platform allows users to uncover ranking opportunities, track site performance, and identify gaps in their strategy through a single dashboard.
SE Ranking
SE Ranking has grown in popularity thanks to its agency-focused features and accessible pricing. It includes modules for keyword tracking, backlink analysis, technical SEO, and AI-powered content tools. Users can manage multiple projects, generate white-label reports, and compare competitors in one dashboard.
The platform’s AI Content Editor and audit capabilities are surprisingly advanced given the price point. It also supports local SEO efforts with built-in tracking for Google Maps rankings. SE Ranking’s keyword database spans 190 countries, making it a practical choice for global and regional campaigns alike.
Moz
Moz remains popular, particularly among newer SEO practitioners and small business teams. Its user-friendly interface and reputation for high-quality educational content make it a strong starting point. Moz offers keyword tracking, a well-known Domain Authority metric, backlink analysis, and technical site audits.
Moz’s strength is in its simplicity and focus on core SEO tasks. While it may lack advanced AI features or the same scale of data, it’s a dependable tool for those looking to build a strong SEO foundation.
Get The Most From Your SEO Investment With 321 Web Marketing
Success in SEO depends on how you actually use the tools you choose, not just which ones you pick.
To truly see results, including higher rankings, better traffic, and more efficient ad spend, experience and strategy matter just as much as the software you use. Working with professionals who understand how to apply these tools in the context of your goals can make a measurable difference in performance.
At 321 Web Marketing, we help businesses translate SEO data into action. We bring together SEO insight, targeted messaging, and data-driven planning to help your site climb the ranks.
If you’re looking to improve your rankings, fine-tune your digital strategy, or get more value from your marketing budget, contact us for a consultation. Together, let’s talk about what’s possible.
