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Tools of the Trade
Written by Wes McDermott   

tools-of-the-tradeOver the last 8+ years in dealing with the online performance of many clients sites as well as my own, I've used my fair share of Internet Marketing tools. I think it's fair to say that I'm in a good position to know what works and what doesn't.

Below you will find a list of the tools and resources that I have used in the past, and ones that I personally use on a day to day basis to help my clients get to the top of the search engines. It is with this that I hope to create additional transparency with how I run my business, and also to benefit you and your own business too.

Domain Names

NameCheap.com - I've yet to find a more affordable, reliable, and helpful Domain reseller than Namecheap.com. During the years I've purchased many domains and this site has always been head and shoulders above everyone else IMO.

Web Hosting

123-reg.co.uk - These guys are the go to people if you want to target the UK market as their servers are based in the UK and are the quickest and most reliable I've come across. Their resellers packages are a must if you plan on running more than one site.

MDRTech - If you're looking at targeting the US market then MDRTech is a great company to use. Their servers are based in the US and their cPanel software is pretty incredible. Their customer support ain't half bad either :) These guys are the port of call for all my sites that are US targeted and have been for years.

Keyword Research

Keyword research can make or break an online marketing campaign. It's an overused cliche but it really is the "bread and butter". Starting out with the right keywords is essential, and to do that you need to know as much as you can.

These keyword tools are ones that I use every single day:

Google Adwords Keyword Tool - A free keyword research tool from Google. You can view the amount of local traffic and global, but make sure you search by exact match to get more accurate numbers. It's related keywords (keywords that it says are related) is a great feature, it's improved a lot over the last year or so, since the new version of the Adwords tool came out of Beta.

SEMRush - A competitive research and keyword research tool combined. The most in depth keyword and competitive tool available. Look at the entire list of keywords your competitors are targeting in both Adwords or organic listings, track keyword rankings of both yours and your competitors sites, find related keywords, find out the CPC of keywords, how keywords are trending, and loads more. You can sign up for a limited featured free SEMRush account here.

Wordtracker Free Keywords Tool - Delivers a number for the popularity of the keywords, can compare keyword numbers to find the perfect keyword for your articles.

Performance Monitoring / Optimising

Google Analytics - Google's free website tracking and analytical tool. A must have for anyone with a website who wants to increase website conversions and navigation.

Get Clicky - Like Google Analytics but easier to use and you have the ability to track visitors in real-time. Limitless tracking possibilities.

Google Optimiser - Another free tool from Google. It allows you to test the performance of separate designs/versions of the same page.

Email Marketing

If you haven't heard it before, the money is in the list. To be more successful online it's essential you have a list of eager email subscribers. So if Google decides to give you it's much maligned slap, then you have the backup of being able to market to your email list.

Aweber - The internet's most powerful email opt-in and marketing/broadcasting tool. This is what I've been using to build the email lists on my sites for years. You can get a month's trial for just $1.00. Sign up now for just $1

All in One SEO Toolset

SEOmoz - If you're planning on going about your SEO DIY style then there's nobody that comes close to SEOmoz' toolset. They have a vast array of their own website analysis and link building tools. You can track rankings, produce graphs, research keywords, research competition, analyze your sites' technical SEO efforts (outlining errors and recommending improvements), great user interface that's super simple to use, and a whole host of training videos and a dedicated Q & A section.

You can get a FREE 30 Day Trial of SEOmoz, it's 100% risk-free and you can cancel at anytime.

 

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Contact

SEO Consultant - Wes McDermott

Hi, Wes McDermott here. I am an SEO Consultant and owner of SEOByHand based here in Manchester, UK.

If you want to know what we can do in terms of organic search engine listings, please get in touch or request a FREE SEO report.

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