Daniel - May 9, 2022
How To Create A Custom SEO Tool
In this post, you will learn how to create a custom SEO tool for your needs.
Today businesses thrive with the internet. One way they do this is by ranking on search engines like Google and Bing so customers can easily find them. However, it’s an intense competition out there.
Take Google, for instance, the search engine only features 9 to 10 entries per result page. Research shows that 28.5% of visitors click on the 1st result; entires in the 6th position have a 5.1% CTR and the 10th position? Less than 3%.
Without question, it’s not enough to be on the first page of Google; your website must rank among the top 5 at least for productivity. Not to mention websites are ranking in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and other pages that visitors rarely open.
Only the best SEO tools will help your website rank. There are so many SEO tools out there but most are very expensive. You can be inventive by creating a custom SEO tool. It might sound technical, which it is, but isn’t necessarily difficult.
What Is An SEO Tool?
SEO tools are simply tools that help with search engine optimization - SEO. In other words, they help you rank by optimizing your web content - or overall website - according to what search engines require.
You can optimize your website and web content manually, without using any SEO tool. For that, however, you’ll have to be well versed in SEO requirements and ranking factors, and that’s a lot to know.
With an SEO tool, you can automate the process which leads to better efficiency.
Types Of SEO Tools And Their Functions
There are three most common SEO tool categories including keyword tools, backlink tools, and domain tools:
Keyword Tools
Keywords are the most important part of SEO which makes keyword tools the most crucial. Keywords are the phrases, sentences, etc that visitors enter in search engines to generate results. These must be strategically added to your website for it to rank.
Keyword SEO tools include keyword generators, keyword analyzers, and keyword monitors among others.
A keyword generator will come up with fresh keyword ideas usually from other entries by search engine users. On the other hand, keyword analyzers will explore keywords, letting you know what sites rank for them and how easy - or not - they are to topple. With keyword monitors, you can monitor keywords you rank for or want to rank for and stay alert for any changes.
Professional SEO agencies help brands select the relevant keywords that will help them in ranking but also reach new audiences at the same time.
Backlink Tools
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website and they are very important for SEO. Consider them a kind of endorsement from other sites, letting search engines know that your site is worthy of being on result pages.
With backlink tools, you can search for backlink opportunities usually by examining the backlink profile of top-ranking websites. When you find their best backlinks, you can replicate them.
Also, you can use backlink tools to monitor your existing backlinks. This helps ensure they are not just intact but also still valuable as poor backlinks can kill your website rather than improve your ranking.
Domain Tools
Domain tools, also site audit tools, are meant to ensure your website is healthy. You may have all the backlinks and the best keywords but fail to rank if there’s something internally wrong with your website.
For instance, your site speed, loading time, responsiveness, codes, SSL, images, sitemaps, etc have nothing to do with keywords or backlinks, but must be optimized. This is otherwise known as technical SEO.
Find the perfect Proxy Product.
How To Create A Custom SEO Tool
Here comes the real deal. Check out the steps on how to create a custom SEO tool below:
1. Decide upon your niche
You can build an all-round SEO tool or focus on one particular function. The latter is a better option so you don’t get overwhelmed. Besides, you can always add more features with time.
As discussed in the previous section, keywords tools, domain tools, and backlink tools are the most common SEO tools. Nevertheless, there are SEO tools like traffic analytics and SERP monitoring tools.
If you choose to build a keyword tool, for example, you may still want to narrow it down a bit. Do you want a keyword planner? Keyword generator? Keyword explorer? Or keyword monitor?
2. Specify the features for your SEO tool
Yes, your SEO tool will generate keywords, but how will it do that? Will users have to enter a sample keyword and then get keyword suggestions or select a niche and get the top keywords?
Also, will the keyword ideas be generated at random or from trending keywords on search engines or from other related words? How many keywords will be generated per search and will users be able to export results?
You should specify these in the planning stage and it goes for any SEO tool you want to build, not just keyword generators.
Other features you’ll want to consider include the languages the tool will support and filters like search location.
3. Develop the SEO tool
Having decided on the SEO niche and features of your tool, it’s time to start building. For that, you have different options.
a. Custom development (build from scratch)
Every SEO tool you find was developed by someone using codes, therefore, you can build yours from scratch as well. This will require in-depth programming knowledge and the particular programming language depends.
For example, you may want to build a custom SEO plugin tool for your WordPress website. That will require knowledge of HTML, CSS, and PHP coding. On the other hand, if you want to build a web SEO tool, you can use any programming language your host supports.
b. Use APIs from top SEO tools
An easier way to build a custom SEO tool is by using APIs from already existing SEO tools. SEMRush and Moz are some popular SEO tools with APIs. All you have to do is customize the API to meet your needs.
However, building a custom SEO from an API still requires technical knowledge although not as exacting as building from scratch. You’ll likely pay to access these APIs.
c. Buy a readymade PHP Script and customize it
If you don’t build the tool yourself or customize an API, there’s a third option. You can purchase PHP scripts or SEO tools from others and then customize them. It’s like hiring someone to build the tool and using an API at the same time.
You can purchase PHP scripts from popular source code markets like CodeCanyon, PieceX, App.net, and Codester to name a few.
4. Test and Iterate
Your SEO tool development is never complete without iteration. This is the process where you repeatedly test your SEO tool to make sure it works as it should. If you built a domain tool, for instance, you can do this by simply running different URLs.
As you iterate, you can identify any lapses and fix them. While doing so, you should maintain the logs and changes in case of future updates. You can also iterate as you build and at the end of the day, you’ll get a foolproof SEO tool.
Are Proxies Used For SEO Tools?
Yes; proxies can be an advantage when using SEO tools.
First of all, your SEO tool is an automated software which makes it a bot from the standpoint of search engines. Google, for instance, can easily block your custom SEO tool from collecting SERP data. With a proxy, you can mask your traffic with real residential IPs and prevent the block.
Secondly, search engines serve results according to location. If you are in the US, your SEO tool will typically curate US SERP data. What if the SERP data you want isn't from the US but Canada, the UK, or some other country? In such a case, all you need is a proxy with a foreign IP address.
Finally, proxies can help improve the speed which is an asset when performing heavy tasks with your SEO tool.
What Are The Best Proxies For Custom SEO Tools?
I recommend Proxyrack proxies as the best proxies for your custom SEO tool. Proxyrack proxies are highly reliable, fast, and have millions of IPs from servers all over the world. Not to mention, the proxies are very affordable as highlighted below:
Residential Proxies
Unmetered Residential Proxies: Starting from $80
Premium GEO Residential Proxies: Starting from $14.95
Private Residential Proxies: Starting from $99.95
Datacenter Proxies
USA Rotating Datacenter Proxies: Starting at $120
Mixed Rotating Datacenter Proxies: Starting at $120
Shared Datacenter Proxies: Starting at $49
Canada Rotating Proxies: Starting at $65
Conclusion
SEO tools facilitate search engine optimization, making them a must-have for anyone who wants their website to rank. If you need a custom SEO tool, you can either build from scratch, use an API, or purchase source codes. Also, you’ll need proxies for better functionality.
