Free/Cheap Tools For Your Website

Looking to get a better SEO ranking? Do you want to be on that first page of a Google or Yahoo search? Or are you trying to get more recognition for your company? Well what is the best way to do all of that without handing over too much money? Of course you could go to a company and get a professional copy written to optimize your site for whatever keywords you want searched, or pay some advertizing company to put your name up on billboards. But as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for, and you will be paying an extravagant price for an extravagant site or extravagant marketing plan. So now you’re left to your own devices to improve your website or awareness of your site without much knowledge of what needs to be done. Well, not exactly just your own devices. There are many tools available on the internet to aid you in your quest for web recognition. Just by searching “SEO Tools” on Google will get you millions of hits! All of them look like good tools to use, and many are, but what tools are best for you? And more importantly, how much do they cost?

1. SEOmoz
   SEOmoz offers many free and paid tools for your company. With over 15 free-to-use tools, SEOmoz allows you to: easily target key terms, check how popular a search is, get in-depth intelligence reports, and much more, all without even creating an account. They offer two different payment options for their three different PRO accounts, a monthly pay plan, and an unlimited plan for one year, at a set price that is about 20% cheaper than 12 monthly subscriptions. Each PRO account type offers slightly different features and abilities. For more information, visit SEOmoz


2. SEO Chat
   SEO Chat provides 40+ SEO tools, all of which are completely free. There are also links to recent articles for everything from choosing keywords to link trading. The SEO Chat Forums also provide a valuable link to other SEO writers that may be able to answer some of your questions, or allow you to share your experience with other designers. For more information, visit SEO Chat


3. MailChimp
   If you have a small customer base, and are looking to get the word out about your company, MailChimp can help. Design an e-mail out of one of the templates, throw in some logos and your companies colors, and you have an e-mail that’s ready for anyone to read. Big on RSS feeds? Any updates you put in your RSS feed can be turned into an e-mail and sent out to your clients. MailChimp provides in-depth statistics that allow you to tell who’s opening your e-mails, and even if they go back to your website through the e-mail. MailChimp provides a free account for a list of up to 100 subscribers, and six e-mails a month. Above that, they offer tiered monthly pricing for unlimited e-mails. They also offer a pay-as-you-go option for those people who prefer a more flexible plan. For more information, visit MailChimp


4. WuFoo
   Wufoo is an online form building website. They take what would be weeks of designing and programming to build an online form, and turn it into a few minutes work. WuFoo generates many types of forms including: contact forms, customer satisfaction surveys, and employment applications. If you are looking to get feedback, new employees, or grow your e-mail subscription list, WuFoo can create just the form you need. For more information, visit WuFoo


5. PayPal
   PayPal is an online payment service, which can make online transactions simple. If you have a product that can be sold over the internet and shipped to your clients, you can easily increase sales by creating an online store. The biggest problem with online stores is the payment method. Not many people are willing to hand out private information without knowing that they are using a secure payment method. PayPal provides this payment method and easy integration into your website, so that you can start making online transactions quickly. PayPal offers many different products and services, so visit their website to find what is right for you, and pricing options. For more information, visit PayPal


6. WordPress
   Looking to blog about new developments in the business or new software related to your field of expertise? WordPress offers a free, easy-to-use solution for you! Find a web host, design your own WrodPress page, and start blogging now! The only cost is the web hosting provider, and a little of your time to create your personalized page. For more information, visit WordPress


7. Drupal
   Drupal is a free Content Management System (CMS) allows a single person, or a community, to publish, manage, edit, and organize a website’s content. Drupal is open-source software and is managed by a community of thousands of users, which means it is a constantly growing software package, and constantly improving. If you need to better manage your website, or want to increase the aesthetic appeal, Drupal can help. For more information, visit Drupal


8. Del.icio.us
   Have an article you want to share? Or maybe a link back to your home page? Try putting it up on Del.icio.us for free! It allows you to be seen almost instantly, and if people like your post, it’s more likely for even more people to see it! For more information, visit Del.icio.us


9. Google Analytics
   Google Analytics provides a free way to take an in-depth look into important statistics. Since it comes from one of the major search engines, its input may be more valuable than any other SEO product. And with no price tag, it is very affordable! For more information, visit Google Analytics


10. YouTube
    YouTube offers more than just a way to waste a few hours when you’re bored. Believe it or not, YouTube can be implemented for many professional uses. If you have an important press release, or a meeting describing a new release, or even just a tutorial on how to use a product, just post it on YouTube. YouTube gets millions of hits every day, so why not get your company’s name out there? For more information, visit YouTube