Which free SEO tools should a small business set up first?
Start with the five free tools below. Between them they show whether Google can find your site, which searches bring people to it, what visitors do once they arrive and how quickly your pages load. Set them up before you pay for anything.
- Google Search Console. Google's own report on how your site appears in its search results. It shows the searches that bring up your site, how often people click, and any problems Google finds. It suits every business with a website.
- Google Business Profile. The listing that controls how your business appears on Google Search and Maps. Google's Business Profile page says creating a profile and listing your business on Google is free. It suits any business that local customers look for on Maps.
- Bing Webmaster Tools. Microsoft's free tools for Bing search. Its page lists performance data for your site, a backlinks report, keyword research with search volumes and Site Scan, an on-demand audit that checks for common technical problems. It suits owners who want a second view beyond Google.
- Google Analytics. Google says it gives you the tools, free of charge, to understand the customer journey. Search Console shows how people found you; Analytics shows how they use your site once they arrive. It suits any business that wants to know which pages bring enquiries.
- PageSpeed Insights. Google's speed test. Its documentation says it assesses the performance of a page on mobile and desktop and offers suggestions, using real visitor data and a lab test. There is no account to create: you enter a page address and run the test. It suits anyone with a slow page.
If you only set up one, make it Search Console: it shows the Google searches that bring people to your website.
What does Google Search Console tell you?
It shows how your site is doing in Google Search, using Google's own data. You see the searches that show your site, how often people click through, which sites link to you, and any problems Google hits when it reads your pages. You do not need it to appear in Google, but it shows you what Google sees.
Google's guide to what Search Console does calls it a free service that helps you monitor, maintain and troubleshoot your site's presence in Google Search results. It also has a line for business owners: even if you won't be using Search Console yourself, you should be aware of it. Once your site is verified, work through this short checklist:
- Submit your sitemap. The sitemap lists your pages so Google can find them. Search Console lets you submit sitemaps and individual pages for crawling.
- Read the Performance report. It shows your impressions, clicks and average position for each search.
- Watch for email alerts. Google emails you when it finds issues on your site, and you can tell it when you have fixed them.
- Inspect a page that is missing. Paste its web address (URL) into the inspection tool to see crawl and index details for that page, straight from the Google index.
Which paid SEO tools are worth paying for?
Pay only when the free tools leave a question you need answered, such as which keywords your competitors rank for, or how your position moves day by day. Start with one paid tool, not several, and choose it for the question you need answered.
Paid SEO tools come in three types. The prices are the top of the entry plans on the UK pricing pages we read on 29 October 2026; none of those pages said whether VAT was included.
- Keyword and competitor suites. Keyword research, competitor analysis, daily position tracking and a site audit for a handful of websites, in one place. Entry plans run to £113 a month on monthly billing, less if you pay yearly. Suits: an owner who wants keyword and competitor research in one place.
- Local rank trackers. Daily positions for a set list of keywords, including where you appear on the map in each town you serve. About £95 a month. Suits: a business tracking its position in several towns.
- Site crawlers. A program you download that crawls your site and lists broken links, redirects, page titles and meta data. A licence is about £199 a year. Suits: checking a site for technical errors after a redesign.
Rather have it done for you? We build your website free, it goes live in days, and you pay nothing for the first 14 days. No card needed. See how the free 14-day trial works.
Which SEO tool is best for a local business?
For a business that serves one town or area, Google Business Profile and Search Console are the two to get right. Your profile controls how you appear on Maps, and Search Console shows the searches that find your website. A paid tool helps most when you compete in several towns and want to track your position in each.
Google's Business Profile page says a profile helps you be found when people search Google Maps and Search for businesses like yours. Keep your hours, phone number and photos current, and reply to reviews. If you track several towns, a local rank tracker shows your position on the map in each one.
When the listing work is more than you have time for, our local SEO service for Google Maps and local search looks after your profile, reviews and directory listings for you.
Should you use SEO tools yourself or hand SEO over?
Use the tools yourself if your site is simple and you have time to act on the reports. Hand SEO over when the tools flag problems you cannot fix, or when the basics are done and you still are not found. A tool finds problems; someone still has to fix them.
- Do it yourself when: you have one location, a small site, and Search Console shows no serious problems.
- Hand it over when: pages are missing from Google, your site is slow on mobile, or competitors keep outranking you for your main service.
- Either way: keep your own logins for Search Console, Analytics and your Business Profile, so the data stays with your business.
If you are weighing up outside help, our guide to what an SEO company does and what to expect from one explains the work and the warning signs.
How can Buzzozo help with your SEO?
We can do the groundwork for you, so the tools have less to flag.
Every website we build has on-page SEO and an AI-search-ready build included in the Website plan. Our SEO and AI search service for UK small businesses covers technical audits and fixes (speed, crawlability, structure and schema markup) and local SEO campaigns. That extra SEO and local SEO work is priced per job, never bundled into a plan, and we quote after a quick chat.
The Website plan is from £149 a month for the first 100 businesses, locked for life, and from £299 a month after the first 100. It is monthly, with no contract. Our website plans and prices list everything included.
You can see it working before you pay anything. Get your free website: we build it, it goes live in days, and you pay nothing for the first 14 days. No card needed.
Before you read the numbers in any tool, it helps to know what a search engine results page shows. A tool is only useful when it serves a plan, so read what an SEO strategy includes as well.
Common questions
Is Google Search Console free?
Yes. Google describes Search Console as a free service that helps you monitor, maintain and troubleshoot how your site appears in Google Search. You do not need it to appear in Google, but it shows you what Google sees.
Do I need a paid SEO tool for a small business?
Not at first. The free tools from Google and Microsoft cover the searches that find your site, the problems Google sees, your visitors and your speed. A paid tool earns its cost when you want competitor data, keyword ideas or daily rank tracking in several places.
What does a site crawler cost?
A licence for a desktop site crawler, which checks every page for broken links, redirects and missing titles, was about £199 a year on the UK pricing pages we read on 29 October 2026.
Do SEO tool prices include VAT?
The pricing pages we read on 29 October 2026 did not say whether VAT was included. Check the final total at checkout before you subscribe, and compare the yearly price if you plan to keep the tool.