Updated June 17, 2022
Reading Time: 3 minutes7 Google Tools To Bookmark
The good news: there are so many free Google tools available for businesses. The bad news: there are so many Google tools available for businesses. We’ve created a list of must-have Google tools to help you manage your business’ online presence.
Website Specific Data
- Google Search Console (formerly known as Webmaster Tools)
You’ve most likely heard about this Google tool but you may have not looked at it in a while. At first glance, Google Search Console (GSC) data is a little geeky. But it’s super informative as it provides insights on how your website is performing in organic search. Think of GSC as a direct line of communication with Google. You’ll find info about the number of pages indexed, search queries matched to the site and specific pages, link information and more. Google recently launched a navigation makeover; now it’s easier to find the data you need to understand overall site health. You can also preview some information via Google Analytics; it’s located in the left navigation under “Acquisition.”
This is one of our favorites because it’s one (of many) tools we use for in-depth keyword research. Getting data about a keyword — like the number of searches globally and the US — is immensely helpful, especially for optimizing web content. But that’s only one piece of the puzzle. Some keywords have a life cycle while others have seasonal peaks and valleys. It makes no sense to optimize a post or entire website on downward-trending search terms. Google Trends also graphs terms over time so you can decide if you’re about to ride a wave or if it’s already crested. Near the bottom of the page, you can see related topics and rising queries.
Curious to see your industry-related keywords are used in books? Ngram Viewer searches millions of books and plots trends over time. You might ask… how would this ever be useful? Well, believe it or not, the Web is only 20 years old. Back in the “olden days” we read books — those things with printed paper bound together and sold in place called a “book store.” Books and magazines are how we found and shared information before Googling was a dictionary-sanctioned verb. If you’re looking for trends that appeared before the Internet was mainstream, this may be a handy way of finding it.
Imagine a site that’s full of research, case studies, new findings, online marketing tips, and benchmarking tools. That’s Think With Google. Did you know that 90% of smartphone shoppers use their phones while shopping in a physical store? That’s important to know If your business is consumer and retail based. Are you a B2B marketer? New research finds that marketing leaders indicate cross-platform analytics are the key to long-term success. Thanks to Think With Google, you have access to well presented data that can propel your business forward without spending a penny.
This free tool is a must-have SEO tool. It provides an opportunity to appear in “near me” searches as well as Google Maps. Once you claim your business listing, you can also add other important details like your phone numbers, hours, products and services. You can share content (e.g., blog posts) and status updates.
- Google’s Keyword Planner
This one’s a bit of a cheat, as you’ll need to have a Google Ads account to have access to Google’s keyword planning tool. But if you do run PPC ads for your company, you should be making the most out of Google’s keyword traffic tool. Keyword planner helps you understand which keyword traffic volume and suggested ad bid (an indication of how much advertisers are willing to pay for related traffic). This information helps you focus content on topics that will drive relevant traffic.
The Power of Seven
What other Google tools would you add to our list?