Getting ahead of the competition is a must, especially in this crowded digital space. You need to grab your target audience’s attention and persuade them to patronize your business rather than your competition. That said, you need a handy SEO tool to identify the right keywords and monitor the competition to get noticed. Two notable SEO tools are SpyFu and Semrush. And if you want the 411 on these tools, check out our SpyFu vs Semrush review!
What is SpyFu?
SpyFu is an SEO and PPC tool for businesses of all sizes. Their main value proposition is their competition analysis feature. They will help you reach the top and beat the competition by identifying the best keywords to target your audience.
SpyFu Features
SEO
SpyFu has a comprehensive toolset for keyword research. They have the following tools:
- Competitor analysis
- Backlinks builder
- Rank tracking
- SERP analysis
- Keyword research
- Compare domains
Aside from these, you can also track your keyword ranking history, get branded client reports, and check backlinks! Plus, they have a dedicated social outreach tool for influencer marketing.
PPC
If you’re running a Google ad campaign, SpyFu can be your partner for everything PPC. You get access to the Google Ads Advisor and templates. Plus, you get ad history and compare domains! If you want to spy on your competitors, know which keywords they’re buying and know the results of their split testing! Finally, get negative match recommendations and track ranking!
Keyword Research
SpyFu considers itself as the Google keyword tool alternative. Plus, they have more features like SEO difficulty, number of advertisers, and SEO difficulty. Get comprehensive analysis on PPC and SERP. Plus, know what the best keywords are for a niche to target a wider audience. Finally, you can upload bulk keywords and know the ranking history of a keyword.
RivalFlowAI
SpyFu has also adapted to the times with its RivalFlow AI feature. This tool analyzes how your competitor is doing. Plus, it can tell you to improve further. It offers improvement ideas and custom comparisons. Additionally, SpyFu will offer white labeling and zero wait time in the future.
SpyFu Pricing
SpyFu has two pricing plans available. It includes search results, data exports, domain overview PDFs, sales leads and domain contacts, historical data, and keyword rankings. However, the Professional plan has API access.
- Basic - $39/mo
- Professional - $79/mo
SpyFu Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great SEO competition research tool at an affordable price
- Does a good job of providing users with the best keywords to compete with other businesses
- It provides users with comprehensive analytics and reports for cheap
Cons
- Needs improvement with data accuracy
- Backlink analysis and database aren’t accurate
What is Semrush?
Semrush is another popular SEO platform. Marketers can leverage Semrush for SEO, content marketing, PPC, competitor research, and social media marketing. In particular, agencies can make the most out of Semrush by tracking more than 10+ projects for clients.
Semrush Features
SEO Tools
Semrush gives you access to millions of local and national keywords. It analyzes domains and backlinks. Plus, you can track your SERP regularly and run audits! Know how to improve your website with on-page SEO tools, enhance your brand’s reputation, and increase trust by building links.
Market research is another feature of Semrush. You will know your competitors better, their strategy, and traffic sources with their market research tools.
Content Marketing Tools
Semrush has a dedicated content marketing tool to help you get keyword suggestions that are relevant to your audience. It also offers tips on how to improve your articles. Plus, use their AI tools to rewrite articles instantly.
Social Media
Get more engagement on your social media profiles with their social media analysis tool. You can also spy on your competitors' social media accounts. Plus, you can use Semrush to schedule and publish content without using an outside social media management tool!
Advertising
Are you advertising on Google? Let Semrush identify the best keywords for your PPC campaigns. Know your competitors’ landing pages and ad copies. Plus, optimize your ad spend and get updated analysis on Google Shopping ads!
Semrush Pricing
Semrush has three pricing plans. It’s much more expensive than SpyFu. However, this includes research tools like website audit, backlink analysis, and advertising tools. Here are the pricing plans for Semrush:
- Pro - $129.95/mo
- Guru - $249.95/mo
- Business - $499.95/mo
Semrush Pros and Cons
Pros
- Many users praise the data insights
- Traffic overview is also great
- Keyword research tools are excellent
Cons
- It’s more expensive than SpyFu
- Many users struggle with the UI
Alternatives to SpyFu and Semrush
Ahrefs
There’s no denying that Ahrefs is the top competitor for SpyFu and Semrush. They offer domain analysis, site auditing, rank tracking, and keyword and content exploration. They stand out from the competition by offering FREE tools, such as:
- Backlink checker
- Webmaster tools
- SERP checker
- SEO toolbar
- AI writing tools
- Keyword generator
- Keyword difficulty checker
SurferSEO
Another key player in the SEO industry is SurferSEO. It’s well-known for its robust keyword research tool and browser extension. Simply put, you can search for a keyword on Google, and SurferSEO pulls up the search volumes for that keyword. Aside from this, they offer the Surfer AI tool. It generates optimized articles in a few clicks. Plus, it will give you real-time insights into how your content can still be improved through natural language processing.
Moz
This list will be incomplete without mentioning Moz, one of the older but still popular SEO tools. You can expect similar tools, such as keyword ranking, tracking, auditing, and optimizing. Additionally, Moz is ideal for content marketers and PR agencies. Content marketers can benefit from the improvement ideas offered by Moz and get suggestions on how to write blogs that rank. Additionally, PR agencies can leverage this tool to identify prospecting opportunities!
Conclusion
SpyFu and Semrush are darlings in the SEO niche. SpyFu’s focus on competition research makes it the go-to for monitoring the competition through keyword research and tracking ads. Meanwhile, Semrush is the ideal tool for marketers who need an all-in-one tool for content marketing, SEO, and PPC. Either way, these tools are the real deal in improving your SEO strategies and helping you stay on top of the competition.
