Customers are more likely to be on Google searching for specific services and products.
For many of them, this might be their very first impression with your product.
This is why there is such a strong emphasis in search engine optimization, when it comes to digital marketing.
If you want organic traffic, that will align with your marketing strategies. Then you will need specific tools, to help you better understand SEO.
In this article, I’ll cover the essentials of Search engine optimization. Then I’ll introduce tools to help you create optimized content and achieve long-term SEO results.
What is SEO and why is it important in 2025?
Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of optimizing websites and content to improve visibility on search engines like Google. By using specific keywords, high-quality content, and technical adjustments, SEO aims to increase a site’s ranking in search results, ultimately driving more organic (non-paid) traffic to a website.
Why is important in 2025?
1. Evolving Search Algorithms
Search engines in 2025 are more advanced, using AI to understand intent, context, and even emotions behind searches. SEO now goes beyond keywords, focusing on delivering relevant, high-quality content that aligns with user expectations.
2. User Experience is Key
SEO now incorporates user experience (UX) as a major factor. Google’s algorithms prioritize sites that are fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to navigate. Sites with excellent UX retain visitors longer, which can lead to higher rankings.
3. Voice and Visual Search
With the continued growth of voice assistants and visual search tools, SEO now requires optimization for voice queries and image searches. This means structuring content for conversational language and ensuring images are tagged effectively.
4. Content Quality and E-A-T
Search engines favor content that demonstrates Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T). High-quality, fact-based, and relevant content is critical to earning and retaining high rankings in search results.
5. Personalized Search Results
AI and machine learning allow search engines to personalize results based on user behavior, location, and preferences. This means SEO strategies now need to consider target audience specifics more than ever.
6. Increased Competition
More businesses are online, which means more competition. Strong SEO helps a website stand out in crowded markets, making it essential for businesses that want to attract new customers without paying high advertising costs.
But for you to accomplish optimal SEO, you are going to need a set of tools to help along the way.
First let’s talk about the tools you can use for specific website platforms.
Since Webflow is becoming one of the most popular web builders, let’s talk about Webflow SEO.
SEO tools for Webflow
Webflow is going to give you the ability to do the basics of SEO, such as:
- Adding meta titles
- Adding meta descriptions
- Ensuring you are using Alt tags
- Gives you the ability to build a very clean website structure
- Customize your meta tags for dynamic pages
- and so much more
But to get ahead of the competition just a little bit, I’d recommend you use these tools as well:
Semflow:
Semflow is an SEO tool designed specifically for Webflow users, integrating directly into the Webflow Designer to streamline the optimization process.
It offers features such as:
- Site auditss
- SEO scoring
- AI-assisted content creation
- and keyword research
all within the Webflow environment.
By providing personalized guidance and real-time insights, Semflow simplifies the complexities of SEO.
Making it accessible even to those without extensive experience.
This integration allows Webflow users to enhance their site’s search engine performance efficiently, leading to improved visibility and higher rankings.
One of the features I love about Semflow, is the ability to see if my target keyword is found on the page. Similar to that of RankMath in WordPress
If you are using Framer, you are also able to use this plugin the same way.
Schemaflow:
SchemaFlow is a new SEO Plugin for webflow, that allows Webflow users to create and manage structured data directly within their projects without needing any coding skills.
By utilizing SchemaFlow, users can easily generate JSON-LD without having to figure out what code to write.
SchemaFlow has two pricing tiers.
The free version, allows you to edit basic Schema Structure Data on your website. Great for those with smaller websites.
The paid version, I’d recommend if you have a growing or large website. You can read my entire review on how to use SchemaFlow.
If you want more SEO tips for Webflow, make sure to check out my Webflow SEO for beginners guide.
SEO tools for WordPress
With a SEO plugin you can improve the quality of your SEO with ease.
The plugins in WordPress offer you powerful features like:
- Audits
- Content Quality
- Page score
- and ways to optimize your website
I have created a list of the plugins I use for all our WordPress websites, including Designer Wisdom.
RankMath
Rankmath is the plugin we are most likely to use for SEO on WordPress websites.
Their free version has almost everything anyone will need to set their web site or landing page to rank.
This is why I use it for any WordPress websites i’ve created. I’ve been using it for years, and I can tell you, it only gets better.
Its easy to use UI makes setting up complex SEO tasks easy for beginners and pro web developers.
While there is a paid version, the free version allows you to tackle:
- XML sitemaps
- Titles and metas
- Canonical URLs
- Schema markup
- Breadcrumbs
- Keyword analysis
- Readability analysis
- Google/mobile preview
- and so much more
You can use Rankmath to enhance multiple types of content on your website, for example:
- Landing pages SEO
- Blog and Articles SEO
- Case Studies
- Product and service pages
If you have a large website and you think you are outgrowing the free version, their paid version is just $49.00 per month.
You can even start with a lower plan for just $7.99.
For those looking to track keywords using this plugin, i’d recommend the middle tier package that allows you to track 20,000 keywords.
WP Rocket
Though this is not a plugin for ranking your website directly, it helps with page speed.
Google is always going to choose to rank a web page that has the best performance and content for any search term.
But we have also seen that the lower the page speed, the biggest the website drop-off percentage is.
Since most SEO plugins, including Rankmath do not help with page, this plugin will take over that part of SEO.
My favorite part about WP Rocket, is how easy it is to use. All you have to do is:
Site speed impacts your search rankings. People don’t like slow sites. They’ll leave if it takes more than a second or two for the page to load. Google notices that people are bouncing and moves you down in the rankings.
- Get a lisence
- Install plugin
- Choose your settings
- and you will be good to go
I’d recommend this plugin for large website, and e-commerce websites.
Just keep in mind that a big part of page performance is having a great server.
Redirections
If you are working on SEO, redirections are your friends.
Most likely, if you have installed RankMath, you will do this through the plugin.
However, there will be times that you need a plugin like this for this task.
This redirection plugin makes creating redirections a breeze. Actually, if you change the url of your page, it automatically does it for you.
What I like the most about it is that it is a lightweight plugin. It allows you to easily manage all your 301 redirects.
Now that you have figured out the platform related tools you need, let’s talk about the big guns.
You see, SEO is more than just a plugin that allows you to edit meta tags. It includes tasks like:
- Keyword research
- Finding keyword gaps
- Fixing broken links
- Fixing on page performance
- Writing content
- Internal link building
- Understanding search volume for keywords
- Understanding search queries
- Building authority for the URL
- Getting back links
- Building authority on social media platforms
- and so much more!
That is why I rely a lot of tools like SEMrush and Spyfu when it comes to website ranking.
Google Search Console
This is an amazing free SEO tool that Google provides us with.
I consider this a must have for any one who does anything related to a website SEO.
There is a lot you can do with it, and when combined with G4A, you will be able to do even more!
Google search console, gives you insights to site’s performance, site issues, and helps you rank higher in Google.
SEMrush for a full SEO tool
SEMrush is one of the most comprehensive Search Engine Optimization tool out there.
This unique tool, helps businesses improve their organic marketing across various channels.
It can provide you with access to:
- Insights to keywords
- Keyword research
- Backlink analysis
- On-page SEO
You will see marketing teams talking about it all the time. Once you have master it, there is almost nothing related to SEO you cannot do.
These are my top features from SEMrush:
- Keyword Research
- Domain Analysis
- Site Audit
- Backlink Analysis
- Position Tracking
- Content Analyzer
- Traffic Analytics
- Advertising Research
- Social Media Toolkit
- Market Explorer
For me, I use it this platform at multiple stages of my website and marketing projects.
Let’s talk about website first:
- I get all my keyword research done for the content on different pages
- Once a website is almost ready to launch, I add it to SEM rush to perform a full on-page audit
- I use it to track all the bugs I’ve found
The results?
90% of the websites I’ve created start to rank within days of launch!
For Marketing and content:
- I can track multiple channels in one platform
- I LOVE their AI writing assistant. This is where I am writing this blog post
- I am able to track social media, ads and so much more
Again, my favorite part is that it is all in one tool.
You can actually have this tool, and not worry about any fancy plugins for your website.
If there is a bug, or error, it will tell you so you can edit the code and add whatever is missing.
The only element that I’d keep in mind is the pricing.
The starting price for SEMrush is $140, and enterprise starts at $5,000.
At Designer Wisdom, we use the starting package. I’d recommend the latter only for advance marketing teams looking to scale.
What do I look for in SEO tools?
You now know the top tools I use, and recommend you to use.
For me, since most of my projects are in Webflow and Framer, I use their native SEO tools as much as possible.
But overall, I am looking for:
- Tools that allow me to do multiple tasks in one platform
- Tools are are adapting to SEO
- Tools that myself and team
No matter what SEO tool or set of tools you choose, remember that SEO is a long term game.
These tools will help you to get a lot of work done.
Align your tools with the marketing goals and you will be in a unique position.
