The terms around SEO analytics can be confusing. You’ll often see “SEO tools” used interchangeably with “SEO software” or “SEO platform.” In this post we’ll clarify the distinctions among these three SEO analytics terms, giving a basic overview of the concepts as well as what they mean to you as an analytics user. 

SEO software and SEO tools

SEO tools are also known as SEO software applications designed to help users perform specific SEO tasks or a range of tasks. For instance, a spreadsheet system is application software. While it’s true that all applications are software, not all software is an application. SEO software refers to the programs that instruct your computer or mobile device on how to run SEO applications or tools. It is the basic operating framework that underlies and supports SEO tools. SEO software is only as functional as its applications or SEO tools. In turn, it is dependent on a platform to support it in order to be operational.

SEO tools and SEO platforms

Enterprise SEO platforms today enable SEO and content marketing professionals and their clients to achieve a higher ROI from their campaigns by focusing attention on workflow, optimization, collaboration and overall increases in productivity and efficiency. For this reason it's important to distinguish between a tool and a platform.

• SEO tools: Most tools serve a single purpose and are specifically designed to help with one specific area of your business or SEO reports, for example, keyword research, link analysis and analytics.
• SEO platforms: Platforms are built for enterprise scale. A platform provides a holistic solution to a number of client and business needs by offering a suite of integrated technologies that includes monetary, productivity and workflow systems. SEO platforms are all encompassing, integrating the software and tools for SEO management. SEO platforms like the BrightEdge S3 platform are also known as enterprise SEO software because they can integrate data and processes that span departments or teams (often including access to an API).

Below are a few of major characteristics of an SEO software that distinguish it from SEO tools.

1. Designed for enterprise scale. A platform has deployments with deep modeling capabilities -- geo, BU, catalog category. Enterprise SEO software should be able to track billions of keywords and pages, large volumes of location-specific data and social signals to give you the right analytics to make informed decisions. Jim Yu recently wrote at Search Engine Watch about how the role of enterprise technology platforms, like BrightEdge, allow operations teams to scale their campaign reach and focus. Platforms allow businesses to scale their operations. While a one-person operator (for example a small agency) may use a few free tools, growing businesses and large companies (with multiple departmental owners, digital and operational teams) need enterprise-level technology to function and scale efficiently.

2. Secure and reliable. Marketers now have access to unprecedented amounts of important data that is vital to their and their clients' business results. Enterprise technology providers are trusted guardians of this data. In fact, in many geographies, you have a legal obligation to safeguard this data. A few examples are;

1. ISO/IEC 27001 standard compliance for greater data protection
2. Government level encryption
3. Flexible password policies
4. Compliance with European Union and Swiss Safe Harbor guidelines for compliance with stringent data privacy laws

3. Customizable and flexible. Platforms need to meet specific business processes. As businesses scale, so do requirements from SEO teams, cross-functional teams and management teams. Platforms are highly adaptive, and different workflow paths can be set that feed into customizable, powerful reporting dashboards for senior management and stakeholders alike. For example, platforms allow you to:

• Report via role
• Utilize workflow capabilities to move from understanding to action
• Set clear KPIs and maintain organizational alignment
• Streamline process in terms of how tasks are executed
• Gain real-time visibility and transparency
• Close the loop on ROI initiatives
• Build executive relations and gain buy-in

4. Seamless integration. Platforms should integrate with existing investments via open standards-based APIs. Enterprise SEO technologies gather data acquired through partnerships with trusted data sources. By integrating data from multiple sources, organizing it and analyzing it, SEO platforms provide serious competitive and industry insights that "standalone" tools can not provide. A great example of integration is one of the world's first secure search solutions, the BrightEdge integration with GWT data. In sum, if you want your SEO operations and business to scale in an ever-growing competitive marketplace, enterprise SEO platforms are a necessity. Ensuring you have the right technology in place sets you up for success. BrightEdge is the essential SEO software and content marketing platform that helps more than 8,500 global brands including 3M, Microsoft, Netflix and Nike leverage SEO and content marketing for success. 

The BrightEdge 2014 Search Marketer Survey report is here! This year, we surveyed SEO practitioners from 8,500+ global brands in December 2013 and January 2014 to compile research in the areas of content and content budgets; rank and ranking variables; data integration and technology providers; and much more. We’ve compiled a few of the highlights here.

To download the full report, check out this link.

Search Marketer Survey Data: Top 10 Takeaways

The world of SEO was rocked in 2013, with more Google Panda and Penguin updates; a release of “Hummingbird,” the Google search engine's updated infrastructure; the Google Knowledge Graph expanding to include “Carousel” results; and, of course, Google's secure search announcement.

In light of the changes we saw in 2013, this year’s research highlighted the following takeaways:

1. Connecting your content efforts to ROI is at the top of the agenda
2. The Web page is the center of the new content and SEO universe
3. Rank still matters, and is the stepping stone for page-level success
4. Tracking and measuring mobile rank across all devices is a must
5. Data and analytics are the key source of truth
6. All data is relevant and connected
7. Integrated SEO and content starts with optimizing at the author level
8. To be successful, you need to innovate ahead of the curve
9. Focusing on content accelerates career growth
10. SEO is now embedded in the content marketing process

These takeaways are aligned with the SEO industry’s new creed, the “Secure Search Manifesto,” which outlines the principles that the SEO community need today. You can get a copy of that here.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the survey data.

Content

Seventy-eight percent of SEOs say connecting content efforts to ROI will be “more” or “much more” important in 2014. The next step then, is for those marketers to make this goal tangible, and our search marketer survey respondents agreed.

In fact, 93 percent of SEOs said they would increase content budgets by at least 10 percent this year if they could identify what content is the most effective for engaging their audience.  If content is a priority for you in 2014, you’re in good hands with BrightEdge!

Our content-centric data allow you to understand how your content is driving business value.

Rank

Tracking where pages rank in the search results is ever more complex when so many factors are at play, including rank in various areas like Universal Search results, Google’s Knowledge Graph and Carousel results.

That’s likely why 95 percent of search marketer survey respondents said gaining access to accurate rank data in 2014 is important.  

Speaking of Carousel results, are you part of the 44 percent of SEOs who reported that Carousel results were served for keywords in their industry? If so, you may also side with the 72 percent who reported that measuring rank on those results will be more important for them in 2014.

Good news: BrightEdge is committed to giving our customers real insight into their true rank across all types of search results. With our blended rank technology, our platform is the first and only of its kind to provide this level of information.

Technology Providers

In order for brands to succeed today online, it’s vital they have access to reliable data that provides actionable insight. Marketers agree. Of the search marketer survey responders, the majority said that when choosing a technology provider, key aspects included a provider that had a global customer base, a provider that was led by accomplished software veterans, and a provider backed by reputable investors.  

Marketers also wanted their technology providers to innovate on a regular basis according to Brightedge's search marketer survey. Sixty-four percent said monthly product innovations that kept up with the changes in search was going to be important in 2014.  

Here at BrightEdge, we work hard to stay ahead of the curve. In fact, every five weeks, BrightEdge releases a slew of new functionality, improving on our software on a quarterly basis by understanding the trends on the horizon, listening to what our customers want and studying the intricacies of the search and social channels through search marketer surveys, and how they impact a brand’s visibility online.

What Will 2014 Bring?

As SEOs embrace the change that occurred in 2013, they brace for the impact 2014 may bring.

Our industry is never a dull one, and marketers continue to be resilient with chameleon-like adaptation in the ever-changing world of Web marketing. But one thing will remain constant: tying SEO to business value is essential. This is, and will continue to be, the driver of successful marketing campaigns in 2014.

In order to make the connection between SEO and business value, brands need to invest in accurate and actionable data. Each step of the way, BrightEdge is that data solution, and your partner for success.

Here's to a great year!