To create high-quality web articles, having the right knowledge and skills in SEO writing is essential. For this reason, web writers are required to enhance their knowledge and expertise.

One such technique is to utilize SEO writing tools. There are many free software tools available for SEO writing, so be sure to try out various options.

In this article, we’ll introduce some tools that are helpful for SEO writing, particularly aimed at beginner web writers and directors. Some of these tools are used in practical situations by SEO -specialized media like Tokyo SEO Maker, so feel free to use them as a reference.

Types of Handy Tools for SEO Writing

There are various tools available for SEO writing, which can assist in creating high-quality articles. Especially for novice web writers, it’s beneficial to explore these tools to find the ones that suit you best.

Related Article: An Easy-to-Understand Explanation for Beginners in SEO Writing

Here are some types of tools that every web writer should know about.

-Keyword Research Tools 

-Tools for Page Structure 

-Tools for Synonyms and Co-occurring Terms 

Additionally, there are other tools useful for creating web articles, such as

-Article Checking Tools 

-Search Ranking Checking Tools 

-AI Writing Tools 

-Comprehensive Support Tools for SEO and Marketing 

These tools are mainly used by directors to manage the quality of web articles. However, experienced web writers may also use these tools alongside their expertise to create articles.

Keyword Research Tools 

To create SEO-conscious web pages, it’s essential to determine keywords first. You’ll need to research the search volume of keywords to decide which ones to target. The search volume of a keyword refers to the number of searches for that keyword.

Related Article: What is Search Volume?

Related Article: Explanation of How to Check Search Volume and How to Utilize it for SEO Keyword Selection

Related Article: How to Choose SEO Keywords?

Here are some tools for researching search volume.

-Google Keyword Planner 

-Google Trends 

-Rakko Keywords 

-Ubersuggest 

-Web ToolBox

Google Keyword Planner

Quote: Keyword Planner

The Google Keyword Planner is a tool that allows you to check the monthly search volume. Strictly speaking, the Keyword Planner is one of the features of the Google Ads service.

In the Keyword Planner, you can see the search volume for specified keywords. Additionally, you can view a list of suggested keywords that are searched along with the main keyword.

Please note that you need a Google Ads account to use the Keyword Planner. Furthermore, as of 2023, you can view specific search volume figures by using a certain amount of Google Ads service, which effectively costs a few hundred yen. While the free version is available, the search volume figures are displayed as rough estimates such as “10,000 to 100,000.”

Tool Name: Keyword Planner 

Price: Basic Free (Detailed data display available for a few hundred yen per month) 

Related Article: Explanation of How to Use Google Keyword Planner

Google Trends

Quote: Google Trends

Google Trends is a tool where you can view the trend of search volumes in a graph format. For example, when you investigate the keyword “ChatGPT,” an AI service that has been gaining attention since the end of 2022, you’ll see a screen like the following.

The “100” indicates the period when it was most searched. This allows you to find keywords that are trending from a macro perspective.

Tool Name: Google Trends 

Price: Free 

Related Article: What is Google Trends? Explanation of Features and How to Use

Rakko Keywords (Suggest Feature)

Quote: Rakko Keywords

Rakko Keywords is a keyword research tool provided by Rakko Inc. When you input a keyword you want to research, you can view the suggested keywords related to it.

Additionally, it supports not only Google search engine suggestions but also the following search engines:

• Google
• Google Images
• Google Videos
• Google Shopping
• Bing
• YouTube
• Amazon
• Rakuten

A free plan is available, allowing you to use the service at no cost. However, there are limitations, such as the number of keyword researches. Purchasing the paid version eases these restrictions.

• Tool name: Rakko Keywords
• Price: Free for basic use (Paid version starts from 400 yen per month)

Ubersuggest 

Quote: Ubersuggest 

Ubersuggest is a keyword research tool provided by Ubersuggest. 

When you enter a keyword, you’ll see data like search volume, SEO difficulty, and cost per click. Additionally, you can view a list of keyword suggestions and analyze data for top-ranking pages.

There is a free plan available, but a paid version is also offered for those with higher usage needs.

• Tool name: Ubersuggest
• Price: Free for basic use (Paid version starts from 2,999 yen per month)

Web ToolBox (Suggest Feature)

Quote: Web ToolBox

Web ToolBox is a tool for web developers provided by domestic engineers in Japan. With this tool, you can extract suggested keywords for any keyword you specify.

The search results are organized and displayed for ease of use, as follows:

-Keyword + 5W1H combinations 

-Keyword + combinations of alphabets or hiragana

Tool Name: Web ToolBox 

Price: Free

Tools Useful for Determining Page Structure and Headings

Once you’ve decided on keywords, you’ll create the page structure. Specifically, you’ll set out what headings to include and in what order, establishing the things to explain within the article and the story. It’s essential to consider the search intent of the keywords, understanding what information the searcher is seeking.

Related Article: What is Search Intent?

At that point, techniques like checking the heading structure of existing pages can be helpful as a reference for ‘what kind of articles are being read.’ In such cases, the following tools come in handy

-Rakko Keywords

-Web ToolBox

Rakko Keywords (Heading Feature)

Quote: Rakko Keywords

Rakko Keywords has a feature that extracts headings from web pages. With this function, by entering a keyword, you can pick the top-ranking pages and display their HTML elements. The elements displayed include:

• Search ranking of the web page
• Title
• Number of headings
• Word count
• Description
• H tags (headings)

Therefore, it can be used as a reference for page structure and content volume when creating articles.

• Tool name: Rakko Keywords
• Price: Free for basic use (Paid version starts from 400 yen per month)

Web ToolBox (Heading Function)

Quote: Web ToolBox

In Web ToolBox, by specifying a URL, you can extract HTML elements of web pages. Specifically, it displays the following elements:

-Number of headings (H1-H6) 

-Text and composition of headings (H1-H6) 

-Title 

-Description

Additionally, it’s possible to extract multiple URLs simultaneously.

Tool Name: Web ToolBox 

Price: Free

Tools Useful for Finding Synonyms and Co-occurring Words

When creating text for articles, writing techniques such as changing expressions and using synonyms are required. By doing so, the range of expressions expands, allowing for more appropriate explanations. As techniques for changing expressions, you can use related terms such as the following.

Synonym: A word that refers to the same thing

Synonyms: Words with similar meanings

Collocation: Words commonly used together with a keyword

Associated word: A word that is brought to mind by the keyword

Paraphrase: Restating the same thing using different expressions

By incorporating such techniques, you can provide a comfortable reading experience for site visitors. Furthermore, for web articles, there’s the advantage of SEO effectiveness. When searching for synonyms and co-occurring words, please use the following tools.

-Weblio Thesaurus 

-Co-occurring word search 

-Associative thesaurus 

-Rakko Keyword

Weblio Thesaurus

Quote: Weblio Thesaurus

Weblio Thesaurus is a dictionary site operated by the GRAS Group, which develops teaching materials and other services. On this site, you can look up synonyms, synonyms, related terms, and antonyms for various words. In addition to words and terms, you can also investigate colloquial replacements, such as “that kind of person.”

As a sister site, there are also Weblio dictionaries and dictionaries for translation, making it a comprehensive dictionary for printed materials.

Tool Name: Weblio Thesaurus 

Price: Free

Co-occurring Word Search

Quote: Co-occurring Word Search

Co-occurring Word Search is a search service operated by an individual engineer in Japan. When you enter a keyword in the search box, you can extract words that are often used together as a set. For example, when you enter “SEO,” the following words are displayed:

Measures, search, site, beginner, page, display, top, engine, explanation, production, information, company, latest, service, article, content, material, advertisement, introduction, result, internal, ranking, knowledge, table of contents

Reference: Co-occurring Word Search

This tool uses the top 30 sites on the Google search engine as the data population. Therefore, it’s useful for associating ‘what kind of content is created’ based on keywords.

Tool Name: Co-occurring Word Search 

Price: Free

Associative Thesaurus

Quote: Associative Thesaurus

The Associative Thesaurus is a dictionary tool that compiles Japanese words and terms. When you enter a keyword and search the site’s data, it displays synonyms, related terms, and further associated words. For example, when you enter ‘realize,’ expressions like ‘come up with ideas’ or ‘expand the imagination’ appear in abundance. Below is an example:

(Great plans) come up with, devise, (imagination) is depicted, get ideas, get inspiration, expand the imagination

Reference: Associative Thesaurus

In this way, it’s useful when you want to find different expressions or words when writing a manuscript.

Tool Name: Associative Thesaurus 

Price: Free (Paid version = 450 yen per month)

Rakko Keyword (Co-occurring words and synonyms)

Quote: Rakko Keyword

In Rakko Keyword, you can investigate co-occurring words and more. Specifically, the following related terms for the keyword are displayed:

-Co-occurring words 

-Surrounding words or associative words 

-Synonyms or synonymous words

For example, when investigating co-occurring words, words are extracted based on the top 20 sites in search rankings for the keyword. Therefore, it provides useful information from an SEO perspective.

Tool Name: Rakko Keyword 

Price: Free (Paid version = 400 yen per month)

Tools Useful for Checking Articles

Directors who manage websites supervise and proceed with the publication of articles created by writers. At this time, they mainly check the following:

-Fact-checking 

-Copy content detection 

-Proofreading for typos and errors

Among these, fact-checking is done based on the supervisor’s knowledge and experience. Regarding the latter two points, the following tools are sometimes used for checking.

-CopyContentDetector 

-Google Docs

CopyContentDetector

Quote: CopyContentDetector

CopyContentDetector is a plagiarism detection tool developed and operated by New System Create.

By inputting the text of the manuscript into the form, it determines whether the text has been copied based on the following three elements

-Similarity assessment: Determines if there are similar texts on the web 

-Match rate assessment: Displays the match rate of the text on the web 

-Text assessment: Displays the match rate between the texts investigated so far 

Tool Name: CopyContentDetector 

Price: Free (Paid version = 300 yen per month)

Google Docs

Quote: Google Docs

Google Docs is a document creation tool provided by Google. It is offered for free and is widely used in business environments due to its compatibility with Microsoft Word Office.

This tool includes text correction features similar to Word Office. Specifically, it can automatically check the spelling and grammar of words. This feature helps identify typos, errors, and grammatically inappropriate sentences.

Tool Name: Google Docs 

Price: Free

Tools Useful for Managing Search Rankings

After publishing an article, you’ll observe whether you can secure search rankings for your targeted keywords. If you find that you’re not achieving the desired search ranking, you may need to rewrite the article as a solution.

Therefore, start by using tools like the following to manage the search rankings your articles are achieving

-Nobilista 

-GRC

Nobilista

Quote: Nobilista

Nobilista is a search ranking checking tool provided by IIP Co., Ltd., which handles web development projects. It’s the first cloud-based search ranking checker in Japan. You can launch it in your browser, so it’s available on Windows, Mac OS computers, as well as smartphones and tablets.

Its basic function allows you to register keywords and website information, and it automatically retrieves search rankings every morning at 7 a.m. You can also track the ranking trends with graphs.

Tool Name: Nobilista 

Price: From 990 yen per month (Free during trial period)

GRC

Quote: GRC

GRC is a search ranking checking tool developed and sold by Shellware Co., Ltd. This tool is software for download and is compatible with Windows OS. It can also be used on mobile devices.

Its basic function allows you to register websites and keywords, enabling you to check search rankings regularly. It supports three search engines allowing you to monitor your site’s positioning: 

-Google

-Yahoo!

-Bing

Known for reflecting user feedback in updates, it features rich functionality and has many users.

Tool Name: GRC 

Price: Free (Paid version: from 495 yen per month)

AI Writing Tools

Introducing AI writing tools can significantly reduce writing tasks. AI writing tools use artificial intelligence to automatically generate text. Examples of AI writing tools include

-ChatGPT 

-Catchy

However, AI writing tools combine objective information and facts to generate text. Currently, to produce valuable original content, human input is still required. Therefore, utilize them as supportive tools.

ChatGPT

Quote: ChatGPT

ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is an AI chat service developed by the American company OpenAI. It was launched at the end of 2022 and gained attention in 2023. Due to its history, ChatGPT is increasingly being adopted as the AI for AI writing tools.

The service of ChatGPT allows you to input questions in a chat, and it provides answers. For example, if you ask “What is SEO?”, it will display the answer in text. However, when writing SEO content, you should not simply copy and reuse this text. Consider it as a reference only.

Tool Name: ChatGPT 

Price: Free (Paid version: $20 per month) 

Related Article: What is ChatGPT? Explanation of how to get started and use it, with a brief verification of AI algorithms by an SEO consultant. 

*Price data is as of August 2023.

Catchy

Quote: Catchy

Catchy is an AI writing assistant service provided by Digital Recipe Co., Ltd., which develops and offers systems.

Specifically, it provides text for use in business scenarios such as advertisements, documents, and emails. It particularly offers a feature to suggest marketing ideas, making it a valuable reference when creating business-related articles.

Tool Name: Catchy 

Price: Basic Free (Paid version: from 3,000 yen per month)

Comprehensive Support Tools for SEO and Marketing

SEO and marketing professionals can streamline their tasks by using comprehensive support tools. These tools are feature-rich and have various applications. Therefore, they are also useful as keyword research and writing support tools. Some well-known comprehensive support tools include;

-Semrush 

-Ahrefs

Semrush

Quote: Semrush

Semrush is a comprehensive analytics tool provided by Semrush Holdings, Inc. in the United States. In Japan, it’s serviced by Oro Corporation. This tool is widely used worldwide, with over 10 million accounts. Many leading companies worldwide utilize it, positioning it as the global standard.

In terms of functionality, it covers not only SEO but also digital marketing aspects such as social media and advertising operations. In the SEO aspect, it supports activities from competitor analysis and keyword research to content creation, making it useful for SEO writing.

Tool Name: Semrush 

Price: From $142.95 per month (Free during trial period) 

Related Article: What is Semrush? Explanation of its features and how to use it. *Price data is as of August 2023.

Ahrefs

Quote: Ahrefs

Ahrefs is an SEO analysis tool operated by a Singapore-based company. In Japan, it’s represented by Full Speed Inc. This tool specializes in SEO analysis and offers capabilities such as;

-Competitor analysis 

-Checking search rankings 

-Keyword research 

-Monitoring spam backlinks 

-Observing evaluations via social media

While it’s a comprehensive SEO tool, its high usability for keyword research stands out. Therefore, it also excels in SEO writing.

Tool Name: Ahrefs 

Price: From 12,500 yen per month

Related Article: What is Ahrefs? Thorough explanation from usage to precautions.

Frequently Asked Questions About SEO Writing Tools

We’ve compiled common questions about SEO writing tools.

Q: What should beginners in SEO writing do? 

A) It’s important for beginners in SEO writing to acquire fundamental knowledge.

Specifically, the following knowledge is required

-Writing skills (ability to handle text) 

-Basic HTML knowledge (knowledge about page structure) 

-Basic SEO knowledge (knowledge about search engines)

For more details, please check the article at the following link.

Related Article: Easy-to-understand Explanation for SEO Writing Beginners

Q: What tools are necessary for SEO writing? 

A) For web writers, start by exploring keyword research tools.

When writing articles with SEO in mind, it’s essential to have knowledge about the relevant keywords (article themes). First, understand ‘what kind of keywords are being searched’ and consider the ‘user’s search intent’ behind why these keywords are being searched.

Related Article: Understanding Search Intent

Q: How much does SEO writing tool cost? 

A) There are some tools available for free.

However, some tools have pricing plans. In such cases, there may be limitations on functionality or usage frequency in the free plan.

Summary

There are many tools available for SEO writing. Among these, for web writers, keyword research tools are essential. Furthermore, as you become more experienced, delve into article proofreading and search ranking tools to enhance your expertise. For web directors or those in supervisory roles, it’s important to have a writer’s perspective. Therefore, it’s crucial to learn how to use these tools.

Author Profile

International Web Consultant Paveena Suphawet

A trilingual professional in English, Thai, and Japanese, she has numerous achievements in international SEO. She studied the latest IT technologies at Assumption International University, Thailand, and majored in International Business at the University of Greenwich, UK. Following her tenure at ExxonMobil’s Thai branch, she became a key member of Admano from its establishment.

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