SE Ranking Review: Top SEO Platform for Digital Agencies

SE Ranking Review

Having a comprehensive SEO platform is like having a Swiss Army knife for a resourceful adventurer.

Just as a Swiss Army knife provides a range of tools for various tasks, an all-in-one SEO platform equips agencies with a versatile toolkit, enabling them to conduct keyword research, analyze backlinks, generate insightful reports, and optimize strategies, all within a single powerful solution.

One such comprehensive SEO platform is SE Ranking, an all-in-one SEO platform that offers a wide range of powerful features tailored specifically for SEO agencies.

From comprehensive keyword research to in-depth backlink analysis and advanced reporting, SE Ranking provides agencies with the tools they need to optimize websites, boost search rankings, and stay ahead in the dynamic world of SEO.

In this article, we do an in-depth review of SE Ranking, exploring its key features and pricing plans. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll have all the information you need to decide whether this SEO tool is worth your investment. So, let’s get started and see if SE Ranking is the real deal!

Important note: If you’d like to implement some of the action items in this post, I’d encourage you to sign up for a 2-week free trial of SE Ranking by clicking the link below.

What is SE Ranking?

SE Ranking

SE Ranking burst onto the scene back in 2013 as a cloud-based SEO platform.

From entrepreneurs to agencies and online marketing pros, everyone quickly recognized its potential.

In just a few years, SE Ranking solidified its position among the big players in the world of cloud-based SEO tools, earning the trust of over 800,000 users worldwide.

What makes SE Ranking truly impressive is its comprehensive toolkit that equips you with all the essential tools to dominate the SEO game.

Whether you’re diving into in-depth keyword research, conducting meticulous technical SEO audits, or researching your competitors’ strategies, SE Ranking has got your back.

So, in the next section, let’s dive into some of the key features SE Ranking has to offer and see how it can help you optimize your website’s online presence.

Core Features of SE Ranking: What Sets It Apart

Keyword Research with SE Ranking: Top Suggestions for SEO and PPC

Keyword research is an essential part of any SEO strategy, and SE Ranking’s keyword research tools can help you discover the best keywords to target for your website.

With SE Ranking’s intuitive and user-friendly interface, even SEO beginners can easily conduct keyword research and optimize their website for search engines.

To get started, visit the “Keyword Research” tab and simply enter a seed keyword or phrase that you want to target. This could be a broad keyword related to your business or a more specific long-tail keyword that you want to rank for.

The tool will then generate an overview report where you’ll find important keyword metrics for your seed keyword, including keyword difficulty score, search volume, CPC, and more.

SE Ranking - Keyword Analysis

Scroll down to find a list of related keywords and phrases based on your seed keyword. You can see the search volume, and difficulty score for each of the keywords.

SE Ranking - Keyword Ideas

You can click on any of the keyword terms here to generate a keyword research overview report for those specific keywords.

Expand the list by clicking on the “View Detailed Report” button below each column to see different keyword variations for your target keywords.

Alternatively, you can click on the “Keyword Suggestions” option from the left navigation menu to access the same report.

SE Ranking - Keyword Suggestions

If your seed keyword is too broad, this list is particularly useful to niche down and identify keywords with the right mix of search volume and difficulty.

If you’d like more data on any of the keywords in the list, simply select the specific keyword and you’ll be able to see the top organic search results for that keyword.

In addition to SEO keyword data, SE Ranking’s Keyword Research tool can also be used to find PPC insights for your target keywords.

In the overview report, scroll down till you find the “​​Most popular ads for the analyzed keyword” section. Here you’ll find PPC campaign data on websites that target similar keywords in their advertising campaigns.

SE Ranking - Most Popular Ads

To expand this list, click on the “View Detailed Report” button below the section to see the full list of websites that are bidding for your target keywords in Google Ads.

To view the ad copies, simply move your cursor over the ad that you’d like to see.

SE Ranking Ad Copies

You can also access this report by clicking on “Ads History”  from the left navigation menu.

This report will provide valuable insights into the ideal campaign budget required to overcome your PPC competition. It will also shed light on the types of ad copies that are hitting it out of the park on Google Ads.

All things considered, SE Ranking’s keyword research features make it the ultimate choice for digital agencies, providing a comprehensive solution to enhance clients’ online visibility, drive targeted traffic, and optimize SEO strategies effectively.

SE Ranking Free Trial

Get 14-day free access to SE Ranking's complete toolkit

(No credit card required)

Backlink Analysis in SE Ranking: Understanding Your SEO Backlink Profile

Like other prominent backlink checker tools, SE Ranking’s backlink analysis features offer a similar set of functionalities.

To get started, visit the “Backlink Checker” tab and enter your domain.

This will open up the Backlink Overview report which will provide a comprehensive summary of your domain’s backlink metrics. This includes the total count of referring domains and backlinks, as well as domain and page trust scores. Additionally, you can also gather insights about the dofollow/nofollow ratio of your backlinks.

SE Ranking - Backlink Overview Report

In the same overview report, you can scroll down to find interactive graphs that provide a visual representation into the health and performance of your backlinks.

For instance, the graph on “New & lost referring domains” provides insights into the rate at which new referring domains have been acquired over time.

SE Ranking - Backlink Graphs

This graph is useful to promptly gauge the impact and success of your link building campaigns.

In the “Referring Domains” section, you’ll see the total number of links that point to your homepage and links that point to other pages.

By clicking on the referring domains number, you can access the referring domains report, which provides a complete list of unique domains that are linked to your website.

SE Ranking - Referring Domains Report

Similarly, in the “Backlinks” column of the overview report, you can click on the number against your backlinks and access the Backlinks report to check all your backlinks and anchor texts.

SE Ranking - Backlinks Report

While SE Ranking’s backlink analysis features are similar to other comprehensive SEO tools on the market, it sets itself apart with interactive graphs, an intuitive UI, and advanced filtering options, allowing you to customize and refine your analysis with ease.

These unique features make it a valuable asset for marketing agencies seeking to optimize their clients’ online presence.

Website Audit via SE Ranking: Website Optimization Made Easy

If you’re not sure how your website is performing, you can use SE Ranking’s Website Audit tool to get a comprehensive overview of its technical setup and user experience. The tool will identify any areas that need improvement, so you can make your website better for both you and your visitors.

It’s an invaluable tool to have at your agency as it can highlight all the technical SEO issues that are preventing your clients’ website from ranking higher in search results.

The best part about SE Ranking’s Website Audit Tool is that you don’t have to set it up manually. Your website is automatically audited by SE Ranking as soon as you add a new project.

You can access the site audit report by navigating to:

Website Audit > Overview

The Overview report provides a quick breakdown of your site’s overall SEO health, including health score, core web vitals scores, and the top-5 issues that you need to fix.

SE Ranking - Website Audit Report

Click on “View all” on top of the “Top Issues” section to view the full site audit report.

The audit report is classified into 3 sections:

  • Errors
  • Warnings
  • Notices

Visit each section of the report to view and fix all the critical errors that are affecting your site’s SEO health.

SE Ranking Site Audit Report

The “Errors” section of the report will consist of the most critical technical SEO issues on your site, fixing which you can achieve a higher SEO health score.

Simply click on each error to get a detailed breakdown of the issue. You’ll also find specific instructions on how to fix the error.

SE Ranking - Site Audit Errors

Once you’ve fixed these issues, you can run a fresh audit by hitting the “Restart Audit” button on top and check if all the fixed errors have truly been resolved.

Having put SE Ranking’s audit tool to the test across various websites at my agency, I can confidently declare that it leaves no stone unturned when scanning your website for crucial technical SEO issues. It provides a comprehensive view of your website’s technical SEO health, unveiling errors and warnings that may have slipped under the radar.

One of SE Ranking’s standout features is its ability to prioritize these technical SEO issues, giving you a clear roadmap of which errors demand immediate attention.

Competitor Analysis with SE Ranking: Unpack Competitors’ SEO and PPC Strategies

Competitor research is the key to staying ahead of the curve. By understanding your competitors’ SEO strategies, you can identify opportunities to improve your own website and gain an edge in the search results.

Luckily, SE Ranking has a robust competitor research toolkit to help you identify your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas for growth.

To get started, visit the “Competitor Research” tab and enter your competitor’s domain in the search box.

The resulting overview report provides a top-level view of your competitor’s organic traffic and paid traffic.

SE Ranking - Competitors' Report

Scroll down to see your competitor’s top organic keywords and distribution of organic keyword rankings.

SE Ranking - Competitor Keywords

To view more organic keywords, click the “View Detailed Report” button below the section.

This will fire up the organic research report, where you can view the estimated organic traffic, organic keywords, and a breakup of all the keywords your competitor is currently ranking for.

SE Ranking - Organic Keywords Report

You can use the filters above the table to dive into the most relevant data and metrics for your requirements.

The overview report also shows pages that get the largest volume of search traffic from Google. Once again, you can click on “View Detailed Report” to view all the top organic pages.

SE Ranking - Top Pages Report

Take special note of these pages and topics as they drive the highest search traffic to your competitor’s site. You can then reverse-engineer these pages for content ideas with massive traffic potential.

The overview report also shows insights into your competitor’s PPC campaigns. You can use this actionable data to inform your own PPC strategies.

SE Ranking - PPC Report

Furthermore, you can use SE Ranking’s Backlink Checker tool to monitor your competitor’s backlink profile. You can follow the steps outlined in the Backlink analysis section of this article to research your competitor’s link building strategies.

From my personal experience, SE Ranking’s competitive analysis features are top-notch.

It provides a comprehensive breakdown of your competitors’ websites, leaving no area unexplored. You can see their rankings on search engines, check out their organic and paid keywords, research on their top pages, and even peek into their backlink profiles. It’s like getting an insider scoop on their SEO and PPC strategies.

SE Ranking Free Trial

Get 14-day free access to SE Ranking's complete toolkit

(No credit card required)

Additional SE Ranking Features You Need to Know

In addition to these key features, SE Ranking also has other features that are deemed necessary for a comprehensive SEO tool. This includes a comprehensive rank tracking tool, on-page SEO checker, and report builder.

The Report Builder tool is a real gem for digital agencies. It’s designed to help you create professional reports that reflect data in a concise and transparent manner. You can choose one of the ready-made templates or create your own. Then, you can automatically send these reports to your clients to help them get a deeper understanding of their SEO performance.

By streamlining your reporting process with the Report Builder, you can both enhance customers’ trust and save loads of time you’d spend on manual reporting.

Another tool that deserves a special mention is SE Ranking’s Rank Tracker.

With this tool, you can track your search rankings for important keywords and phrases, and get email alerts whenever there are any changes in your rankings.

SE Ranking Position Tracking Tool

What makes this tool stand out is exceptional usability: you can group and tag target keywords and use various filters for a more granular analysis of your client’s rankings. Also, Rank Tracker helps you monitor SERP features and spot keyword cannibalization issues.

You can also use SE Ranking’s rank tracking tool to track your competitors’ keyword rankings and keep a tab on your competitors’ SEO performance.

Finally, if the site’s current rankings do not meet your client’s expectations, you can launch an on-page audit of the respective pages right from the Rank Tracker tool.

The On-Page SEO report will flag issues that prevent analyzed pages from getting better positions such as poorly optimized title and description tags, keyword stuffing or lack of keywords in your texts, plagiarized content, below-average page experience and usability, etc.

The tool benchmarks your page metrics against top-ranking results and gives recommendations based on what works for the SERP leaders.

How SE Ranking’s Pricing Fits Your Budget and Goals

SE Ranking Pricing

SE Ranking is one of the most affordable SEO platforms on the market, with prices starting at $39/month.

You can choose from 3 pricing plans:

  • Essential – $39/mo (250 keyword rankings, 10 websites)
  • Pro – $89/mo (1000 keyword rankings, unlimited websites)
  • Business – 189/mo (2500 keyword rankings, unlimited websites)

* The prices on the above plans change based on the number of keyword rankings, pages for tech audits and backlinks you select. For instance, if you’d like to track 500 keyword rankings, audit 65k pages and monitor 12.5k backlinks in the Essential plan, the pricing changes to $54/mo.

If you’re an individual user, the Essential plan ($39/mo) should be sufficient for your requirements. You’ll get access to most of the features, albeit with a few limitations.

If you run an agency or have more websites and data to analyze, you should probably opt for the Pro plan ($89/mo), which comes with three user seats meaning you can use the tool together with your team.

You can save 20% on any plan by switching to annual billing. SE Ranking also offers free migration with any annual plan.

SE Ranking Review: Final Thoughts

To wrap things up, after delving deep into SE Ranking, I must admit that I’m thoroughly impressed. This robust SEO tool not only simplifies the complex world of search engine optimization but also does it with style and ease.

SE Ranking delivers an impressive range of features that are essential for any online marketer or digital agency looking to level up their digital marketing game. From in-depth keyword research and competitor analysis to comprehensive website audit and backlink monitoring, this tool has got it all covered.

What sets SE Ranking apart is its user-friendly interface, which makes navigating through the tool a breeze. Even if you’re new to SEO, you’ll find yourself quickly getting the hang of things and optimizing your website like a pro.

In a world where SEO tools are a dime a dozen, SE Ranking stands out as a reliable and feature-packed option that doesn’t break the bank. It’s an all-in-one solution that empowers marketers and businesses to take their online presence to new heights.

So, if you’re looking for an SEO tool that combines power, simplicity, and affordability, look no further than SE Ranking.

Give it a try and see the difference it can make for your website. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

SE Ranking Free Trial

Get 14-day free access to SE Ranking's complete toolkit

(No credit card required)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is SE Ranking accurate?

SE Ranking is widely regarded as a reliable and accurate SEO tool, used by businesses and digital marketers to track website rankings, perform website audits, and analyze competitors. Its accuracy is attributed to its frequent updates of ranking data, comprehensive database, and the ability to track rankings across different search engines and geographical locations.

However, like any tool, its accuracy can depend on various factors including search engine algorithms changes, localization, and the specific keywords being tracked. Users generally find SE Ranking’s data to be consistent with real-world search engine results, making it a trusted choice for SEO professionals.

2. Is SE Ranking free?

SE Ranking is not free, but it offers a 2-week free trial on any plan, allowing users to explore its features and capabilities before committing to a subscription. This trial period is a great opportunity to assess its effectiveness and decide if it suits your SEO needs.

3. What is SE Ranking used for?

SE Ranking is used for tracking website rankings, conducting website audits, analyzing competitors, and keyword research. It’s a comprehensive SEO tool designed to improve online visibility and SEO strategies.

4. What are the differences between Semrush and SE Ranking?

Semrush is more feature-rich, offering broader digital marketing tools beyond SEO, such as PPC, content marketing, and social media tracking. SE Ranking, while comprehensive for SEO tasks, is more budget-friendly and offers a simpler, user-friendly interface suited for small to medium-sized businesses.

5. What are the cons of SE Ranking?

The cons of SE Ranking include a steep learning curve for beginners due to its wide array of features, and some users may find its data updates less frequent compared to other premium SEO tools.

Editor’s Note: This article was first published on 11 June 2023 and has been updated regularly since then for relevance and comprehensiveness. 

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Sandeep Mallya
Sandeep Mallyahttps://www.startupcafedigital.com
Sandeep Mallya is the Founder & CEO of Startup Cafe Digital, an award-winning digital marketing agency in Bangalore, India. He is an active member of the startup community, having worked with several early-stage startups and accelerators. 99signals is Sandeep's online marketing blog. The blog currently features 200+ in-depth articles, how-to guides, and hacks on a wide range of online marketing topics such as SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, blogging, and more.

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In a world where SEO tools are a dime a dozen, SE Ranking stands out as a reliable and feature-packed option that doesn't break the bank. It's an all-in-one solution that empowers marketers and businesses to take their online presence to new heights.SE Ranking Review: Top SEO Platform for Digital Agencies
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