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Did you know that over 3.2 billion people use Google Chrome as their dedicated browser? From smooth browsing to high security, there are many reasons why Chrome is so popular, most noticeably, its versatile range of free extensions. Chrome extensions are an excellent way to increase the functionality of your browser and improve user experience.
Google Chrome extensions can also be used as powerful business tools to increase web traffic and generate leads. This article explores ten intuitive Chrome extensions to improve SEO. Keep reading to find out how to boost your Google rankings using browser add-ons.
What is an SEO Chrome Extension?
A Google Chrome extension is a piece of software based on web technologies, such as HTML5, CSS, and Javascript, used to increase the functionality of Chrome. Extensions allow users to customize their browsing experience with additional features that interact with or modify web pages.
Since the inception of Google Chrome in 2008, many dynamic and impressive extensions have been developed. You can learn more about the power of Chrome extensions in Idea Maker’s guide to Honey, a revolutionary add-on. Where businesses are concerned, Chrome extensions for SEO offer a simple way to increase domain authority and drive traffic.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of positioning your website to satisfy parameters set out by search engines. If optimized correctly, websites appear higher on the search engine results page (SERP), driving organic traffic. Conversely, if a website does not meet the standards set out by search engines, it can be relegated to the bottom of SERPs.
Many factors determine a website’s position on SERPs. These include relevant keyword usage that aligns with user search queries, page load times, and the number of backlinks to the site. You can learn more about SEO practices and how Google ranks websites by reading Idea Maker’s extensive guide.
Ten Chrome Extensions for SEO
Over 67% of web traffic goes to the first five Google results. This means that if your website does not rank highly, you are likely losing a substantial amount of potential customers. You can combat this through the use of free Google Chrome extensions.
MozBar
What Is It?
MozBar enables users to gain immediate on-page SEO insights into competitor scores while browsing Google search or examining their websites. Unlike many other Chrome extensions on this list, MozBar implements a toolbar feature at the top of the browser, making it readily accessible to users.
How It’s Used
The extension’s features include creating custom searches based on search engines and location while allowing users to cross-reference analytics between pages. As a technical SEO tool, MozBar is an excellent add-on for competitor analysis and identifying what you need to do to improve your SEO strategy.
Features
- Create custom searches by engine, country, region, or city
- Page and Domain Authority assessments
- Cross reference analytics from multiple websites
- Identify on-site keywords
- Examine page elements in HTTP
- Export SERP analysis insights to a CSV file
User Reviews
MozBar has an average Chrome store rating of 4 stars, with some users reporting issues with load times and login details. Others, however, laud the add-on as an ‘excellent service.’
SEOquake
What Is It?
SEOquake is a versatile SEO toolbox that modifies the SERP to include an insight bar under results while browsing. It presents users with essential information such as search volume and keyword density. However, users can customize these insights to show the specific metrics they wish to examine.
How It’s Used
The extension is an excellent way to gain an in-depth overview of competitor websites, helping you determine what keywords to use. Though it’s primarily used for Google search analysis, it also has features to examine other major search engines such as Bing.
Features
- Instantly access insights into essential metrics
- Thorough analysis of search results
- View keyword difficulty estimates
- Access reports to internal/external links
- Audit websites for SEO and mobile compatibility
- Check Facebook and Google+ analytics
User Reviews
With over 800,000 users, SEOquake has an average rating of 4.5 stars on the Chrome store. Users report that issues are fixed swiftly and that SEOquake is an invaluable tool for keyword and website research.
Ubersuggest
What Is It?
Ubersuggest is a free Chrome extension developed by renowned SEO expert Neil Patel and his team. It has all the vital features of the previous two extensions, plus the ability to analyze YouTube and Amazon metrics. The goliath combination of statistics from these three significant websites makes Ubersuggest a powerful tool for keyword research.
How It’s Used
After installing the Ubersuggest add-on, users are presented with a toolbox that opens to the right of the screen. In this toolbox, you can set research parameters, such as region and specific keywords. The tool aims to help you better understand which keywords will help you rank above your competitors.
Features
- Detailed metrics reports that appear in search
- Historical traffic analysis
- Customizable keyword filter
- Backlink profiles
- Amazon & YouTube keyword research
- Keyword trend charts
User Reviews
Ubsersuggest has an average Chrome store rating of just below 4 stars, with most complaints due to a poor login UI. However, users report that the tool provides vast amounts of information with ease when working correctly.
SurferSEO
What Is It?
At Idea Maker, we use SurferSEO as our dedicated SEO research tool. It functions as both a standalone product and a Chrome extension that helps users increase keyword usage in articles and blog posts. SurferSEO also has another SEO Chrome extension called Keyword Surfer that shows similar metrics to the above add-ons.
How It’s Used
While working in a Google Doc, users can open the SurferSEO extension and have it suggest keywords to include in their writing. As you write, it estimates the content’s overall SEO score while suggesting ways to improve search engine rankings.
Features
- View real-time SEO insights as you create documents
- Content structure and word count suggestions
- Examine keyword search volume
- Keyword difficulty analysis
- Integrated Google Docs toolbox
- In-search metric toolbar
User Reviews
The Keyword Surfer Chrome extension has a rating of 4.5 stars, with users using it to save time on research by combining the dedicated content editor with in-search data.
Open SEO Stats
What Is It?
At first glance, Open SEO Stats does not appear as complex as the other extensions on this list, but it provides key analytical insights within a tightly packaged, non-invasive UI. The extension offers users data on everything from website IPs to Alexa traffic rankings, making it a handy tool.
How It’s Used
Users access Open SEO Stats by clicking the extension icon in the Chrome toolbar, where they are presented with a popup box containing necessary information. Though the add-on provides enough data to be used as a robust analytical tool, it’s installed chiefly for quick insights on competitor sites.
Features
- Shows Alexa traffic rankings
- Reports website backlinks across several search engines
- Shows metrics from archived web page versions
- Analyzes website speed
User Reviews
Open SEO Stats has an average user review of just under 5 stars, making it one of the highest-ranked on this list, without even having any features directly dedicated to keyword research. This SEO Chrome extension is best used in combination with another add-on from this list, such as SurferSEO.
SEO Minion
What Is It?
SEO Minion is much the same as the previous free Chrome extensions for SEO on this list. However, what sets it apart is its ability to run robust checks for broken links.
How It’s Used
This free Chrome extension works similarly to the Ubersuggest and SurferSEO tools in that it implements a toolbox to the right of the screen. The toolbox works as a free backlink checker, analyzing links, 404 errors, and activity. It also breaks your website down by structural information to see how you should organize your content.
Features
- On-page SEO and HTML analysis
- Internal and external link identification
- Broken backlink checker
- Preview your website in SERPs
- Google SERP data download
- Keyword search by location
User Reviews
SEO Minion has an average user rating of 5 stars on the Chrome store. Users have dubbed the extension as an ‘essential part of [their] workflow’ and ‘useful for the SEO community,’
META SEO Inspector
What Is It?
Whereas the other tools on this list allow users to examine elements of competitor websites, META SEO Inspector enables users to scrutinize their own site’s metadata closely. Once issues are identified, the extension helps users get advice on resolving the problems of their site.
How It’s Used
This free Chrome extension is primarily aimed towards web developers, as it helps them follow the Google webmaster tools guidelines. However, anyone can benefit from this tool when attempting to optimize their website for SEO purposes.
Features
- Instantly access website metadata
- Identify missing meta parameters
- Identify errors in meta HTML
- Explore competitor metadata
- Access additional tools such as McAfee Site Advisor
- Export metadata reports
User Reviews
The META SEO Inspector Chrome extension has an average user rating of 4 stars, with users reporting that it is excellent for website audits.
Mangools SEO Extension
What Is It?
Mangools SEO Extension is positioned as being best-suited to streamlining SEO practices. It has a versatile range of features that enable users to create robust SEO strategies.
How It’s Used
Once installed, users can use the Mangools SEO Extension to analyze competitor domain authority and what makes their content rank highly on SERPs. This includes inspecting the social media side of websites. Users can use this tool to identify and exploit weaknesses in their competitor’s SEO campaigns.
Features
- Domain authority checker
- Competitor keyword analysis
- Backlink checker
- On-page SEO analysis
- Keyword density checker
- Rank tracking tool
User Reviews
Mangools SEO Extension has saved its 40,000 users huge amounts of time when running SEO campaigns. It has an average rating of 4 stars and has become deeply essential to its user base.
Checkbot
What Is It?
The Checkbot SEO Chrome extension helps users determine how to improve their website’s speed and security, two significant factors in SEO ranking. Though it is initially free to users, there are also several paid features you can unlock for additional functionality. This includes PDF audit reports and advanced crawl settings.
How It’s Used
Checkbot crawls hundreds of websites to identify their failings, which users can view to better their own practices. User view reports in an intuitive UI that makes SEO analysis smooth.
Features
- HTML validator
- Backlink checker
- Speed optimization test
- HTTPS security checker
- Mobile-friendliness checker
- Meta tag analysis
User Reviews
Though Checkbot has a relatively small user base of 50,000 people, it is featured in several top SEO extension lists on HubPages and Enleaf.
NinjaOutreach Lite
What Is It?
Unlike the other extensions on this list, NinjaOutreach Lite focuses on email marketing but allows users to access SEO data while sending messages. This makes for a powerful combination of organic and digital marketing.
How It’s Used
Once the extension is installed, users must request an access key to grab relevant emails from the site they’re browsing while displaying metadata, traffic, and demographic information. This data can be used to better target individuals and tailor content to their interests.
Features
- Grab webpage emails
- Analyze demographic information
- Send emails
- View page meta descriptions
- Inspect domain authority
- Set up blog RSS feeds
User Reviews
Though the NinjaOutreach Lite Chrome extension has a selection of advanced data mining features, it only has a rating of 3.5 stars on the Chrome store. Users enjoy its features but dislike that you must pay a monthly subscription to unlock its full functionality.
Summary
After reading this list of excellent Chrome SEO extensions, you should be able to find one that suits your requirements. To summarize, the ten SEO Chrome extensions discussed were:
- Mozbar
- SEOquake
- Ubersuggest
- SurferSEO
- Open SEO Stats
- SEO Minion
- META SEO Inspector
- Mangools SEO Extension
- Checkbot
- NinjaOutreach Lite
SEO for Your Web Page with Idea Maker
Using an SEO Chrome extension is helpful, but you should consider hiring SEO specialists for the best result. At Idea Maker, we have a team of professionals dedicated to optimizing your website to drive organic traffic. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.
