In all the years I’ve been running my business (since 2012 no less!) I have downloaded every free trial going, I’ve spent on software I definitely did not need but had a nice shiny coat on and I thought it was time I shared a list of apps and software I recommend to manage your SEO, your productivity and everything else in your business.
I love creating systems and processes and as I work with so many lovely creatives, I get asked a lot about which apps and tools I use.
Get Organised
Notes app
My Notes app is where I dump anything that is allowed to escalate from bits of paper covered with Sharpie written notes on my desk. I regularly dump there in the middle of the night or over the weekend when I’m out and about, then sort it out on Monday morning.
Cost: FREE
Asana
I’m a BIG fan of documenting every single task I do because my neurospicy brain is terrified of forgetting anything, so I manage all my tasks via the brilliant tool Asana. I firmly believe we need to stop using our brains like USB sticks, thereby freeing them up for more play and creativity and the best way to do that is to write down everything else!
Cost: £22 a month
Calendly
Since switching to Calendly (after having used various different scheduling tools) pretty much everyone who books a call with me comments on how smooth this process is. The best part of meetings are the actual meetings themselves, getting to talk to new people and make magic together – the worst thing about them is having to go back-and-forth to schedule them. Calendly does all that for you. Highly recommend.
Cost: $12USD a month
Google Suite
Everything I do, I do it on Goooooo(gle)* as the famous song lyric almost goes. I much prefer using Google Docs and Google Sheets to manage everything I do all in one place plus I have a lot of files to store, so I pay for this in one package on Google Workspace. For my clients I create their SEO spreadsheet of dreams on Google Sheets – this way there aren’t versions of spreadsheets flying about like there would be if I used Excel!
Cost: I pay £10 per user per month but there are cheaper packages
LastPass
Please for the love of all that is good and holy, stop writing down your passwords in a Note on your phone or in a notebook on your desk – it isn’t safe, secure or reliable! Instead, download LastPass which is a simple extension on your browser. It’s easy to share with collaborators too without sharing your actual password.
Cost: $32USD a year
Xero
I manage all my bookkeeping and accounting on Xero and have done so for years. I used to have, and was very attached to, a very convoluted spreadsheet until I realised I wasn’t doing myself any favours when it came to tax return time and a spreadsheet also means there’s plenty of room for human error with the sums. I do my bookkeeping every day which takes five minutes because I’ve got a great system set up.
Cost: £20ish a month
Claude AI
I use AI for client projects because I need to to get them found on AI, but I also find it helpful for my neurodivergent tangential thoughts. I’d love to say a lot more about using AI and so I shall but on a separate blog.
Cost £18 a month
For Creating Content
Canva
It’s no secret that I love using Canva. Their massive range of graphic design templates in their Pro version are perfect for so many different things, I really can’t fault it. I’m no graphic designer, I literally use Canva for everything and so I’ve been a happy customer for years. You can sign up here.*
Cost: £8 a month
Loom
I love Loom! I can record quick videos for contractors I work with, clients I need to send instructions to and I record all the video tutorials for my SEO clients on Loom. It’s a low cost tool that is incredibly effective.
Cost: £16 a month
For Managing My Website and Content
Siteground
If your website is a house, you need to rent land on which the house can live. This is your hosting. If you have a WordPress website you need to arrange for this separately. I trust Siteground* with mine and my clients’ sites 100% – their hosting services are crafted with top speed and security in mind.
Cost: depends on your website needs
Namecheap
If your website is a house and your hosting is the land on which you rent for it, you need to have an address to find it, and that is your domain. I like using Namecheap because they have great customer service. I am a little bit addicted to paying for domains but currently I’m getting my habit under control!
Cost: £8 a year per domain (but can vary)
Divi WordPress Theme
If you’re wondering how this website was built – the answer is Divi*. It’s not just a WordPress theme but a total design framework that allows you to completely customise your site to suit you.
Cost: they have deals on all the time so it varies but starts from £7.42 a month
SEO software I use
For figuring out your keywords
It’s pretty much guaranteed that your audience are Googling the things you sell – but you don’t know what words they’re using. Until now! Check out my guide to figuring out your keywords here, and my recommended (low-cost) tool Keywords Everywhere, which tells you the most popular words and phrases to use for your SEO. Sign up here*.
Cost: $10USD for 100,000 credits (they run out every 12 months)
For adding your keywords to the right places
Yoast is an incredible (free) tool that takes the guesswork out of how well your keywords are performing in a blog post. Basically, it’s a fast track to Google stardom. Here’s how to use it to get to Number 1.
Cost: FREE but there is a premium option with extra functionality
For checking your rankings
It’s all well and good saying we need to make the most of our keywords – but how do we know what they are in the first place? Please stop Googling yourself! Instead use Keysearch.co for a budget friendly way to check your rankings every month (do not check more frequently than that, the fluctuations will drive you mad)
Cost: £24 a month
For tracking website visits
Google Analytics is a goldmine of important info, like how many people are viewing your site, what they’re visiting, where they’re coming from, when they’re doing it, how they’re interacting, and more. Though logging in may look like a spaceship dashboard, it’s not as scary as it looks – I promise! Here’s a foolproof guide on how to set it up.
Cost: FREE
For telling Google you exist
It’s the 21st century of if a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound – if your website is fabulous, but Google doesn’t know it exists, is it doing what you want it to? Google Search Console is the way to shout to the world that you’re ready and there – follow these failsafe tips to set it up.
Cost: FREE
For resizing your images for SEO
SEO isn’t all words – oh no, it’s images too! And thanks to our old pal page speed (see above), you’ll want to use Tinyjpg to reduce your file size whilst retaining your image quality. You can read (and listen) to some more info on how to get your images found on Google here!
Cost: FREE
For speeding up your website
Load speed is an important factor in SEO, and it might seem impossible to figure out without buying 100 computers and a stopwatch and manually working it out. But we’re busy people, we don’t have time for that! That’s where GTMetrix comes in – it does that hard work for you.
Cost: Approx £7 a month
To wrap up
There you have it! Everything I currently use to manage my website, content, SEO and for my clients. If you want me to help you with this work, do check out my SEO services here. And if you have any questions please do come and ask me on Instagram, I’m all ears.
*Disclaimer: I get a little bit of cash if you buy through the links marked with an asterisk.
