Every job has its own special toolbox to get the job done from carpenters, plumbers and electricians.  The need for a specialized toolbox includes the SEO/SEM business.  Today there are a world of tools available to the SEO/SEM professional to do their work.  We all have our favorite tools to use that meet our requirements and each has its advantages.  Like everyone else in the business I have my favorite tools and the more I use them the more I find out about each one.  These are the tools that I find the most useful on a daily basis.  The tools that I find the most helpful are those that provide information on the following:

• Any errors such as missing titles, tags, broken links, duplicate pages and titles and anything else that can adversely affect search engine ranking.
• Information on keywords, keyword suggestions and opportunities and search results on various keywords as well as what keywords the competition is using
• Backlinks to include overall profile, problem areas and opportunities
• KPIs on web visitors
• Information on web load speed and coding errors

The following are the 6 tools that I have found the most useful in providing the information required above:

1. SEO Profiler:  This is one that I only recently found and began using.  The biggest advantage that I found was that it integrates much of what I got from several tools I used before.  When it is connected to the website’s Google Analytics it provides the details you need to evaluate your sites effectiveness.  The keyword tools are superb and provide excellent reports, not only on the keywords but the pages that are ranked for various keywords.   The program provides an outstanding website audit, providing extensive details on errors, warning and notices, similar to the reports you can get from SEO Moz.  The more I have used this tool the more I find it will do and consider it the #1 tool in my toolbox.
2.  Link Research Tools:  This is probably the best tool I have found getting the most extensive list of backlinks, for analyzing backlinks that can be damaging, finding new linking opportunities and analyzing your competition’s backlink profile.
3.  Open Site Explorer:   I use Open Site Explorer in conjunction with Webmaster Tools, Link Research Tools and SEO Profiler to provide the most extensive listing of all backlinks.
4.  Webmaster Tools:  Webmaster Tools can provide you with information on sites linking to you, site errors and several other tools that are handy.  One issue I have found is the listing of sites linking does not always reflect what you may find when you check them out.  This may be due to the listing is sites that they have discovered within the last 90 days and may not reflect recent changes.  It is important when using their listing to check out each site to confirm the links still exist.  Webmaster Tools also provides a handy tool to confirm any 404 errors that may show up in their listing (Google Fetch).
5.  Web Page Analyzer:  This tool provides excellent information on web page size, load speed and areas that can be improved upon.  As web load speed is one of the factors evaluated for search engine ranking, it is important that everything possible is done to a website to improve its load speed.
6. Google Analytics:  I find that I spend a great deal of time on Google Analytics reviewing a wide variety of reports.  This is the tool that will determine if all of your efforts are being successful or you are missing the mark.  It is important to determine the KPIs that you will track and those that relate directly to the SEO work you will doing.

Take the time to check out these and many of the others available to assist you in your work.  Check them out and look for those that provide you the information you need in the format you desire and you will find you work much easier.

I would appreciate your comments on those tools you use on a regular basis.