Every professional relies on specific tools of the trade. However, finding the right tools for search engine optimization can be a confusing process.

Thinking through the following questions will help you arrive at a personal road map to tool selection and utilization.

1. What function will the tool serve? At the Dallas Search Engine Strategies Conference we grouped some tools by function.
   
• Research: Keywords/keyphrases, Competition, Affiliates and Links Create and Analyze
• Submit
• Monitor and Analyze Positioning
• Develop Links and Analyze Linking
• Log Analysis
• Online Training and Information Resources
  
  
1. Does the function still serve a valid need? For example, there are still many submissions programs available but the major search engines don't really require an extensive submissions process now of multiples of pages. Submission aren’t even needed at Google if there is a link to a page on a domain from any page that is already indexed with them. They seem to prefer following links over direct submissions. And, Inclusion Programs are more helpful in many cases.
   
   
2. Does the information within the program require frequent updating? If so, should updating be monthly, daily or only periodically? Cloaking software, such IP Delivery, would need to be updated more frequently. The Search Engine Optimizer page optimization software requires only a monthly updating to keep up with any of the changes in the search engines' algorithms and providing of search results to other locations.
   
   
3. Will the tool be needed for simple or for complex sites? A 15-page real estate site with 10 targeted keywords will be serviced adequately with the Net Mechanic tool set. A large national Mortgage site, like CountryWide, with hundreds of keywords targeted would require a set of tools like Bruce Clay’s SEOTool Set to adequately research, optimize and track the process.
   
   
4. Is a single function tool preferable to a multi-function tool? A practitioner with limited experience in SEO/M may prefer to learn one tool with a consistent terminology and style of working across the different functions, where a more experienced practitioner may already be using specific programs that provide some of the functions of the multi-function program and so may prefer a single program to add to their existing tools. Or one might find that one function of a program is more comprehensive and more effective than another within a multi-program software. A practitioner may find Web Position Gold 2 Reporter more helpful for optimization than the Page Critic function within their software. Or the Position Pro optimization tools might be more preferable than the Search Engine Optimizer while providing access and tracking of the Inclusion Programs.
   
   
5. What are the record keeping and report generation needs? Do we only use reports within the company or do we need to send reports to clients? Can we export needed information to other programs such as Excel? Can we email reports directly to clients or other people working on the site in different locations?
   
   
6. Does the program operate on a local hard drive or on their server? For a ranking report of a single domain with 10 keyphrases to monitor, Top Dog Pro running on our company hard drive will be adequate. But, 10 domains for 300 keyphrases may put us at risk of spamming the SE’s. So using the Web Rank program running on the Web Rank server with the reports being sent to us and being observable on their server can alleviate the risks, may save reporting time by running reports automatically and having multiple recipients of the email report that also include the client.
   
   
7. Is the tool compatible with my personal style of working? Do I understand the language and the descriptions used? After the initial learning curve and exposure to the program, does the program seem intuitive -- allowing me to remember and figure out other uses of the program?
   
   
8. How easy is it to use the program? Is there a comprehensive tutorial for how to use the tool? What about instruction on different strategies for using the tool in the total SEM process? I may know how to work with the program, but not know its full potential for implementation in the total process of optimization.
   
   
9. What is our budget? What is a legitimate expense for all the tools needed and an appropriate expenditure of time to learn to utilize the tool(s)?
   
   
10. Finally, is the tool acceptable to the SE’s? Some SE’s say that cloaking is unacceptable and will drop a domain using it improperly. A use of ranking software like Web Position Gold and Top Dog Pro or a link analysis tool like OptiLink is considered a violation of Google’s guidelines regarding automatic querying. Even though the program developer may say that they are undetectable in their querying. The decisions must be made between weighing the risks to the benefits of being competitive and then the question of one’s own ethics for deciding whether to use a tool.

In the final analysis, every practitioner of SEO will have their own idiosyncratic approach to optimization and findability for traffic generation and conversion. The tools used should match the needs, the budget and the strategies of each practitioner. In addition, depending on the type of site being worked on, different tools may be required. A tool may be "overkill" or may be lacking in comprehensiveness requiring the use of a variety of tools.

Happy Internet Marketing!