On-page content optimisation is a crucial part of any SEO strategy. It involves optimising page content, titles, metadata, URLs, headings, and media for target keywords in order to improve rankings.
While on-page optimisation can be done manually, tools like SEMrush make the process much easier by providing key insights and recommendations. But is SEMrush really worth the high monthly cost just for on-page optimisation? This article explores the pros and cons to find out.
The Benefits of Using SEMrush for On-Page Content Optimisation
Comprehensive Keyword Research
One of the biggest benefits of using SEMrush for on-page content optimisation is its comprehensive keyword research capabilities. The Keyword Magic Tool provides suggestions for long tail keywords related to your topics that may be easier to rank for. The Keyword Difficulty score also shows how hard it will be to rank for each keyword.
With this data, you can optimise pages around keywords you’re more likely to rank for. The Position Tracking tool even shows how you currently rank for target keywords versus competitors. This allows for more informed content optimisation decisions.
Content Gap Analysis
Another useful feature is SEMrush’s Content Gap tool. This analyses your current site content versus your competitors’ to reveal gaps and opportunities for new optimised content.
For example, it may show competitors ranking well for certain keywords that your site doesn’t target yet. You can then create new content optimised for those keywords by looking at what competitors are doing on their pages.
On-Page Content Optimisation Checks
SEMrush also offers an automated Site Audit tool that crawls your site looking for on-page factors that may be hurting SEO. This includes things like duplicate content, thin content, broken links, etc.
It also checks whether your pages are properly optimised for their main keywords based on their content and HTML tags. The audit results make it easy to spot and fix on-page issues quickly.
Competitor Content Analysis
With SEMrush, you can analyse competitors’ top-ranking content to see why it performs well. This includes checking their keyword targeting, meta descriptions, content structure, length etc.
You can then model what works well on your own optimised pages. The backlink analysis also shows which sites are linking to their content, so you can aim to get links from those domains.
Overall, SEMrush provides unparalleled insights into your own content as well as competitors’. This allows for very targeted on-page content optimisation based on hard data.
Downsides of Using SEMrush for On-Page Content Optimisation
Cost
The biggest downside of SEMrush is its high cost, especially for small businesses. Plans start at $139.95/month for the basic package. The plan with more advanced features including content analysis runs $249.95/month.
This may not provide enough value to justify the cost if you only need it for basic on-page optimisation tasks. The free trial is limited to 7-14 days depending on whether you can find a special offer.
Steep Learning Curve
SEMrush is also not the most beginner friendly tool. The dashboard is packed with so many features and data that it can feel overwhelming.
Learning how to use all the on-page optimisation tools properly requires time watching tutorials and reading docs. This steep learning curve detracts from its usability for quick optimisation tasks.
No Direct Optimisation Recommendations
While SEMrush provides tons of useful data, it does not give direct optimisation recommendations. For example, the Site Audit may show issues like thin content, but won’t recommend specific word counts to fix it.
You need a solid understanding of optimisation best practices to interpret the data and turn it into action. The lack of guidance can make it challenging for beginners to optimise solely based on SEMrush.
When SEMrush May Not Be Worth It
For Large Sites
If you need to optimise a very large website with thousands of pages, SEMrush may be overkill. Its tools are better suited for in-depth analysis of smaller sites or landing pages.
The amount of data it generates for large sites can be information overload. And crawling thousands of pages for site audits takes substantial time.
For Basic On-Page Needs
If you just need to do some basic title and metadata optimisation, competitor research, and targeted content creation, SEMrush may not be worth it.
Free browser extensions like Yoast SEO can handle the basics well. And Google itself provides enough competitor data for simple analysis.
For Purely Creating Content
If your goal is purely content creation, the costly SEMrush subscription mainly just saves you keyword research time. But keyword tools like Ubersuggest and Answer the Public offer great free alternatives.
You can optimise the content manually once created based on basic SEO knowledge. So the in-depth competitor analysis may not be worth paying for.
Alternatives to SEMrush for On-Page Content Optimisation
Paid Alternatives
- Ahrefs – Offers similar SEO tools and reporting starting at $99/month. But provides fewer direct on-page optimisation capabilities.
- Moz – Great for keyword and competitor research starting at $79/month. On-page optimisation features cost extra.
- Surfer SEO – Specialised for on-page optimisation with actionable recommendations for $29/month.
Free Alternatives
- Yoast SEO Plugin – Free WordPress plugin that analyses pages and recommends optimisation improvements.
- Google Search Console – Provides keyword and search appearance data to optimise existing content.
- Google Analytics – Tracks traffic sources and engagement metrics to see content performance.
When SEMrush is Worth the Investment
For agencies managing many client sites, the ability to efficiently audit and optimise many pages at scale is invaluable.
The comprehensive data and analysis can provide a competitive advantage when optimising sites for clients. White labelling reports also adds credibility.
For businesses focusing heavily on SEO and content marketing, the wealth of keyword, competitor, and optimisation data can maximise results.
For users experienced in translating data into on-page optimisations, the actionable insights warrant the cost.
Conclusion
The advanced SEO capabilities of SEMrush can certainly improve on-page content optimisation processes. However, its high cost may not make sense just for optimising a small site or blog.
For larger sites and teams managing many pages, the time savings and wealth of data provide more value to justify the price tag. But free plugins and basic research may suffice if you just need to optimise a few pages.
To determine if SEMrush is worth it for your needs, carefully assess whether you require the full suite of competitive keyword research, in-depth audits, and comparative content analysis.
If you want to optimise your website’s content but don’t want to invest in an expensive tool like SEMrush, consider partnering with a white label content agency instead. They can handle all the keyword research, optimisation, and content creation for you.
Contact our agency today for a custom quote on producing optimised content that drives results. With our SEMrush subscription, we can perform in-depth keyword analysis and optimisation for a fraction of the cost. Let us put our tools and optimisation expertise to work for your business.