Search Marketing Intelligence: The Best Tools for 2024

Do you want to make data informed decisions about your Search Marketing? Harnessing the power of search marketing intelligence is one of the best ways you can stay ahead of your competition. Discover impactful insights and outsmart your competition with our recommended search marketing intelligence solutions.

The best marketers leverage search marketing intelligence (SMI) tools and platforms to dissect data gathered from search engine results pages (SERPs).

These tools also empower you with insights into competitor strategies and customer behavior, enabling data-driven approaches to search strategy.

Read on to learn more about search marketing intelligence and how to pick the best tools for your needs.

The difference between search marketing intelligence and market research

Search marketing intelligence and market research are two tools used to inform marketing decisions, each with their own area of focus.

Search marketing intelligence (SMI) involves gathering and analyzing all the data that shows up on search results pages, from organic listings to paid ads and featured snippets. Using search intelligence means optimizing both paid ads and organic listings to maximize your website’s visibility and performance in search.

Search marketing intelligence zeros in on online search behavior and trends. It helps you understand what people are searching for, how they search, and what kind of content they engage with. It also relies on secondary data sources, such as search engine analytics tools, keyword research tools, and competitor analysis software, and can leverage social media to stay updated on search trends.

Market research, on the other hand, takes a broader view of the market, including your target audience, competitors, and industry trends. It helps you understand customer needs, preferences, and motivations.

While search marketing intelligence is generally understood as an ongoing process, market research is generally more time-bound, and can be a one-time project or periodic check-in as markets evolve.

Now, let’s dive into the best tools for search marketing intelligence in 2024.

Top Search Marketing Intelligence Tools in 2024

Semrush

Semrush is one of the oldest and most trusted tools for SEO and PPC (pay-per-click). It provides keyword research, competitor analysis, and campaign performance tracking.

• Free version offers basic SEO and PPC tools, and limited search features.
• Paid plan starts at $129.95/month (billed annually).
• This is one of the most widely used tools in the industry for SEO and PPC.

HubSpot

Hubspot is a CRM-tool with features for managing customer interactions, tracking marketing efforts, and reporting on campaign analytics.

• Limited tools offered for free.
• Multiple paid tiers with increasing features for sales, marketing, and service, generally starting around $15/month per user.
• Best CRM for inbound marketing.

SimilarWeb

SimilarWeb focuses on website analytics, competitor intelligence, and insights into engagement metrics.

• Free version offers limited searches per month.
• Starter plan begins at $125/month per user.
• Best tool for website analytics and competitor intelligence.

Salesforce CRM

Salesforce is a popular CRM with tools for sales, marketing, and customer service.

• Offers a limited free “Essentials” starter membership with basic contact management, opportunity tracking, and mobile access.
• Advanced capabilities from $25/month per user, billed annually.
• Best tool for customer relationship management.

Adthena

Adthena focuses on PPC and organic search with competitive intelligence and market analysis capabilities.

• Must inquire for pricing.
• Best tool for PPC and organic search marketing with a focus on competitor intelligence.

Brand24

Brand24 is a social listening platform that tracks online mentions, analyzes sentiment and helps monitor brands.

• Free for the first two weeks.
• Advanced plans start at $79/month, billed annually.
• Best tool for social listening, tracking mentions, and AI-powered brand monitoring.

Zappi

Zappi offers customer insights and market research functionality with tools for collecting and analyzing customer feedback.

• Company offers a free demo.
• 3 pricing subscription tiers offered. Must reach out for pricing.
• Best tool for customer feedback insights and market research.

Frequently Asked Questions About Search Marketing Intelligence

Below you will find answers to some commonly asked questions about search market intelligence.

What are the 4 types of search market intelligence?

There are four main types of search market intelligence, each providing a way to deepen your understanding of the search marketing function.

• Competitive Intelligence: This focuses on your competitors search marketing strategy, backlink approach, ad copy, and keywords. By analyzing this data, you can identify opportunities to gain a competitive advantage.
• Keyword Intelligence: By analyzing search volume, top keywords, and competitiveness of keywords, you can develop a strategy that enhances search marketing performance.
• Market Intelligence: This examines the broader market environment, including industry search terms, industry trends that impact search behavior, data on consumers, and opportunities for search terms with low competition but high demand.
• Technical SEO Intelligence: By analyzing your website’s search engine ranking and performance through site audits, page speed and mobile optimization, you can enhance your overall search performance.

How can search marketing intelligence help me stay ahead of the competition?

Search intelligence equips you to stay ahead of the competition by giving you a window into their search strategies. In essence, SMI acts like a spyglass into your competitor’s search tactics and the broader search ecosystem.

With SMI, you can see what keywords your competitors rank for organically and in paid ads. You can use this information to identify keyword gaps in your own strategy, or to plan content in order to gain an edge on specific keywords.

On the content front, by examining the content ranking for your competitor’s keywords, you can understand the topics and formats that resonate with their audiences. This knowledge can inform your content creation strategy, allowing you to develop content that fills knowledge gaps and offers a unique perspective.

Finally, SMI allows you to stay in the loop on search trends. SMI keeps you informed about emerging search trends and searcher intent. This allows you to adapt your content and campaigns to capitalize on new search patterns and user needs before your competitors do.

With all data, it is important to remember that it is not exact.  The data should always be used directionally.

What are the latest trends in search marketing intelligence?

The world of search marketing is constantly evolving. Here are some of the hottest trends to watch in SMI in 2024:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is making waves in SMI because it can analyze vast amounts of search data, identify patterns, and predict search trends with greater accuracy. This empowers marketers to make data-driven decisions and optimize campaigns faster.
• Local SEO: Location-based searches are booming, and SMI is keeping pace. Advanced tools now provide hyper-local search insights, allowing businesses to optimize their online presence for specific neighborhoods or regions.
• Visual Search: With the rise of image and voice search, SMI tools are incorporating functionalities to analyze visual content and understand search intent behind them. This can help marketers optimize their product images and videos for better visibility in visual search results.

How can search marketing intelligence improve my SEO strategy?

SMI can be a game-changer for your SEO strategy by providing valuable data and insights that help you optimize your website for better organic search ranking.

SMI can impact your SEO strategy because it allows you to understand search intent, beyond just keywords. SMI analyzes user search queries and behavior to understand the true “why” behind a search. This allows you to tailor your content to perfectly match search intent, improving your ranking.

Another key area where SMI improves SEO is through benchmarking performance. SMI tools allow you to compare your website’s SEO metrics (clicks, impressions, rankings) against your competitors. This benchmarking helps you identify areas where your SEO needs improvement and allows you to track your progress over time.

How do marketing intelligence tools work with existing CRMs?

Marketing intelligence tools and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are two powerful forces in the marketing world, but they serve different purposes. Here’s how they work together:

CRMs are like digital filing cabinets for customer interactions. They store a wealth of customer data, including contact details, purchase history, communication records, and past interactions. This data provides valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences.

MI tools, on the other hand, are like data detectives. They analyze vast amounts of data, not just from your CRM, but also from website analytics, social media listening tools, and market research reports. By crunching these numbers, MI tools uncover hidden patterns, trends, and customer segments.

Find out how Cordelia Labs can boost your search marketing intelligence

At Cordelia Labs, we’re totally into using the coolest tools to check out the search landscape and figure out how to help our clients rock their digital marketing goals.

Keeping up with the latest and greatest in search marketing tech lets us give our clients the best advice and run their search campaigns like a boss.

Contact us to see how we can supercharge your search marketing intelligence.