It’s estimated that by 2028, the SEO market in the UK could reach a valuation as high as £25 billion.
Having a set of efficient SEO tools at hand as a blogger and marketer can help you achieve better search results and higher rankings, not only for your website but also for those of your clients.
In my course “How to create SEO-friendly content” I cover and share some of the SEO tools I use, including how I use them to strategically utilise relevant keywords that I have researched. You can also watch how Fernando and I find the best keywords to embed in an article so it ranks quickly and effectively:
In this article, I want to help you identify an SEO tool that will work best for you. Try a search for an online tool that can help you perform search engine optimisation. You’ll find too many to count, literally. Don’t let the overload of choices weigh you down.
I’ve done the hard yards and can save you hundreds of hours of search, trial, and frustration.
The first step I took was to make a list of the functions that I needed my SEO tools to perform.
After that, I went on to choose the tools for my SEO toolbox as I already had a clear idea of what kinds of SEO tools and features I wanted.
Checking Your SEO Needs
Be it a professional website, a blog, or an e-commerce site, there are some basic functions that the tools in your SEO toolbox must be able to perform.
These include:
Analyse the performance and functionality status of your website.
Compare the site performance with competing sites.
Track visibility on social media and platforms to monitor the web traffic.
Check backlinks and plan link building.
My SEO Toolbox – What’s in it?
You don’t need complex and time-consuming software. Simple and small tools can easily perform SEO as well as their complex and often expensive counterparts.
Have a look at what I’ve included in my SEO toolbox. The listed SEO tools allow me to perform the required optimisation whenever I need to, without burning a hole in my pocket.
Because if you’re just starting out as a blogger or marketer for the web, you won’t be in a position to pay for expensive tools yet. But you still want to create content that is popular on search engines like Google.
So the below SEO tools may not be completely free, but some offer certain features for free or they are at the lower end of the scale and many offer free trials to test them as well.
Disclaimer:The listed SEO tools are ranked based on their average ratings from higher to lower. All the information provided was correct at the time of this publication but may be subject to change.
1. Google Analytics
I mainly use this tool to analyse Google data and as a website owner, you will have free access to Google Analytics once your website is submitted and indexed. I also use it via the seekahost.app to check all my blogs hosted there and their analytics.
Pros:
Google Analytics offers detailed insights into your website’s traffic patterns, top-performing content, and visitor behaviour over time.
Because of its intuitive interface, monitoring performance and evaluating optimisation efforts are simple and accurate.
Cons:
It only covers Google searches, not other search engines like Bing.
Plans:
Google Analytics offers a free version with essential features for tracking website traffic and user behaviour, including real-time reporting, custom reporting, audience analysis, conversion tracking, and attribution modelling.
Google Analytics 360, the premium version, starts at $50,000 per year and provides enhanced data processing, more customisation options, advanced integrations, dedicated support, faster data freshness, higher limits on custom dimensions and audiences, unsampled explorations, and guaranteed service level agreements (SLAs) for data collection and reporting.
Semrush is a comprehensive tool I use for keyword research, competitor analysis, and SEO strategy. I also use it to manage my socials as these increasingly impact SEO. Its advanced features help me gain data-driven insights to finalise my upcoming content strategy.
Pros:
Semrush offers access to over 26 billion keywords and 43 trillion backlinks, delivering accurate data directly from top search engines.
Semrush allows you to understand your competitors’ strategies and explore their keywords & backlinks, uncover new opportunities, and gain insights to enhance your approach.
Semrush can identify broken links, and orphan pages, and protect your website from spam link attacks.
Cons:
Switching between dashboards presents a difficult learning curve for novice users.
Plans:
Semrush offers three main plans for different business needs. The Pro Plan at $139.95/month provides essential SEO, PPC, and research tools, including keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink analysis and website audits. The Guru Plan, priced at $249.95/month, includes all Pro features plus the multi-location tracking, Content Marketing Toolkit, Looker Studio integration, and historical data. For larger businesses, the Business Plan at $499.95/month adds advanced features such as API access, Share of Voice, free migration from third-party tools, and extended limits.
For local businesses, Semrush offers Local Essentials and Local Advanced plans at $50 and $60/month respectively, designed to manage business listings, enhance local visibility, track local rankings, and optimise Google Business Profiles. The Semrush Trends plan, at $289/month per user, delivers consumer insights through tools like Traffic Analytics, Market Explorer, and EyeOn, providing detailed traffic data across 190+ countries.
Additional users can be added for $45–$100/month, depending on the plan, and various add-ons are available, such as Semrush Social for $29.99/month to manage social media accounts, Social Content AI for content creation, and the Agency Growth Kit ranging from $69 to $249/month, designed to support agencies with CRM, lead generation, and client reporting tools. For AI-driven content analysis, ImpactHero is available for $200/month.
Ahrefs is a powerful SEO tool that helps me manage, track and optimise my and ClickDo’s many websites’ performance. It simplifies complex SEO processes, helping me discover valuable marketing opportunities and drive targeted traffic efficiently.
Pros:
Ahrefs uses AI-powered tools to generate thousands of niche-specific keyword suggestions, revealing untapped opportunities.
Identify low-competition keywords, track SERP volatility, and uncover ad trends for smarter, data-driven content strategies.
Study top-ranking pages, backlink profiles, and historical trends to refine your content and outperform competitors.
Can generate group keywords by topics, analyse search volume, keyword difficulty, and user intent to prioritise high-impact terms.
Cons:
This tool can be intimidating for first-time
Plans:
Ahrefs offers four main plans to suit businesses of all sizes. The Lite Plan at €119/month is ideal for small businesses, providing tools like Dashboard, Keywords Explorer, Site Explorer, Site Audit, SERP history, and Rank Tracker. The Standard Plan at €229/month adds features such as Batch Analysis, Content Explorer, SERP comparison, and AI-driven keyword suggestions with search intent analysis. For growing teams, the Advanced Plan at €449/month introduces Web Explorer, Looker Studio integration, HTTP authentication, and access to video, image, and news search volume data. The Enterprise Plan starts at €1,394/month (annual commitment required) and includes advanced audit logs, SSO, API access, and custom solutions for large agencies.
For beginners, Ahrefs offers an initial plan at €27/miss, providing limited access to Keywords Explorer, Site Explorer, and Site Audit, while Ahrefs Webmaster Tools gives free, restricted access to website owners. Add-ons are available to enhance functionality, including Content Kit (free during beta, then $99/month), Report Builder (€89/month), Project Boost Pro (€18.7/month per project), and Project Boost Max (€180/month per project). Data add-ons include extra export rows and credits starting at €46.7/month, while additional Rank Tracker keywords cost €46.7/month for 500 keywords.
For Enterprise-level needs, tailored add-ons like 1M Site Audit crawl credits (€1,120/year) and 1M API units (€467/year) ensure scalability. Ahrefs’ flexible pricing and customisable add-ons make it a versatile SEO platform for businesses, freelancers, and enterprises alike.
Ubersuggest is an SEO tool that I utilise for my and ClickDo’s websites. Created by the ultimate SEO guru, Neil Patel, this tool’s many features help me know what is trending in my target market, improve my competition’s strategies and get better search visibility.
Pros:
UberSuggest helps reverse-engineer competitors’ SEO and content strategies, revealing top-ranking pages, social media performance, and backlink opportunities.
With hundreds of keyword suggestions, seasonal trends, and competitor analysis, you can craft engaging, shareable content tailored to your audience.
UberSuggest highlights content that attracts backlinks, helping you develop a focused plan to enhance your link profile and improve search rankings.
Cons:
Its backlink audit capabilities aren’t up to the mark.
Plans:
UberSuggest offers three pricing plans to meet diverse business needs. The Individual Plan at £29/month is perfect for solo entrepreneurs managing 1 website, offering 150 daily searches, 125 rank tracking keywords per project, 1,000 weekly site audit pages, and 20,000 keyword suggestions monthly. For growing teams, the Business Plan at £49/month supports 2-7 websites, with 300 daily searches, 150 rank-tracking keywords per project, 5,000 weekly site audit pages, and 50,000 keyword suggestions monthly.
For larger enterprises, the Enterprise/Agency Plan at £99/month handles 8-15 websites, providing 900 daily searches, 300 rank tracking keywords per project, 10,000 weekly site audit pages, and 100,000 keyword suggestions monthly. All plans include competitive analysis, backlink tracking, and access to the Chrome extension with varying limits.
Customisation is available with Add-Ons at £5/month each, including 500 additional daily searches, extra domains (with 125 keywords and 3 competitors), 250 extra tracked keywords, competitor domains, and additional users. Each plan comes with a 7-day Free Trial, allowing you to explore the full potential of UberSuggest before committing.
Google Trends is a very handy tool that enables me to create better and more relevant content. Use this tool to avoid wasting your time covering topics that your potential readers don’t care about.
Pros:
Effortlessly discover trending and emerging topics with tools like “Trending Now” and “Explore” to craft timely, high-impact content.
Align your content calendar with recurring trends, holidays, and audience interest cycles for consistent engagement.
Leverage regional insights and platform-specific filters (e.g., YouTube Search or Google News) to deliver highly relevant, targeted content.
Stay ahead of competitors by analysing their top-performing topics, refining your strategy, and focusing on high-conversion opportunities.
Cons:
Google Trends requires a minimum amount of search traffic to display data. This means that for niche topics or low-volume keywords, it may not provide any insights, making it less useful for content writers focusing on specific or emerging trends.
Google Trends shows relative search interest over time rather than absolute search volumes. This can make it challenging to gauge the exact popularity of a keyword, requiring content writers to use additional tools for precise data.
While Google Trends provides broad trends, it lacks detailed demographic and psychographic data. Content writers may need to supplement it with other tools to gain a deeper understanding of their target audience.
Plans:
Google Trends is available at no cost. It doesn’t have any subscription plans or usage restrictions, making it easy for anyone to use.
This tool is a WordPress plugin that helps you optimise your site and content for search engines, so it can only be used by WordPress webmasters via the backend. I use it for all the blogs I manage and so do all of the SeekaHost and ClickDo teams hence why we have published a detailed blog about the step-by-step installation guide and created a tutorial of a whole AIO SEO course:
Pros:
AIOSEO’s Keyword Rank Tracker can easily monitor and evaluate keyword performance, improve visibility and optimise your SEO strategy.
Apply “Focus Keywords,” which are pre-configured in WordPress posts, or import keyword data from CSV files to seamlessly include existing keyword data.
To protect traffic and keep a strong presence in search results, proactively track and fix ranking declines.
Make better, data-driven decisions by streamlining your workflow with accurate keyword grouping and accurate performance analytics.
Cons:
Expensive plans are not well suited for freelancers and small businesses.
Plans:
AIOSEO offers four main plans to suit different needs. The Basic Plan at $49.60/year is ideal for single-site users, providing unlimited TruSEO analysis, SEO audits, advanced schema markup, AI writing tools, WooCommerce SEO, and seamless integrations with Google Search Console and Semrush Keyword Suggestions.
The Plus Plan at $99.60/year supports up to 3 sites, adding features like Local Business SEO, strategic image SEO, Google Maps Integration, and advanced tools such as WordPress REST API and Author SEO (E-E-A-T). For larger operations, the Pro Plan at $199.60/year covers 10 sites, offering event schema, 30 SEO revisions, 404 error tracking, internal link assistance, and priority support.
For agencies and power users, the Elite Plan at $299.60/year manages up to 100 sites, advanced 404 management, delivering unlimited SEO revisions, SEO changes performance tracking, dynamic job listing schema, and multi-site network-level management tools. All plans come with a 60% discount on the first year, effectively offering seven months free, along with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
BuzzSumo offers powerful tools to enhance content discovery by helping me explore trending topics, forums, and themes, making it easy to identify what’s gaining or losing popularity in real-time.
Pros:
With its content ideas generator, users can access thousands of ideas in a single search, ranging from evergreen content to viral trends, with data spanning 24 hours to five years.
Uncover high-demand keywords with detailed insights on monthly search volume, PPC cost-per-click data, and seasonal trends for smarter targeting.
It enables filtering by content type to identify popular formats, benchmarking competitors’ top-performing content, and tracking trends over five years for long-term analysis.
BuzzSumo tracks global trends in real-time, helping users discover what’s being shared worldwide.
Cons:
Topic Explorer function offers room for improvement.
Plans:
BuzzSumo offers four strong plans customised for different needs. The Content Creation Plan at $199/month is perfect for solo marketers and small agencies, featuring unlimited searches, 2 alerts, and essential tools like the Trending Feeds, Content Analyzer, and Question Analyzer to fuel content strategies effectively.
The PR & Comms Plan at $299/month expands on Content Creation, supporting 5 users and 5 alerts. It includes Coverage Reports, Media Database & Outreach, and Slack Integration, making it ideal for agencies focused on journalist outreach, media monitoring, and PR campaign tracking.
For larger teams, the Suite Plan at $499/month supports 10 users and 10 alerts, adding advanced tools like the Advanced Chrome Extension, YouTube Analyzer, and Article Uploads. This plan is designed to deliver comprehensive insights and collaboration tools for big marketing teams.
At the top tier, the Enterprise Plan at $999/month provides 30 user seats, 50 alerts, and exclusive features such as Granular Location Search, RSS Feeds, and Early Access to New Features, offering a no-limits solution for global brands and large-scale agencies.
As a desktop-based website crawler that scans your site for SEO issues, I use Screaming Frog for auditing a website’s SEO health, identifying errors and warnings, and exporting reports for further analysis, which comes in handy when pages have been deindexed for example.
Pros:
Quickly identify broken links (404s) and server errors, with detailed exportable reports for seamless issue resolution.
Optimise content by analysing page titles and meta descriptions, flagging those that are too long, too short, missing, or duplicated.
Ensure content quality with duplicate content detection, low-content page identification, and a spelling and grammar check (premium feature).
Cons:
Being a software-based tool it is pretty resource intensive.
Plans:
Screaming Frog offers a Free Version with essential SEO tools, including metadata analysis, broken link detection, XML sitemap generation, duplicate content checks, and site visualisations. However, it’s limited to 500 URLs per crawl.
The Paid Version, starting at £199 per licence, per year, removes crawl limits and adds advanced features like JavaScript rendering, crawl comparison, scheduling, structured data checks, AMP validation, mobile usability audits, and integrations with Google Analytics, Search Console, and PageSpeed Insights. Additional tools include spelling and grammar checks, custom extraction, and accessibility auditing, all backed by free technical support.
Volume discounts are available: £199 per licence for 1–4 licences, £189 per licence for 5–9 licences, £179 per licence for 10–19 licences, and £169 per licence for 20+ licences. Licences are valid for one year, with renewal required annually.
This tool provides a comprehensive website analysis and SEO audit, as well as suggestions for improvement. I use it to check a website’s performance, usability, mobile-friendliness, social media presence, and more. WooRank also offers a Chrome extension that lets you analyse any webpage with one click.
Pros:
Access fresh, real-time keyword data to create a targeted marketing strategy & prioritise high-value keywords for maximum ROI.
Track Keywords with granular precision, including local searches by city, and monitor long-term performance against competitors.
Detect new keyword opportunities, identify Google-featured result triggers, and streamline campaigns with CSV exports.
Cons:
Not meant for novice users in the SEO field.
Plans:
WooRank offers four hand-picked plans to meet diverse SEO needs. The Lite Plan at $19.99/month ($12.99/month when billed yearly) provides unlimited PDF reports, 100-page reviews, and instant reviews via Chrome and Firefox extensions, ideal for quick and actionable SEO insights.
The Pro Plan at $89.99/month ($53.25/month when billed yearly) is perfect for growing websites. It supports 1 website, 2,500-page site crawls, 50 keyword tracks, 500 API calls, Core Web Vitals monitoring, and unlimited browser-based reviews.
For agencies and professionals, the Premium Plan at $199.99/month ($133.25/month when billed yearly) optimises 5 websites, crawls 10,000 pages, tracks 250 keywords, and includes 1,000 API calls, white-label PDF reports, and a Lead Gen Tool. For larger businesses, the Enterprise Plan offers custom pricing with features like unlimited projects, keywords, API integrations, bulk review generation, and dedicated phone support.
Now that you’ve seen what my toolbox looks like, why don’t you get on with putting together your toolbox with the SEO tools that suit your needs best?
Remember, first prioritise the functionalities you need and the budget you have available. Then, test the SEO tools I have introduced here to find out which works best for your requirements. You can research more tools, and I have compared a few link analysis tools as well, to make your SEO and marketing journey as effective as possible. And if you’re trying to land your first content writing job, check out my previous article about copywriter job platforms.
Feel free to contact me with regards to my SEO copywriting course or any other questions you may have about this topic via info@manuelawillbold.com or the contact form here.
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.
Are you a rising entrepreneur or a small business owner looking to create a wonderful website with hassle-free coding? No need to look further! In today’s digital realm having a strong online presence is necessary to attract your target audience and improve business growth.
For this, you don’t need to be a tech wizard to build a professional website as the introduction of no-code development tools has revolutionised the web development landscape. In the 21st century, being a woman doesn’t mean you need to stay at home and do the household chores only, but nowadays women empower and enrich themselves and become entrepreneurs, launch their businesses into a higher online presence with these no-code development tools. Thus, it empowers individuals and businesses to design beautiful, functional websites without writing a single line of code.
According to recent studies, the global no-code development platform market is predicted to reach unsurprisingly $65 billion by 2027, highlighting the huge potential of these no-code development tools. The increasing demand for quick, efficient, and cost-effective website development solutions drives this rapid growth. In this article, we’ll highlight the top 7 no-code development tools that help you design websites quickly and effortlessly.
Whether you’ve just bought a domain and want to build a website quickly or you want to grow your website portfolio, these tools provide a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features to fulfil your needs.
So, let’s delve into the world of no-code website development.
Disclaimer: Our recommendations are based on the pricing, pros, cons, and extra facilities offered by the no code tools listed. The information provided here was correct at the date of publication but may be subject to change. The list is arranged as per the customer’s ratings and reviews, from higher to lower.
Top 7 No Code Development Tools to Design a Website Quickly
1. GoDaddy
GoDaddy is a comprehensive no-code solution for quick website creation. As one of the largest domain registrars globally, it offers easy website-building services without prior knowledge of coding. It makes GoDaddy one of the suitable options for designing a simple website in less time. To build a website with GoDaddy, no technical skill is required. After the signup process, the website builder will offer you several professionally designed, ready-to-launch templates. There you can customise your texts and images and you are good to go.
Pricing:
The basic plan starts at £7.99/month and you can upgrade to the Standard plan at £9.99/month, the Premium plan at £11.99/month, or the E-Commerce plan at £13.99/month.
Ratings & Review: 4.6 stars out of 5 with 1 million Customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Key features:
Email marketing tools enthral your audiences.
Users can choose from 100+ templates to design a website without technical skills.
There are free professional images which you can choose for your website.
There are fewer security concerns because of simple updates.
Pros:
Easy-to-use site builder tool.
Free domain registration for the first term.
24/7 customer support.
9% uptime.
Cons:
No free site transfer.
Numerous upsells.
High renewal rates.
Best for: integrated e-commerce and marketing features.
2. Hostinger
Hostinger is a website hosting tool that helps in website building without the experience of coding. It offers integration with AI tools at the most reasonable price on the market. It creates a website in 3 easy steps without any coding. Firstly, AI generates a unique website or picks from a fully customisable template. Then customise your website with a simple drag-and-drop feature, without coding or web design skills, and lastly select the perfect domain name for your business and launch your brand new website. It simplifies the process of website building, allowing users to design their sites within a minute.
Pricing:
Hostinger has two types of pricing plans such as:
Premium Website builder plan starts from £59/month. It has 48 months tenure and 3 months free. The renewal cost is £5.99/month.
The Business Website Builder plan starts from £3.79/month. The tenure is 48 months and 3 months free. Renewal cost is £8.99/month.
Ratings & Review: 4.6 stars out of 5 stars with 32k customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Key Features:
It is an all-in-one platform. This no-code development tool offers 24/7 customer support via live chat or email.
Using tools such as AI Logo maker, writer, blog generator, and heatmap simplifies the website development process.
Hostinger provides quick setup and run of the eCommerce website with marketing integration and support for 20 global payment methods.
More than 150 templates and a user-friendly drag-and-drop feature make Hostinger mobile-friendly.
You can monetise your websites by displaying targeted ads, and chats with customers directly and make business decisions strategically.
The multilingual feature helps you to communicate smoothly.
Pros:
Free Domain (£99 value)
24/7 customer support.
Website builder and web hosting included.
Affordable pricing.
Desktop and mobile editing facility is given.
Cons:
There is limited customization. Users can only do basic header customization.
Live chat facilities are available to only higher-level plans.
Basic plans have limited advanced features.
The steeper learning curve for beginners.
Best for: Small businesses and freelancers looking for easy and reasonable professional website creation.
3. WordPress+Divi
Divi is one of the most powerful website builders and themes for WordPress. WordPress consists of more than ⅓ of all websites and is considered the most versatile content management system. Although WordPress has many themes that help to design a website, Divi has the top choice themes for no-code web design. With the help of Divi AI, you can and design a page within a blink of an eye. All you need to do is curate a new page on WordPress and choose to edit the Divi Builder. Then give Divi AI a page and website description and get stunning pages. With the help of DiviCodeAI, noncoders just give a prompt and DiviCodeAI will write the code for you.
Pricing:
You can try Divi risk-free for 30 days and after that, you can switch to the following plans at any time:
DIVI is for website owners and WordPress pros who want to easily leverage Divi’s powerful no-code builder to create websites at $89/year.
DIVI PRO is for web professionals who want to build unlimited Divi websites for their clients with faster and more powerful AI tools, cloud storage, and VIP support at $277/year.
Ratings and Review: 4.9 stars out of 5 with 24k customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Key features:
Easy and intuitive drag-and-drop building with no coding and no confusing back-end options.
Real-time visual editing with preview mode on desktop, tablet, or mobile.
2000+ pre-designed page layouts help to customise easily.
Seamless integration with 200+ platforms.
Developers can easily combine Divi’s visual design controls with their own custom CSS.
Pros:
Divi’s interface is simple yet not limiting.
Divi helps to design your page in real-time and see the results instantly.
The responsive editing helps to show how your website looks on mobile devices.
AI-powered web design with Divi AI.
Since there are a huge number of pre-designed layouts, you never have to start building from scratch.
Cons:
Divi customises every part of the website, therefore, learning can take time.
Divi AI cannot generate an entire website except by generating and editing page layouts, text, and images.
Best for: WordPress users who want complete control over their website design.
4. IONOS
IONOS is a no-code development tool that designs websites in record time with AI. With the help of IONOS, you can design your website in a few clicks. First, choose a template or use the AI website generator to build your site. Then edit your text, images, and design with the help of integrated AI features. After finishing it up, you will get your website perfectly designed with a domain name. The intuitive website designer tool helps you to create your professional website as per your needs. Also, the AI features provide a professional template for your website. IONOS gives you access to extra features to increase your online presence.
Pricing:
IONOS builds a website in a record time with a plus plan at £1/month. The other plan includes:
Starter plan £6/month.
Pro plan £17/month.
Ratings & Review: 4.6 stars out of 5 stars with 23k customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Key Features:
Intuitive Website Builder helps to create a professional website and customise it to your needs.
The AI-featured professional template helps to customise design, images and texts and create a website within a second.
This no-code website builder offers extra features such as an online store and much more.
Pros:
Beginner-friendly website builder that requires no experience.
24/7 customer support.
99,99% uptime and robust security.
Fast hosting with hybrid technology.
Protection against cyber-attacks such as malware scanning facilities.
Fast-page loading time.
Cons:
Limited design customization options.
Few templates compared to competitors.
Slow response time.
Best for: Small eCommerce websites and startups that need budget-friendly hosting services.
5. Fasthosts
Fasthost‘s website design is one of the great options for anyone who wants to design a basic site online quickly. It is one of the best WordPress hosting companies. To design a website with Fasthosts, you don’t need coding experience, all you need to do is drag and drop your desired features, add your text and images, and customise the visual design to match your brand aesthetic.
Pricing:
The pricing plan of Fasthosts includes:
Advanced pro plan at £18/month.
Website builder starts from £5.50/month.
Essential plan £7.50/month.
Complete plan £11.50/month.
The E-commerce plan starts at £1/month.
Ratings & Review: 4.7 stars out of 5 with 8.4k customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Key features:
The wide selection of customised templates and pre-built sections allows for building websites in minutes without any prior knowledge of code.
Powerful marketing tools ensure your website appears effortlessly in search results.
The built-in order management system helps you to handle everything from one place.
Pros:
OneClick app installer.
No additional fees.
24/7 customer support.
Latest PHP versions.
Free domains and SSLs.
Cons:
Unable to add custom code.
Limited editor option.
Best for: its reliability, PHP support, and robust security.
6. Jimdo
Jimdo is one of the most intuitive no-code tools for website design. It provides a smart assistant to design the first version of your website in a few minutes. This assistant is very beneficial for beginners. You can design your website with the help of simple four steps. Create a free account and answer a few questions about your website. Then gather your business information such as your contact details, and business hours from your social media accounts such as Google and Facebook. Finally, choose a design for the online presence of your website.
Pricing:
Jimdo offers a free plan with limited features. Other plans include-
Start at £11/month.
Grow at £18/month.
Grow legal plan at £23/month.
Unlimited plan at £45/month.
Ratings and Review: 4.3 stars out of 5 with 4.2k customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Key features:
Access style and customise your website with the design blocks.
There’s a vast library of free photos and design tools which make it easy to create a personalised blog.
It helps to import your social media content for a more quick set-up.
The blogs are optimised for both mobiles and computers. The responsive design ensures that you don’t need separate versions for mobile and computers.
Pros:
It is very easy to use.
SEO functionality and Add-ons with Jimdo websites.
24/7 customer support.
Jimdo is the cheapest platform for building an e-commerce site.
Cons:
Limited editor.
Unable to add custom code.
Lack of flexibility.
Best for: creating a custom website as quickly as possible. Also, it’s a good budget option for creating the website.
7. Elementor Cloud
Elementor is one of the most comprehensive website designing tools used by a large number of users including web designers, developers, marketers, small business owners, and huge enterprises. It provides editing, designing, CMS, support, and tools on a single platform at a very reasonable rate. It helps to design a website without any code with the help of the simple drag-and-drop that facilitates personalised placements of the elements.
Pricing:
Elementor is free but the Elementor Pro plugin has some plans. The price plans are as follows
The essential plan that a website needs starts from $4.92/ month, billed annually. Pay $59 today.
Advanced plans for professional and E-commerce websites start from $8.25/month, billed annually. Pay $99 today.
Expert plan for freelancers who need multiple sites starts from $16.58/month, billed annually. Pay $199 today.
The agency plan for high-growth agencies starts from $33.25/month, billed annually. Pay $399 today.
Ratings and Review: 4.0 stars out of 5 with 1.4k customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Key features:
Increase sales.
Secure and robust.
24/7 customer service.
Free SSL certificate for the hosting services.
The free content delivery system helps to improve the user experience.
Pros:
All-in-one WordPress platform.
No code drag-and-drop builder.
Fast Google Cloud Hosting.
Wide range of modern templates.
Cons:
Limited bandwidth.
Basic WordPress knowledge is required.
Lack of advanced SEO.
Best for: those who build and manage WebPress websites.
Conclusion
In the arena of rapid web development, no-code tools have appeared as an indispensable weapon. These tools empower individuals and businesses to create stunning, functional website and blog designs without the need for extensive coding knowledge. From a drag-and-drop interface to pre-built templates, these top 7 tools highlighted in this article offer a wide range of features to cater to various design needs. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, blogger or web designer, explore these no-code solutions to unlock your creative potential. So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of no-code development and enter the journey of effortless custom website creation for your optimal online success.
If you want us to add a suggestion here based on your experience, please get in touch with me!
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.
Guest posting and media placement services help anyone with a website or brand to get their content published on other websites for references with backlinks, which are the ultimate gateway to increased exposure and lead generation.
Authority references through media placements also help with ranking a website higher on Google and other search engines and many SEO experts have shown how guest posting helps them rank their websites higher, like top London SEO agency ClickDo, who have also published an in-depth guide about guest blogging.
How does Guest Posting with Media Placements work?
Search engines use backlinks to establish the quality of web content. When it comes to ranking higher in search engine results pages, the search engine mechanism lists websites and web pages or posts higher for a search term that authoritative websites have linked to as a reference to declare their trust.
Guest blogging and media placements enable you to take control of this process and generate backlinks on relevant websites that are of high quality and that you and your readers trust (as well as the search engines).
SEO expert Fernando Raymond and I discuss this topic in more depth in this video:
Why should you use Guest Posting & Media Placement Services?
You probably found this list post while searching via a search engine, and it ranks for the search term you have entered. You can check the backlinks with SEO tools such as Ahrefs, but when you set up a website with seekahost.app, you can connect your website and account with Clicky to see which of your content gets the most organic search traffic for which terms, indicating what ranks well.
To establish impactful web references
Strategic guest blogging helps you get referencing links and with a strategic approach, this can make a huge difference to your website’s performance. That is why guest posting with effective media placements matters and many SEO and marketing professionals look for guest posting opportunities in their or their client’s niches. I work with them daily to facilitate the most suitable media placements and I highlight how my collaborations and content help with the growth of the ClickDo websites I manage in this video:
To make your content reach further
The websites you find in this list offer guest publication and media placement options for anyone who pitches professionally written articles that offer relevant valuable insights and expert tips. However, it is important to get the pitch right and to choose the most suitable websites carefully to achieve the best outcomes with the guest blogging campaign.
The below guest posting websites list will guide you through the platforms where we at ClickDo offer our clients media placement opportunities in different formats. We have established strict guest posting rules and guidelines that are in line with search engine guidelines so only high-quality and relevant written content can get published here to ensure that these platforms are successful, attracting thousands of visitors monthly with a higher domain authority. Only then will our clients get an ROI back, so the content quality is key here.
To get published with the most effective Publications
We have seen many media platforms getting deindexed on Google due to publishing duplicate or poor-quality content or following black hat SEO techniques such as “link-sticking”. Nobody benefits from such practices and only informative and well-researched SEO-optimised content can win. So, we make sure that only suitable guest content that meets our guidelines will go live to benefit our readers and clients.
You can learn more about SEO content writing and blogging via courses for digital entrepreneurship (some are accessible for free via seekahost.app) if you want to understand such dynamics better.
Choosing the media platforms that are most suitable for your content to be published is key when it comes to guest blogging. The below list will inform you about the ClickDo platforms where we offer guest publications. I have added the domain authority for your reference, but what really matters is relevancy and context. Often, these sites grow and gain higher authority over time, so it is worth getting published on as many as possible to extend your online reach in the future.
Disclaimer: The information shared in this post was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change. The list below has been arranged according to the domain authority of the media platforms from higher to lower.
Top 55 Guest Posting Platforms List for Media Placements
Top Business Magazines
Many are likely to blog about business-related topics, so we start off with a selection of high-quality business online magazines to get featured in, reaching a suitable audience.
The ClickDo Blog stands out as a vital resource for digital marketers and entrepreneurs looking to expand their knowledge in SEO, digital marketing strategies, and online business development. The blog features in-depth articles, case studies, and expert tips that cover a broad spectrum of topics essential for online success. From the latest SEO techniques to effective content marketing strategies, the ClickDo Blog provides readers with the insights they need to thrive in the competitive digital landscape.
ClickDo’s Business News Blog covers everything to do with business. Whether it’s business finance, regulation, law, technology, or management – whatever you are a business expert in, you can share with this established business community.
Remote work and working from home have become the new normal, especially since the last Covid pandemic. The Home Business Blog therefore covers emerging trends, concepts, and news surrounding this growing topic and welcomes expert insights and opinions to share with the remote work community.
This is the go-to blog for marketers to share their insights and news with the Internet marketing community. ClickDo’s business marketing tips are renowned and trusted, and getting published on the Internet Marketing Blog gives a massive credibility and SEO boost to your blog, website, or author profile online, so pitch your article to the team today.
UK Business Blog is the leading business blogging site, that welcomes UK and general business news and insights. The guest posts will be carefully selected, and the professional editors can publish your blog with the perfect On-Page SEO techniques to rank higher.
The SeekaHost Blog is a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to enhance their web hosting, SEO, digital marketing, and blogging knowledge. The blog offers a wealth of information, including tutorials, tips, and expert advice aimed at helping both beginners and seasoned professionals succeed online. With a focus on providing actionable insights and practical strategies, SeekaHost Blog is an invaluable tool for improving your online presence and achieving your digital marketing goals.
eBusiness Blog is a popular blogging site in the UK where you can find the latest news based on eBusiness, technology, cryptocurrency, finance, marketing, and other recent online business trends. The editors are eager to accept expert guest blogs and it is the finest platform to build backlinks.
Live Business Blog is a fine business platform that attracts readers with an interest in local and international business news. You can accordingly submit guest posts about your local business, or your international business expertise, and the editors will get it live for the growing audience to read.
If you are in the UK and looking to build backlinks with a highly authorised and professional business blog, then here is your secret tip. The I Do Business blog always welcomes quality guest posts and provides the backlinks requested. Whatever your blog may be about, if you convince the editors to publish it, it will be a step closer to being in the first position of search results pages.
The Business View is one of the blogging sites that attains its top rankings by the perfect SEO content strategy. If you are looking to improve your ranking with the best backlinks, then you can submit your guest blogs to this site to get it live.
UK Business Magazine is a trending business website that can accept all UK-based business bloggers’ guest posts. Your blog can be based on business, technology, finance, lifestyle, cryptocurrency, or CBD once they accept your posts, then you don’t need to worry about the backlinks. The professionals are well-trained to rank your blog in the top position with the perfect On-Page SEO strategies.
Any business owner should feature their business on the UK Business List to gain an SEO boost to the root domain of their business website and also to make their brand known to a wider audience. On the directory’s blog, anyone can contribute business tips and insights that are relevant for the business audience in the UK to further boost their services and products.
London Business News is one of the finest business blogging websites in the UK. Here you can find blogs and content related to business, education, entertainment, and especially the latest news and lifestyle trends in London. They appreciate insider guest blog pitches about any London and UK-related trending topics as well as entrepreneur interviews or Q&As and news releases.
Fernando Raymond is a modern entrepreneur in London, who owns and manages ClickDo and SeekaHost with other experienced professionals. He always appreciates input from youngsters who are making money in their own way, and he also accepts guest posts on his blog website related to business or digital marketing. Once your content is approved and published, it will certainly achieve a higher position with the best SEO strategies.
For anyone interested in blogging or digital marketing, Manuela Willbold’s blog is a goldmine of information. Manuela helps readers understand the difficulties of online marketing by sharing helpful tips, tutorials, and personal stories gleaned from her vast experience in the industry. Her site provides helpful tools and motivation to improve your digital marketing efforts and accomplish your objectives, whether you’re a blogger, small company owner, or marketing expert. See the blog of Manuela Willbold.
Business Men’s Edition is one of the trending business blog websites where you can find all the updates on business trends and technologies. If you wish to post your guest post here, pitch your topic idea first for approval by the editors as they will expect high-quality content.
If you dig biz news, then this website is for you. Any biz digger is welcome to present their business news here to inform other biz diggers about the latest business trends, developments, innovations, and progress. Entrepreneurs and business owners can also share their expertise and advice. Simply pitch your content ideas via the contact form and you’ll be featured in no time.
The Business Research Hub aims to provide information about the latest business trends through studies, research and statistics that anyone can share with the editors as long as the sources are reliable. Guest bloggers can also comment or critique business research or findings and analyse them from their perspective. The platform serves as a ground for business exchanges and dialogues.
With a growing internet business and home business industry, this internet home business blog platform serves to create more awareness about this emerging sector. Anyone working in this industry can discuss their insights and views on this blog and share their relevant content through guest posting. Simply get in touch with the editorial team and you’ll become an author here.
Domain authority: 20
Top Local/City News Magazines
For those who blog about more local UK and London or city niche topics, the following websites are most suitable for your guest content contributions in different niches.
This British Trending News Magazine covers UK affairs and events, but it also offers opportunities for anyone to share their news through guest blogging. Press releases and interviews are also accepted formats on this website and as a platform, all submissions will serve the purpose of informing readers about timely matters in the news realm.
Anyone keen on education news in the UK and beyond will find this expert platform useful to share their education insights, tips, and trends. Many teachers, educators, tutors, students, and other education experts have shared their knowledge via the UK Education Blog, where some trending articles have received thousands of views.
UK Tech Blog is one of the finest blogging sites that can accept guest posts on all business, finance, crypto, education, and tech-related topics. If you are looking to post your blog, then you can choose this site, which is one of the best tech blogging sites from ClickDo, a leading digital marketing agency in London.
If you are in London, and looking to post your London content, then you might consider YodaLondon. The blogging site consists of several blogs that are related to London City. You can share your London insights and tips to get your article up on this platform.
London Local News is the best platform to know all the recent activities and trends in London. Your posts based on London City will be accepted here and the professionals are well-trained to make your blog look good and appear in the first position in SERPs. No matter your topic and content, if it is approved then your blog will attain its best position in a short time with the best backlinks.
London Out Loud is the best London Lifestyle magazine to know about all the trends, events, and cultural developments in London. Whether you’re looking to share insights for a great night out or some ideas on leisure activities in London, you can pitch your London insider topics to the editors and you’re on your way to be featured here.
UK Magz is one of the up-and-coming lifestyle and tech magazines in the UK, that covers various topics like entertainment, home and living, marketing and much more. If your blog post is relevant for a UK audience, then you can get your pitch approved by the editors.
London On is one of the finest blogging platforms for anything to do with London. Whether you are a London-based business, a London blogger or just simply a writer who has something to report about London and the UK, get in touch with the team to get your post live.
Ohs Scotland is a UK and Scotland-related blogging site, where you can post your guest blogs based on business, lifestyle, finance, crypto, entertainment and other local news. Simply submit your article with your pitch and it will be up in no time.
If you are a reader in the UK, then you might have come across this website. As the name suggests, this is not a government website, but you can get recent updates and news about the UK government. The Government Online UK accepts guest blogs but your content should be well-researched, informative, and relevant.
She Loves London is a dynamic lifestyle blog that celebrates the vibrant culture, events, and unique experiences of living in London. From the latest food trends and hidden gems to comprehensive guides on navigating the city’s diverse neighbourhoods, the blog offers a wealth of information for both locals and visitors. Whether you’re looking for the best spots to eat, shop, or explore, She Loves London provides engaging content that captures the essence of London’s dynamic lifestyle.
Domain Authority: 10
Top Lifestyle & News Magazines
For those looking for more general news blogs or very niche blogs, this section will feature some suitable options for you.
The Green Living Blog has been established to create and spread awareness about environmental changes and issues. Any guest posts based on environmental, green, and sustainable aspects are welcome, and this blog is quickly growing to become an influential eco-magazine. You can get a solid backlink with relevant traffic for your blog and website.
For all nature lovers, the Murielles Garden environment blog offers a platform to exchange gardening, farming, home and living and environment insights, tips, and trends. Anyone who is into any of these topics can make a content contribution by pitching their ideas and suggestions for new stories to the editors via their contact form and the acceptance rate is high so don’t miss out on this opportunity.
Are you looking to share general news or tips? Then you should start with guest blogging at the News of the Hour blog. It welcomes and accepts all kinds of guest post topics that are newsworthy as the main goal is to keep the readers well-informed and educated.
The Greatest Blog offers the perfect ground for all bloggers to come together to share their hot news, no matter what topic, trend, or news. It aims to provide a wide range of content to offer something for everyone out there and every taste. All it takes to get your article approved for publication here is to be creative, so go and contact the team right away!
Blogrovr is a well-maintained website, where trending topics are posted regularly. The SEO experts will screen all the best ranking strategies and they are working smart to maintain their and their client’s reputation. You do not worry about the ranking and backlinks if your blog is published on this site.
Leather Stops is a one-of-a-kind blogging site where you can find blogs about business, technology, and cryptocurrency updates and all trading strategies. If your blog is about trading, then you can easily get approved for guest blogging.
As the name suggests, the Rings Around the World blog covers any topic from anywhere around the globe. Your pitch should therefore not be hard, but smart and unique to draw in the attention of the editors. Get published here to increase your brand visibility.
Lisa’s Bridal Wear allows guest bloggers to share their own ideas on much more than just weddings. If you have any guest posts, contact the editors through the contact form and you will get a reply soon with a positive answer to get your guest post up.
Waterski Skeggy enjoys unique and trending content that attracts readers from all walks of life. If you are looking to post your guest blogs, then this is a good platform to start with. You can also follow their social media profiles and pages.
Premier Rouge Ltd is one of the finest UK blogging sites that is eager to accept guest blogs and you can display your ideas in your content freely. The content should be submitted to be approved before publishing, but as it’s a general blog, any topic will work.
The Widest Web attracts readers from all over the world because of its high quality and informative content about the World Wide Web. Many bloggers are also posting their guest blogs regularly to get organic traffic through backlinks as this platform provides a space for everything to do with the internet.
Old Millhouse Inn is a general blogging website that will accept all guest blogs based on business, technology, health, startup tips, and even entertainment and lifestyle. Your content should be highly informative to get approved.
If you are looking to post your content on a news magazine platform with good SEO strategies in place, then BN Magazine is for you. The experts in BN Magazine will review your content and optimise it for better ranking and they will publish your content with highly authorised backlinks.
As the name suggests, the blogger’s exchange platform serves to unite bloggers all over the world for networking, outreach, and collaboration. Apart from regular guest posting, bloggers are encouraged to share information about their businesses or opportunities so that the community can reach out to each other and work together. It should be utilised to bring bloggers together and provide many collaboration opportunities.
Simon Caldwell is a personal blogging site covering various topics, so bloggers of all backgrounds can make a name for themselves here. They will only accept blog posts with perfect quality content that can be optimised for traffic growth so get your pitch right.
Pitlane Vision is a general blogging site, where guest posts from all over the world covering various topics are accepted. No matter your news, if you have high-quality content then your blog will be published with the best SEO strategies.
Are you an entertainment or lifestyle blogger? Are you searching for the best blogging site to post your first content? Then Open Stages might be your best choice, as the editors encourage new and established bloggers to contribute to this open platform and they will optimise the content to improve your website traffic.
MoodArt is a vibrant online space dedicated to the world of art, design, and photography. The blog showcases stunning visual content, including works from emerging and established artists, and offers insights into various creative processes and techniques. MoodArt is not just a platform for inspiration but also a community where artists and art enthusiasts can share their passion, learn from each other, and stay updated on the latest trends in the art world.
A Rush is a blogging website for all kinds of trending topics and you can find more business and tech-related niches here. It is important to optimise your blog with high-quality content to get approved.
As the name suggests, the first platform allows many users to post their blogs on the website if they share useful insights. The content published aims to help others going through rough times, so they named the site Guide to Rough Times. If you are planning to post an article based on your lifestyle insider tips, then you can pitch your ideas to this platform.
Baby Gifts is one the best platforms for guest posts especially about parenting or lifestyle topics. If you are a new blogger and wish to publish your lifestyle ideas, then this is the perfect website for you. Baby Gifts encourages bloggers to write about parenting, childhood, education, health and much more.
Inside Cruise is a lifestyle news blogging website that attracts more visitors each month with highly customised content. The editors will accept the content which is strong enough both technically and professionally and meets their requirements.
Anything to do with a healthy lifestyle can be covered on the Why Natural Health blog. This can include topics like dental health, wellness, entertainment, leisure, and much more as physical health is closely linked with mental health and overall happiness. Get your creative juices flowing and submit your masterpiece here to gain more exposure.
Wind Surfing is a trending lifestyle blogging platform that helps many people post their ideas and experiences. They believe that guest blogging can encourage everyone to learn and write more about the trends and tips that improve their knowledge.
Home improvement, DIY, home and living and anything to do with home décor and interior and exterior design can be covered on the Furniture Deal UK blog. Even home office or co-living topics are suitable so if you enjoy writing about lifestyle tips for the home and living spaces then this is the right publication for you.
Domain authority: 10
Additional Media Partner Platforms for Media Placements
At ClickDo, we specialise in media placements and digital PR services tailored to enhance your brand’s online presence with our own platforms. However, we also partner with a variety of influential platforms that cater to different audiences and topics and we can arrange suitable publications here after a free client consultation:
High-Authority Partner Platforms:
Entrepreneur.com: Renowned for its in-depth articles on entrepreneurship, business management, and innovation, Entrepreneur.com is a top-tier platform that significantly enhances your brand’s credibility and visibility.
Forbes.com: Known globally for its comprehensive coverage of finance, industry, investing, and marketing, securing a spot on Forbes.com boosts your brand’s authority and reach.
Inc.com: Known for comprehensive business coverage, Inc.com reaches over 3 million readers. We facilitate guest content approvals, ensuring your insights and expertise gain visibility among business professionals and beyond.
IBTimes.com: Featuring opinion pieces and global news, IBTimes.com offers a platform to share revealing insights with hundreds of thousands of readers. We support your content to ensure it stands out and resonates effectively.
TechTimes.com: A hub for tech enthusiasts, TechTimes.com provides a platform to reach hundreds of thousands of readers interested in technology across various sectors. We help your guest content shine amidst tech-focused discussions.
Market Business News: Focused on finance, tech, and science, Market Business News attracts nearly one million readers. We assist in crafting guest content that delivers your business message effectively to this engaged audience.
European Business Review: Targeting a European business audience, European Business Review provides a platform for relevant opinions and featured pieces. With our support, your curated content reaches thousands of European readers, enhancing your brand’s reach and influence.
Regional and Niche UK Partner Platforms:
The Exeter Daily: A trusted local news platform focusing on community news and events in Exeter. Ideal for businesses targeting a local audience.
The Devon Daily: Covers diverse topics from the Devon area, providing valuable exposure to a regional audience.
Lifestyle Daily: Offers a broad spectrum of lifestyle topics, perfect for brands in the lifestyle and consumer goods sectors.
London Loves Business: A business news platform dedicated to London’s vibrant business community, offering targeted reach to business professionals and entrepreneurs.
London Post: Provides news and updates about events and happenings in London, making it a great choice for brands looking to engage with a London-based audience.
Island Echo: Focuses on news and stories from the Isle of Wight, providing a niche audience with a strong community focus.
Prim Mart: A niche blog that offers tips and advice on crafts, home decor, and lifestyle, ideal for brands in the DIY and home improvement sectors.
Additional International Partner Platforms for Media Placements:
Under Construction Page: This Web Development & Business Blog features in-house experts and recognised guest authors who share what they have to say about WordPress, SEO, design, SaaS & business. – DR 60.
WP Reset: This WordPress Development & Plugin Business Blog features in-house experts and recognised guest authors who share what they have to say about WordPress, marketing, web design, SaaS & business. – DR 60.
Key Features of Our Guest Blogging & Media Placement Services
Content Creation: Our team of experienced writers can write high-quality, engaging content tailored to your industry and audience as well as to the publishing platform and its guidelines. Each article is crafted to provide value and establish your brand as an authority in your niche while targeting the platform’s unique audience. This is an option, if you don’t want to provide the content and we’ll consult you on the options we offer.
Targeted Outreach: We identify and reach out to high-authority publishers relevant to your industry. Our partnerships with influential bloggers and media platforms allow us to secure media placements that drive significant traffic to your site.
SEO Optimisation: All guest publications are optimised for search engines, incorporating relevant keywords and natural backlinks to improve your site’s SEO. This helps increase your visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Brand Exposure: By publishing content on reputable sites, we enhance your brand’s visibility and credibility. This not only attracts more visitors to your site but also builds trust with your target audience.
Key Features of Our Digital PR Services
Media Outreach: We have established connections with journalists, editors, and influencers across various industries. Our team pitches your stories to relevant media outlets, ensuring your brand gets the coverage it deserves.
Press Releases: We craft compelling press releases that highlight your brand’s newsworthy achievements, product launches, and events. Our press releases are designed to capture the attention of media professionals and generate buzz around your brand.
Content Marketing: We develop and distribute high-quality content, such as articles, infographics, and videos, that showcase your brand’s expertise and thought leadership. This content is strategically placed on authoritative platforms to reach your target audience.
Reputation Management: We monitor and manage your online reputation, addressing any negative feedback or reviews promptly. Our proactive approach helps maintain a positive image of your brand and fosters trust with your audience.
Social Media Engagement: Our digital PR strategies include leveraging social media platforms to amplify your brand’s message. We create engaging social media campaigns that drive interaction and increase your brand’s visibility.
Analytics and Reporting: We track the performance of our PR campaigns using advanced analytics tools. You receive detailed reports on media coverage, audience engagement, and overall impact, enabling you to measure ROI and refine your PR strategy.
Our guest blogging and digital PR services connect your business with a variety of publication opportunities, from top-tier business magazines to niche blogs and regional platforms. Whether you’re looking to reach a broad audience or target specific demographics, we have the right channels and placement formats to amplify your voice and boost your online presence.
Media Placement Case Studies
Our tailored approach to guest posting and digital PR is designed to meet the unique needs of each business.
Strategy: Crafting a guest post focusing on practical tips for overcoming jet lag when travelling between London and New York, targeting keywords like “how to overcome jet lag” and “travel from London to New York”.
Results: Achieved over 1,000 clicks and garnered more than 19,000 impressions on Google within a specified timeframe. The post secured high rankings for targeted keywords, driving substantial organic traffic to the client’s website.
Benefits: Significant increase in organic traffic directly attributed to the guest post. Enhanced SEO performance with improved visibility on search engine result pages (SERPs).
Interview Case Study: Playdate App (Entrepreneur Interview)
Strategy: Featuring an in-depth interview with the founder of Playdate App in the magazine’s “Business Spotlight” section, strategically optimising content for the entrepreneur’s name and related brand keywords.
Results: Successfully ranked for targeted search terms, bolstering the app’s online presence and personal branding efforts. Increased visibility in relevant search results, contributing to heightened brand awareness.
Benefits: Improved search visibility and enhanced credibility in the industry. The interview served as a powerful tool for building trust and authority among the app’s target audience.
Social Media Case Study: BVS Mortgages Interview
Strategy: Amplifying interview content through strategic social media sharing, leveraging relevant hashtags and tags to maximise reach and engagement.
Results: Generated increased exposure through extensive network shares across social platforms. Boosted visibility and engagement metrics, expanding the brand’s digital footprint.
Benefits: Heightened brand recognition and increased traffic from social media channels. Enhanced online visibility among key stakeholders and potential customers.
Entrepreneur Story Case Study: Lucy Rout’s Tabuu Pill Cases
Strategy: Showcasing the entrepreneurial journey of Lucy Rout and her innovative Tabuu Pill Cases, focusing on narrative storytelling to captivate readers.
Results: Garnered over 3,000 impressions on Google within a three-month period. Achieved high rankings for keywords associated with Lucy Rout and her brand, driving significant organic traffic.
Benefits: Effectively introduced the Tabuu Pill Cases brand to a broader audience. Increased engagement and organic traffic, establishing a strong online presence for the entrepreneur.
Media Release Case Study: Shoorah Wellbeing App Launch
Strategy: Publishing an SEO-optimised press release announcing Shoorah Wellbeing App’s partnership with Seedrs for fundraising, strategically targeting relevant keywords and founder’s names.
Results: Achieved over 2,000 views in the first week of publication. Secured prominent rankings for keywords related to the app and its founders, generating immediate visibility and traffic.
Benefits: Immediate exposure and enhanced credibility through press coverage. Increased brand visibility and credibility among investors and potential users.
Make your Media Campaign a success with a tailored Approach
We understand it’s not easy to get published on media platforms to grow your brand. So we specialise in making outreach campaigns for unique media placements successful through SEO optimisation and tailored content.
At ClickDo we want all website owners to make their online presence a hit. We therefore offer support with guest post content creation, optimisation, pitching and publication to ensure the content is accepted and effective for the individual brand. Because at the end of the day, your guest blogging should benefit you as an entrepreneur or marketer, your website and your brand and for that customised content marketing strategies make all the difference.
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.
As a blogger, you want to ensure you use all internet channels apart from various search engines as effectively as possible to drive web traffic to your website.
Not only can you gain a worldwide audience, but you also have the power to grow your blog or business. You may already be very active on social media and have an established online persona but that does not always guarantee that your followers head to your website.
12 Top Tips to use Videos on Social Media to attract more Blog Readers
1. Create a short Video Script
Stand out from the crowd with a sharp and to-the-point video that focuses on what’s the core message of your post or content. Having a script, even for short videos, will help you lay out the groundwork and main goal for the video. You can refer to the script when in doubt and add more elements later on.
Video scripts can help you become more confident in front of the camera.
Social Media Marketing teams often use scripts as they expedite your video-making process and streamline your delivery to make the video production more efficient, budget-friendly, and resourceful.
If you have a YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok channel you may need to tailor your script to the different audiences and requirements based on video length, video format, etc. You should also bear in mind which narrative is most suitable for each platform to encourage as many viewers as possible to click on your website link added to your video.
Make sure you test different formats and scripts first, then analyze the results via the analytics features each platform offers and observe which videos get the most views and interactions. If you’re for example a travel blogger, then you should check out some travel vlogging tips to optimize your videos.
2. First impressions are everything
With the attention span of people being shorter than ever, you need to grab their attention in the first few seconds mainly. Start with a quick intro or get to the point very quickly. You can stand out from the crowd by having a few exciting first seconds with an eye-catching thumbnail.
Most of the bigger UK influencers also use this technique to get people to watch their content. You can add timestamps and video descriptions to the videos, which are especially important if you want to get viewers to find your blog or website and related posts.
3. Make all kinds of videos
People love seeing entertaining and informational videos on social media that keep them engaged. The most successful videos on video streaming platforms are the ones that manage to combine both. Being familiar with different types of videos will help you maximize your reach across all social media platforms.
Make different types of videos like vlogs and live streams so that there are a lot of different formats available for your audience to see and to even connect with you and your website. You should obviously set up social media pages for your blog or website where you can post stories and videos in combination with your written content.
Visit some of the blog pages I have created where I regularly share news and blog publications that go live:
You can run ads for these pages to reach more people such as paid Facebook ads for example that come in different formats including video, which I have also used to increase the followership.
4. Focus on good Storytelling
Good storytelling is one of the most invaluable skills that any blogger or content writer can have.
With people having more creative control over the content than ever, it is your responsibility to have a good story in a place that conveys your message effectively. This will give you an advantage over your competitors no matter what. Compare what the most successful bloggers in your niche are doing and what is trending.
Making content relevant and unique for your brand with seasonal events such as Christmas or Blue Monday can help gain additional traction on social media with the right hashtags.
However, try to develop your own style that is immediately recognizable and be your authentic self just like me:
A storyboard will help you to plan video elements, structure, materials, resources, and people you need.
5. Think about Aesthetics
Visuals are everything in the online world. Having an eye-pleasing video is a must, and key elements are ensuring you are in a well-lit space for example, and capturing a video with adequate sound quality.
When editing the video, add transitions and motions of your choice and add text incorporating the core message. This will help your video stand out more than ever. There are different filters available too in video editing apps that you can use.
With great audio and video editing tools available now, one should focus on having a unique aesthetic for their brand. This helps with brand awareness and recognition.
6. A good Setup is important
Although gear is not the most necessary thing in the world, having good gear can make a world of difference. A tripod, camera, and ring light will take you a long way. You can then later add on a mic for great audio capture. This is a great digital marketing strategy too.
Work with the gear that you can afford, and as time goes on, you will be able to hone your craft more and save up for the best equipment and then buy it.
At the start, a camera phone, ring light, and tripod are the only things you may need. This will help you get started and see what the shortcomings of this setup are.
You do not need a professional setup and can get great results even with more affordable gear. All this gear will make sure that you are not spending too much time in post-production.
Here’s one of my recent videos from a business event I attended that was recorded with a smartphone camera with the help of freelance photographer Petra Eujane who edited the video with Adobe software:
7. Short Videos are trending
Ever since Tik-Tok took over, short videos have been all the rage and you saw that my video is also under 2 minutes long. If you can boil it down to 2 minutes or less, you will get a great response from the audience with ideally some engagement in the form of social shares or clicks on your link, which I did on the social media channels I shared the above video on:
Digital marketing relies heavily on emerging trends so link your videos to trending # or events for example. Getting to the point right at the start will help you lock in users and tell a compelling story that is not too long and overwhelming. Remember: you want to get their attention and lead them to your website or post, so make sure you include a call to action!
8. Social Media Optimization Strategies
Different social media use different video formats for their video services. On Instagram, you can have both landscape and portrait videos, but on YouTube, horizontal is still preferred.
Knowing what video format works best for each social media platform is hugely important to curating converting content. Not only do you get to customize the video format for different platforms, but you can have an exclusive video for each and redirect your audience from all channels to your website. Having different sources of leads will help you achieve higher lead generation and conversion results.
Even though Tik-Tok launched the trend of portrait videos, it has been adopted by many other platforms. Facebook and Instagram now support both portrait and landscape videos, and YouTube is also experimenting with this idea. Every time a platform releases a new feature, its organic reach of that will be extremely high. You can use this to your advantage.
9. Use Music
Trending songs have been a great way to get more likes and views for videos. It is a great way to get more engagement on your post. You will have to sync the audio to the video, and this can be done via editing and social media apps.
In recent times, pairing good content with great music has been a winning formula for many. Not only does it bring a familiar aspect to the reel, but it also makes it more engaging. Some audio and music additions have the potential to be converted into skits too. Therefore, many of the top creators focus on the right music for their videos.
These short and relatable skits can be shared by people due to their high relativity. Companies have been capitalizing on these skits to present their brands in a semi-formal and endearing way. This, along with trending music, is one of the few ways with which you can grow your blog exponentially and organically.
10. Make the most of Subtitles
Adding subtitles to your video is great for people who might not be familiar with your content, or language, or who sometimes just miss out on what you are saying. Many people like to watch videos without sound, and subtitles can help you get your message across even if they are not listening.
11. CTAs are more important than ever
Including a call-to-action at the end of your video is a great way to direct people to your website. You will tell people exactly what to do and provide relevant information and links in the video description.
With possibly millions of people watching your content, a clear-cut CTA helps you to get into your sales funnels. The CTA should match the tone of the video and your brand’s mission and be attention-grabbing too.
12. Repurpose old content
Not everyone knows or has seen all your videos. If a video performs well, no one says that you cannot post it again. You can remake it and share it with your new followers. Strategically sharing older content will help you optimize and maximize your reach.
You can recycle a tried and tested piece of content that has been highly engaged with. Such videos or posts are more likely to go viral or have high engagement rates again to drive more traffic to your website and channels. You can repurpose your old content every month so that the new viewers get to see the most successful of your videos but are revamped.
Final Thoughts
Video has been the king of marketing, especially in the world of social media. It is now easier than ever to make a high-quality video with most phone cameras being good enough to do the job.
Use the algorithm of these social media platforms to your advantage to curate content that will be picked up by them. This increases your chance of being seen by people that may not engage well with your written SEO optimised blog content that can be found via search engines.
No matter what your niche or industry is, social media can bring much-needed brand awareness and recognition to your blog or website.
Follow these tips, and you will be able to take maximum advantage of what video and social media have to offer to increase your website traffic and engagement rates.
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.
As a content writer, blogger, or marketer you will understand the importance of SEO tools and link analysis for any web presence. If you are new to this subject, then read on.
What is a link analysis?
Link analysis helps you understand how your website is referenced on other sites on the web or to check that links you have built in the past are still active.
This is especially important for guest posting as you would have invested time and effort into writing the guest content published on a website and you would want to ensure that the link in your content remains active.
Link building and link analysis are therefore key elements of improving your link profile and boosting your search engine rankings and traffic to make your website and brand stand out and convert.
What is link analysis software?
Link analysis software can help you with tasks like finding link opportunities for potential guest posting or link-building collaborations, monitoring your backlinks, analysing your competitors’ link strategies, and identifying and removing toxic links.
However, there are many link analysis tools available with different features, ratings, and prices and before you pick one, it is recommended that you compare the top-rated options first to ensure you find the solution that delivers what you need at the best rate.
Below I compare six of the top-rated link analysis software tools for SEO writers and marketers based on their features, reviews, and pricing, which I researched with the help of the Bing AI answer engine tool.
I also share tips on how to use them effectively based on information I have researched on the web about these tools. I have only used Ahrefs and SEMrush myself and have added my personal opinion here.
I suggest you narrow down a selection suitable for your purposes and try to use a free test trial version first before committing to a subscription.
Ahrefs is one of the most popular SEO tools in the market, whose quality of data presentation and filtering offers valuable support. It has a comprehensive link analysis feature that lets you:
Explore any website’s backlinks and see their metrics, such as domain rating, URL rating, referring domains, organic traffic, etc.
Discover new link opportunities using various methods, such as content explorer, broken link checker, link intersect, etc.
Monitor your backlinks and get notified of any changes or issues.
Audit your backlink profile and identify low-quality or spammy links that can hurt your rankings.
Export and download your backlink data in various formats.
Ahrefs has a huge backlink index of over 16 trillion links and 295 billion pages. It also has other useful features for keyword research, content analysis, rank tracking, site audit, and more.
I mainly use Ahrefs to search for easy-to-rank keywords for my content, website metrics, and content performing well and to track and check do-follow and no-follow link placements. It is certainly a comprehensive tool, which costs a fair amount, but used right, provides a good ROI.
Ahrefs has four pricing plans: Lite ($99/month), Standard ($179/month), Advanced ($399/month), and Agency ($999/month). You can also get a 7-day trial for $7.
Ahrefs has a 4.6/5 rating on Capterra based on 238 reviews. Users praise its data quality, functionality, user interface, and customer service.
2. SEMrush
10 ways to get quality backlinks:
•Linkable Assets
•Resource Page Link Building
•Broken Link Building
•The Skyscraper Technique
•HARO
•Link Gap Analysis
•Provide Testimonials
•Supplier Links
•Business Association Links
•Listicle Link Buildinghttps://t.co/qDCzQqdfOl.
A multifunctional tool that offers a wide range of SEO features, including:
Backlink analysis tool that helps you evaluate the quality and quantity of your links,
Comparisons of your link profile with your competitors,
Searches of new link prospects,
Keyword research,
Rank tracking,
Site audits,
Content marketing.
I mainly use SEMrush to filter keywords with low keyword difficulty, search for website metrics, compare competitor websites, and track and check link building. Its interface is not as easy to use as Ahref’s in my view, but it offers many functions that are useful for link analysis and SEO content writing.
SEMrush has a 4.6 out of 5 rating on Capterra based on 1,216 reviews and costs $119.95 per month for the Pro plan.
3. Ubersuggest
Want to find new keywords to improve your website’s search engine rankings
Ubersuggest’s Keyword Generator tool has got you covered! With this powerful feature, you can generate a list of relevant, high-traffic keywords in just a few clicks. 🚀https://t.co/BHyMnjgxH0pic.twitter.com/uUeFgqBpIL
Ubersuggest is the brainchild of SEO guru Neil Patel and a free SEO tool that offers a simple but effective link analysis feature.
It allows you to:
See any website’s backlinks and their metrics, such as domain score, page score, anchor text, etc.
Filter the backlinks by type (do-follow or no-follow), platform (blogs, forums, etc.), or date (new or lost).
Find new link opportunities by analysing your competitors’ backlinks.
Export your backlink data in CSV format.
Ubersuggest also has other features for keyword research, content ideas, site audit, rank tracking, and more.
It is free to use for up to three searches per day. You can also upgrade to Ubersuggest Pro ($29/month) or Ubersuggest Enterprise/Agency ($49/month) for more features and unlimited searches.
Ubersuggest has a 4.5/5 rating on Capterra based on 108 reviews. Users appreciate its simplicity, functionality, value for money, and customer support.
4. Link Explorer by Moz
The SEO Keyword Research Cheat Sheet will help you answer questions for your business, such as:
What classifies a desirable keyword? 🤔
How do I build a keyword list? 🔑
Where should I place keywords on my page? 🖥️
Link Explorer by Moz is a powerful link analysis tool that helps you understand and improve your link profile.
It enables you to:
Access the Moz Link Index, which contains over 40 trillion links and 7 trillion pages.
See any website’s backlinks and their metrics, such as domain authority
Research the link profile of any domain,
Discover new link opportunities,
Monitor your own link performance,
Keyword research,
Rank tracking,
Content analysis.
Moz Pro has a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Capterra based on 534 reviews and costs $99 per month for the Standard plan. This highlights its loyal user base with significantly more reviews than most of the other tools receive.
5. Majestic
Don’t let broken pages hinder your site’s performance!
Finding & fixing broken pages on your site and having a solid 404 strategy can enhance your users’ experience & boost conversions.
— LinkResearchTools (LRT.CO) (@lrt_co) April 2, 2023
A powerful tool that combines data from various sources and applies advanced algorithms to provide a comprehensive and accurate link analysis.
LinkResearchTools helps you:
identify and remove toxic links,
recover from Google penalties,
monitor your link profile,
find new link opportunities.
LinkResearchTools has a 4.2 out of 5 rating on Capterra based on 18 reviews and costs $179 per month for the Superhero plan.
Hopefully, this comparison will help you get started with your link analysis to boost your SEO efforts with your content writing and publishing. It is also important for digital PR and marketing to check where a brand or website is referenced perhaps without knowing or to keep an eye on the competition.
You could simply get started with SEO via your WordPress website by using the AIO SEO Plugin, which I also use for all my content published on my blogs. It helps you with adding internal and external links and managing the indexation of your content. You can take our free AIO SEO Plugin course to understand it better and boost your SEO already.
However, you may use it, and be sure to gain experience using such tools, if you want to keep track of your online content and its performance. And if you do not have time for such monitoring activities, our SEO, marketing, and branding experts at ClickDo can always lend a helping hand.
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.
I’m only guessing this, but it seems the phrase “intellectual property” is rarely used in its right sense. Perhaps the only place where the word’s meanings are non-negotiable is the courtroom – but even there it is debatable!
As a blogger and web content creator and publisher, I’d prefer you understand IP law, and how it affects your use of internet sources such as images, from your home (and not the court).
So, I’ve compiled this guide to demystify these two words in combination with blog images and visual content in general. You ask why?
Well, having come across copyright infringement cases I want to pass on my experience, lessons, and research and share it with my blogger community to create more awareness of this complex and haunting topic.
You can also check out this post I’ve written and published on ClickDo’s Blog:
There’s no replacement for reading the entire activity on your own. Tedious; I totally understand.
Nothing you read on the Internet (this guide included) can replace contextual advice from an expert attorney or IP lawyer.
This guide is made to give you some curiosity and direction so that you can then discover the answers to your specific questions.
Given the abysmally low probability of the readership of this article consisting of legal minds, here is the “at a glance” version of UK Copyright and IP law:
Within the UK, Copyrights are automatic in nature, which means that there is no protocol or formality needed to acquire them.
Point number 1 also means that there is no central organization that handles the registration of your Copyrights. In short, if you are the creator of something, its copyrights will automatically rest with you.
For content publishers: as stated above, creators of images and artwork automatically receive copyright protection whether or not they apply for it, and it is also given to them whether or not they use the copyright symbol in their works or not.
[For people who use licensed images]: This translates to increased risks of copyright claims for users if they do not pay meticulous attention to what license their chosen images are billeted under (the safest license under which you can use images for your publications is the creative commons license).
Now, when it comes to creating content, in the UK, you are automatically covered.
How does the Copyright Act apply to Blog Images from the Internet?
Does copyright apply to the Internet-sourced images I use in my content? Short Answer: Yes.
To put it in simple terms, a copyright holder can release his/ her/ their works for public use with certain limitations imposed on how you can use those works.
Each limitation has a keyword, which is described below, including the restrictions it comes with. For example, a “Copying Restriction” prohibits you from copying the work in any form whatsoever, so it is for your personal use only.
The full restriction list can be found here:
#
Imposed Limitation
What this means for you
Additional Reading
1
Copying
The work is for your use only, and both electronic (e.g. scanning) and manual (e.g. tracing) forms of copying the copyrighted work are prohibited,
2
Copying Issues To The Public
You cannot publish the work on any distributable material that you create.
3
Communicating The Work (To The Public)
Basically the same limitation as “Copying Issues To The Public”, but with the add-on of you not being able to use such works with the internet, radio, TV, or other such distributive publications.
4
Performance
You cannot use such protected works for public performance, and specifically for images, they cannot be displayed in exhibitions.
5
Rental, And Lending Restrictions
The thing to note with the terms “renting” and “lending” is that renting is only done for profit. Under this restriction, you cannot rent, nor lend such protected works to anyone, for any reason.
You cannot translate such protected works to another language, or adapt them in any way or form whatsoever. Thus, these works are for your use, “as is”.
Simply, under copyright law, without the owner’s permission, you cannot:
Copy, Distribute, or Lend the work.
Publicly display the work.
Adapt the work.
If you want to find the owner of a copyright, you can check the British Copyright Council, but no copyright owner is obliged to register here so they still own the copyright to their work even if not listed here.
What are the Consequences of Violating the Copyright of Blog Images?
If you are found guilty of copyright infringement in a magistrate’s court, you could be fined up to 50,000 GBP, and could also be slapped with a jail term of up to six months. Yes, you read that right!
If the case reaches a Crown court, the fines are unlimited, and up to ten years in jail. I know, shocking!
Instances, where an entity pursued legal action for copyright in the UK, are:
If someone infringes upon copyrights, the administering organization/individual and/or the owner of the copyright have the right to file and pursue a claim to their copyright through the judiciary in the UK.
This often gets very expensive for the infringers, with them having to pay for the cost of using the image, their own legal fees, and the copyright owner’s legal fees, and all this can quickly amount to much more than the costs of using the image, to begin with.
To boot, infringers may also be asked to remove at their own cost all copies of the pre-licensed version of the copyrighted works from the public domain.
Exceptions To Copyright Law Protection
Under copyright law, without the owner’s permission, you can to a certain degree use the copyrighted material for
Study (Private and/ or research) purposes.
Performance of, copying, or lending the work for educational purposes.
Reporting in the news (not for images though), and criticism.
Recordings of any form of broadcast for consumption at a time more convenient to you. This entire process is formally known per pro as “Time Shifting”.
Producing a backup or a copy for personal use (in terms of computer programs)
The doctrine of fair use by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free
Where Can You Get Copyright-Free Legal Images?
This is the key question for all content creators, publishers, and bloggers and let me tell you, it’s not as easy as you think.
Read on!
Stock Image Websites
Where can you get copyright-free legal images online? The most obvious answer is – stock-photo websites. But you’ll soon find out that you’re still exposed to copyright-violation lawsuits, even for using images from a stock photo website.
What are stock photo websites?
These websites are an online library of images across various genres that can be sorted via keywords and tags. Most of them have been uploaded by photographers and graphic designers.
There is a huge collection of these images online, but you may be required to pay if you exceed a certain number of free images, etc.
Some websites are 100% free, while others require you to pay per image, or for unlimited use on a time-period basis.
Stock image websites mention what their images are licensed under usually in their policies. However, there are often exceptions and it is not always easy for users to determine the copyrights on the image and the restrictions, and where and how they are applicable.
These policies are often written in legal terms and are difficult to understand. It’s therefore best to only use platforms that clearly label each image they offer for free downloads with the copyright symbols which I’ve listed further down in this post.
Always check every single image’s licensing first before using it.
Having gone through many stock image website policies, I have found that these are the clearest in their licensing:
Some licensed images on stock websites (most of them actually), will require attribution to the creator/owner of the image and it will say this where required in the license.
Note: I’ll cover different license types later in this guide.
Make your own legal Blog Images [Tool: Canva]
Seeing that copyright can become a true minefield for any blogger and content creator and publisher, I suggest creating copyright-free visuals using design tools yourself.
The prime example of such a tool would be Canva, a design tool for which all you need is a web browser and an internet connection.
You can use the design you create on Canva without worrying about copyright infringements on your published blog content, provided of course that you have not used copyrighted images or parts of copyrighted images in the design process, to begin with.
Note: This is a simplistic version of the answer to your question – whether you can use Canva’s library of free multimedia to create visuals that are copyright law-compliant. For a more detailed answer, refer to the official policy statement.
Generate legal Blog Images with AI [Tool: DALL·E 2]
You can also use Open AI’s DALL·E 2 to have artificial intelligence generate images for you.
Note: images made with DALL·E 2 are still the property of their parent company Open AI, but you are free to use (and sell) any images that you create with DALL·E 2 and keep the profits for yourself.
However, you should note that DALL·E 2 and open AI retain the rights to such images, and they may themselves choose to sell the images that you have asked the tool to create.
That said, any profit that you make from DALL·E 2, is yours to keep, without repercussion. Do check their policies, however, to be on the safe side.
Stock Photo Websites for Blog Images: Things To Remember
Which licenses let you use stock images for commercial purposes, with complete compliance with copyright laws? The answer is – a CC0 license.
Ideally, what you are looking for is a Creative Commons license, specifically a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license.
Quite literally, CC0 licenses allow you to do whatever you want with the images, whenever you want and as frequently as you want.
You can usually get “attribution required, free to use” or CC0-licensed images from stock websites.
Even if the use of an image is allowed to the public, you really want to read the fine print of the license that it falls under.
For example, “Free for non-profit” licenses are just that: free use only for nonprofit organizations.
Here is the “at a glance” information that you should know when using stock images.
If you look at the subsections under their “information” tabs, most stock websites state that they absolve themselves from any copyright claims against images that you have gotten from their website in the first place, which is why it is super important to research the usage limitations and restrictions for photos posted on these websites. Again, it is best to look for CC0 or other creative commons licenses.
You can also use stock images with the CC0 license to create images of your own with design tools. Just ensure you do not use copyrighted images (for which you do not have usage rights) in the designs.
This section will quickly bring you up to speed on the language of copyright – it is really easy to get lost in the mix of copyright terms.
Here is a table that should help us decode the corporate jargon:
#
Label
Symbol
Particulars of Label
1
Copyright
This means that the owner or holder of the copyright will reserve all rights of the copyrighted work(s) under copyright law(s) and that the copyrighted work is free for fair use.
2
Creative Commons
These works will have certain rights under copyright law(s) withheld, and these will be clearly communicated. These works frequently appear with the tag of “Some rights reserved”, and always require attribution to the creator. It is important to note that such licensed works can have their usage rights changed after you use the image.
3
Public Domain
The copyright owner has waived all his, or their rights and claims on the image, and you can modify, copy, and even distribute the work to the public domain, even if such use is intended for commercial purposes.
4
Fair Use
This case is exclusive of public domain image libraries, Creative Common licensed images, and stock image websites. Per the 4-factor test (purpose, nature, amount, and effect), you may find yourself able to use such images under the fair use case policy of copyrighted work(s).
Identifying Copyright Holders of Blog Images
In the case where you cannot identify which individual holds a copyright, here are some steps you can take:
A WHOIS search: If the image you are looking at has been posted by the owner of the website where said image appears, then a WHOIS search will reveal the contact data of the website owner, and by extension, of the copyright holder.
You can also right-click the image, and then select “search Google for this image” in the drop-down menu. This will display a results page with all the websites that have the same image on them, possibly helping in tracing the copyright holder for that image. Bear in mind, that the copyright owner is not legally required to mark their images on the internet as copyright protected.
You may also consult a private copyright registry, of which several are named in annex one of this report published by WIPO (The World Intellectual Property Organization).
If you can find the owner of an image, but no contact details for the copyright holder, you could try looking up the following organizations, because there is a good chance that the copyright holder is a part of them:
BAPLA (The British Assn. Of Picture Libraries and Agencies)
If you find an image online for which you have no license information, assume that it is protected under copyright law.
Properly Attributing a Blog Image: A Guide
If you decide to use an image that requires attribution, again, ensure you have the right to use it before you credit the creator/copyright owner. Because they can easily track each image published online that is tagged with their name and identify any copyright infringement easily.
Copy the URL (link) of the image and note the name of the creator/photographer.
Add image attributions to the image title tag itself (wherever you use the image in your blog) as well as to image alt tags.
Also, include the creator’s name as a caption for the image. You can also do this as a note at the end of the blog.
It is always a sound idea to reach out to the copyright owner and tell them how you plan to use their image. You can begin the message by thanking the creator for making the image available under the creative commons license.
To preserve the image quality, try to use embedded codes to display the image.
Terms and Conditions of Legal Images: The Fine Print
DALL·E: The parent company, Open AI reserves the right to have works reviewed by third-party contractors, and if the service is used through labs. open, then credits bought on labs must be used within one year from the date of purchase, or else they will expire.
Wikipedia: Wikipedia has washed its hands of any images that you find on Wikipedia by saying that “They cannot guarantee information validity”. This is why it is imperative to verify the license that even Wikimedia commons images come under before using them.
Creative Commons 2: Even CC2.0 licenses on sites like Flickr redirect you to this page on the CC website, which basically says the images are for non-commercial usage only.
The Snapshot
Exhausted? I know. Welcome to the legal desert that sucks you in and dries you out. But as a content creator, publisher, and blogger, you need to understand what you’re dealing with, especially if you offer your content publishing and digital PR services including images, screenshots, logos, etc. to clients. I hope this guide helps you to not become a victim of copyright infringement claims as they are not pleasant.
In my view, the internet should be a place where we can all share resources that we make publicly available sensibly. Anyone who’s not happy to have their content shared, should not publish it in the first place or ensure that it is clearly labeled or protected from copying. I, therefore, recommend every blogger and content creator create their own images, graphics, and designs where possible to save themselves from such headaches. This will also benefit your branding and make your content more unique, which will help it rank better on search engines.
More Important Resources and Useful Links if you fancy
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.