When you start learning about SEO and the various ways which you can promote your web site, blogs or articles – it isn’t long before you get sidetracked into investigating the various tools that you need to be successful too.  It’s one of the reasons why many beginners have a hard time initially.  Although they’ve read an SEO starter guide about building links or optimising your Title tags – the reality is that often your competitor is doing all this and much, much more.

If you’re serious about making your living online and are lucky enough to be able to afford some of these tools then it won’t be long before your desktop houses a plethora of SEO related software.

One of the most useful tools which may not be initially apparent is the software available which allows you to surf through proxy servers.  There’s quite a few out there now if you do some investigating.  A proxy server allows you to protect your identity but for SEO purposes it allows you to specifically hide or even modify your IP address.

There’s many reasons you may wish to do this, for instance many SEO tools that allow you to automate lots of tasks.  Instead of manually adding your web sites to social bookmarking sites for example there are programs which can automate this for you.  Or other SEO related software posts multiple articles, blog posts or a myriad of other options.  The downside is that many sites block multiple connections from the same IP address so rendering these tools worthless.

However if you have the facility to change your IP address through a proxy server then the power of these tools can be used fully.   Alternate which IP address you use by running first through a UK proxy, then a US one and then cycle through addresses.

The other use is to bypass restrictions based on your location – for example you may have difficulty accessing certain sites based on your location.  The majority of these just check your IP address so if you use a proxy server then you can pick the location that suits you.  Handy for signing up for a US only based marketing program if you live in Europe.