Besides Google search queries, does anyone out there use (or have built) software for link prospecting. I'm testing Ontolo but am not sold quite yet. What do others use to find new linking opportunities? I've come across Raven Tools, MajesticSEO & Market Samurai in the past...anyone found success with those?
Always I use backlinkwatch.com and bluebacklinks.com to check my or competitor backlinks. You may find out your competitors by keywords based search, go to nichewatch.com
Even i have used AWStats, Majestic SEO, etc, but the problem here is all these tools has a bias. It will tell you that certain faults on your website are critical and must be fixed to improve SEO, when some aren't really very important at all. Most of the SEO tools in the market have this kind of bias. I'm not saying not to use these tools or other SEO tools, but i would recommend you to use Google Analytics, Google Webmaster and Bing Webmaster tools and believe in your SEO skills rather than depending on lot of biased tools. If someone can provide some additional color it would be of great help for many.