Are Free SEO Tools Worth It?

Royce Calvin

November 10, 2020

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Anyone with an online presence has probably spent a considerable amount of time perusing the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Optimization can seem like a huge task, and it certainly does take some effort to build a network of pages that are perfectly tailored for content and optimization for search engine queries. But the effort is well worth it. The ability to draw in many new readers or shoppers to what you have to offer is within your reach, and all it takes is a commitment to learning and leveraging free SEO tools.

Start with keyword research.

Great content begins with a plan. No matter your writing style or command of the language, if you don’t produce relevant content that your readers want to engage with there’s no point in posting it. Starting with a keyword research tool can help you navigate this problem. Essentially, SEO practices are all about maximizing both your penetration into the marketplace and your targeted content creation. You must balance great, topical pieces about the types of things your readers want to see with a heavy handed dose of keywords sprinkled throughout your writing in order to help them find that timely, relevant material. Content is crucial to success, but so is the delivery of those words. This happy medium begins with a keyword research tool that can set you on the right track in both respects.

Try your hand at guest blogging.

Once you have established a respectable following you might want to try guest blogging to create additional organic traffic to your site. While not strictly a ‘tool’ for SEO practices, guest blogging is a strategy that can net you a ton of new readers. This is the practice of writing for someone else’s page with links that direct traffic to your own site. It’s important to note that relentless self-promotion doesn’t help the page it’s posted to unless there is some great content behind it. You must produce pieces worthy of publication, such as blog posts that help solve readers’ problems, even though they aren’t posted to your home site. Cross pollination in this arena is a great way to increase your visibility while helping out colleagues in your space. Understanding that readers take in information from multiple sources is essential to making the guest blogging strategy work. You don’t need to blot out all of your competitors because there is more than enough reading to go around. Dipping into the routine viewers of another blogger and allowing them to use your site for guest blogging is a great way to help out others while generating new traffic at the same time.

search engine optimization
Photo by Myriam Jessier on Unsplash

Use backlink checkers.

Use a free backlinks checker in order to understand your positioning in the marketplace. Backlinks are the links that other pages use when linking to your content. This is one of the primary ways that Google and other search engines interpret a web page’s overall domain authority, assigning it relevance to search queries in the SERP. A backlink analysis can help you understand the quality of your content as well as the volume of pages that have referenced your work. Backlink considerations take into account both the quality and number of backlinks present, so it’s not enough to just pollute the internet with your own desperately created backlinks. Grow organically and utilize guest blogging to create a broad, healthy trail of links that bring readers to your site.

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Always evaluate domain authority before posting.

Domain authority is all about the relevance of your content. It’s essential to always check the quality of your writing for flow, but also for the content score related to its SEO practices. High domain authority means a high ranking in Google SERPs. This means more clicks, traffic, and ad and other revenue for you and your site. Always be aware of how your content ranks before posting.

Utilizing free SEO tools to boost your page is crucial, so get started in SEO now in order to continue growing your online presence.

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Author
Royce Calvin
Royce is a seasoned expert in Internet marketing, online business strategy, and web design, with over two decades of hands-on experience creating, managing, and optimizing websites that generate real results. As a long-time freelancer and digital entrepreneur, he has helped countless businesses grow their online presence, drive traffic, and turn websites into income-generating assets. His deep knowledge spans SEO, content marketing, affiliate programs, monetization tactics, and user-centered design. When he's not exploring the latest trends in digital marketing, you’ll likely find him refining a client’s site—or enjoying his signature cup of Starbucks coffee.

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