SEO With No Paid Tool, Yes! It Is Possible
Here’s my case study, How I performed my first client’s SEO with 0 paid tool
— — — — Note: If you’re not interested in the process, you can skip ahead to the end and check out the link. It’s a free SEO tool guide where I shared six free SEO tools you can use to perform SEO. Simply enter your details, set the price section to any amount from $0 to $2, complete the process, and download the guide. — — — —
So, when I first started learning SEO, like you, I faced the same challenge of performing SEO without any paid tools.
Like yeah, I wasn’t financially strained 🙄, but still I hesitated to invest $200 in tools I might not fully utilize. This hesitation significantly delayed my SEO success.
Every day, when I opened my laptop, my primary focus was finding clients and figuring out how to do SEO without relying on paid tools. Sometimes I felt stressed, and at other times, I got nervous thinking about what I should do, how I would get clients how I would convince them… this that so many questions!
I was interning and started staying late in the office, sitting with my seniors, hoping they would share their SEO strategies and how they managed tasks without relying on tools in urgent situations.
But seniors will be seniors! They didn’t help me out. It’s another story that I didn’t gain any special knowledge from that internship because all they taught me was how to quickly create spammy links and stuff keywords into content, believing (assumptions) it would boost rankings. Bullshit!
So, I accepted my fate and stopped hoping others would help me out. I researched on my own, checked out some extensions, and learned about other tools and tactics. Luckily, during my learning phase, a friend came to me. She said her brother was trying to start his website and didn’t have many resources, so she asked if I could help him.
In the beginning, I freaked out, but then I said yes because I realized this was an opportunity to experience how freelancing works I shouldn’t let it go. So, I agreed to work on his website.
It was a health & fitness, and gym niche blog website. Here’s how I initially optimized the website and performed SEO without using any paid tools.
Step 1: Understanding the Client’s Needs
I began by thoroughly understanding my client’s business, target audience, and goals. This helped me tailor my SEO strategy to their specific needs. Then I made a step-by-step strategy list of what I was going to do and what type of tools I would need in the process (paid or free). Then I started searching for alternatives in free options. For example, instead of using Semrush, I checked my website’s user report through analytics tools.
Step 2: Keyword Research
Without tools, I used Google Search itself to understand keyword popularity. By typing in various keywords related to my client’s business, I analyzed the autocomplete suggestions, LSI keywords, and related searches at the bottom of the page. This gave me insights into what people were searching for.
Step 3: On-Page Optimization
I focused on creating high-quality content that was relevant and valuable to the audience. I ensured the target keywords were naturally incorporated into titles, headings, and throughout the content. I also paid attention to meta descriptions and alt text for images. Attention was the only thing I paid in this entire process 😏
Step 4: Technical SEO
For technical SEO, I manually checked for any issues that could affect the site’s performance. This included ensuring the site was mobile-friendly, had a fast loading speed, and was easy to navigate. I also created a simple sitemap and robots.txt file. The website was new and small, so I didn’t have any concerns about broken links or 404-page issues.
Step 5: Link Building With Zero Data
Instead of using tools to find backlink opportunities, I engaged in genuine outreach. I reached out to bloggers and website owners in the client’s niche, sharing our content and asking for links, Yes it takes a lot of time and patience so you’ve to stick yourself with the process. I also participated in forums and online communities to build relationships and gain backlinks organically.
Step 6: Monitoring Progress
To track progress, I relied on free tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These tools provided insights into traffic, user behavior, and keyword performance. These both tools are just gifts from Google, the best tools ever < 3
Results
Within a few months, my client saw a noticeable increase in organic traffic. Their website started ranking for several keywords, and their content was being shared more frequently. This experience taught me that while tools can be helpful, a strong understanding of SEO principles and a hands-on approach can also yield impressive results. 🙌
Here is my tool guide for you as a gift. Go ahead and download it for free. It includes all the tools you need for the SEO process, from keyword research to backlink report checking. And yes, it doesn’t mention any Google tools you already know about, I bet.
https://aliensoul.gumroad.com/l/seotoolguide1
Just check it out and upgrade your SEO game ❤️
️And do not forget to follow me on LinkedIn
Bye Bye!
