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Jan 29, 2025
Let’s be honest, getting your business noticed online can feel like climbing a mountain. You have a website, and maybe some social media accounts, but figuring out how to make your business stand out in search results? That’s a whole different ballgame.
The good news is, you don’t need a degree in digital marketing or a huge budget to make it happen. If you’ve ever thought, “I just need something simple that works,” you’re not alone. SEO might sound complicated, but with the right tools (and most of them free!), you can absolutely do it yourself.
You don’t need to hire an expensive SEO company in Seattle or spend weeks studying algorithms. There are plenty of free resources that can help you figure out what’s working, what’s not, and how to get found by more customers – all without burning through your budget.
Whether you’re running a cozy local coffee shop, managing an online boutique, or offering professional services, there’s something here for you. These DIY SEO tools are easy to use, powerful, and designed to help you focus on what really matters: connecting with your customers.
Let's dive in!
What it does: Helps you find the keywords your customers are searching for.
Why it’s useful: Keywords are the foundation of SEO. Knowing what terms people use to find businesses like yours helps you tailor your content to match their searches.
With Google Keyword Planner, you can type in a topic or a product related to your business and see a list of keyword suggestions along with how many people are searching for them each month. Even better, you’ll get an idea of how competitive those keywords are, so you can focus on terms that give you a better shot at ranking.
And here’s a pro tip from our SEO company in Seattle: pair this with long-tail keywords (specific phrases like "vegan bakery in Denver") to target people who are ready to take action.
What it does: Provides keyword ideas, tracks rankings, and gives you insights into your competitors.
Why it’s useful: This tool goes beyond basic keyword research. It also shows you what’s working for your competitors, which is a goldmine of information.
Ubersuggest is great for finding content ideas, too. If you’re wondering what blog post or video might resonate with your audience, this tool can guide you. It even gives suggestions for keywords with lower competition, which is perfect if you’re just starting.
What it does: Monitors your website’s performance on Google Search.
Why it’s useful: If you want to know how your site is doing on Google, this is the tool to use. It shows you what keywords are driving traffic, how often your site appears in search results, and any technical issues holding you back.
For example, if certain pages aren’t indexed (which means Google isn’t showing them in search results), Search Console will tell you. It’s like having a behind-the-scenes view of how Google sees your site.
And if you’re curious to see which search terms are already bringing people to your site, use the "Performance" tab. You might discover keywords you didn’t even realize you were ranking for!
What it does: Optimizes your website’s on-page SEO.
Why it’s useful: If your site runs on WordPress, Yoast SEO is a must-have plugin. It guides you step-by-step to optimize your pages and blog posts.
Yoast gives you an SEO score for each page and tells you how to improve it – whether it’s adding a focus keyword, improving readability, or fixing meta descriptions. Be sure to pay attention to the readability suggestions, too. A well-written page not only ranks better but also keeps visitors engaged.
What it does: Helps you discover what questions people are asking about your industry.
Why it’s useful: Crafting content that directly answers your audience’s questions is one of the best ways to rank higher in search results.
Type in a keyword related to your business, and AnswerThePublic will generate a visual map of questions and topics people are searching for. This is perfect for brainstorming blog posts, FAQs, or even social media content.
And here’s a trick the experts at a top SEO company in Seattle wants to share: combine this with your keyword research to create highly targeted content that solves real problems for your audience.
What it does: Creates eye-catching graphics for your website and social media.
Why it’s useful: While not strictly an SEO tool, appealing visuals can improve your site’s user experience – which matters for SEO. Plus, infographics or branded images can help your content stand out in search results and get shared more often.
Canva offers a free version with plenty of templates to create professional-looking designs in minutes. Use it to enhance blog posts, create social media teasers, or design custom headers for your website.
What it does: Crawls your website to find SEO issues.
Why it’s useful: Screaming Frog acts like a search engine bot, scanning your site for things like broken links, missing metadata, and duplicate content.
For smaller websites (up to 500 pages), the free version is a powerful way to identify and fix technical problems that might be hurting your rankings. Use it to check your site’s structure and ensure your most important pages are easy for search engines to find.
What it does: Provides instant SEO insights for any webpage.
Why it’s useful: This free browser extension gives you key SEO stats at a glance. You can see a page’s domain authority, check for backlinks, and analyze on-page elements like titles and headings.
MozBar is especially handy for spying on competitors. If you’ve always wanted to know why a rival ranks higher than you, this tool is all you need to figure it out.
What it does: Analyzes your site’s speed and performance.
Why it’s useful: A slow-loading website can hurt your rankings and drive visitors away. GTmetrix identifies what’s slowing your site down and offers actionable recommendations to fix it.
GTmetrix makes it easy to figure out what’s causing the delays – be it oversized images, too many plugins, or something else entirely. It gives you a simple report with suggestions to speed things up. From compressing images to tweaking your site’s settings, you’ll know exactly what to fix to make your site faster and more user-friendly.
Our SEO company in Seattle suggests you start with the “high priority” recommendations in the report for quick wins. A faster site means happier visitors and a better chance of climbing those search rankings.
What it does: Boosts your visibility for local searches.
Why it’s useful: If you’re a local business, Google Business Profile is an essential tool. It makes sure your business shows up in Google Maps and local search results.
With this platform, you can add photos, hours of operation, and even respond to reviews – all of which help potential customers choose your business over the competition.
Keep your GMB profile updated regularly. Post photos, promotions, or updates to show Google (and your customers) that you’re active.
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SEO doesn’t have to be expensive or overwhelming. With tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, and GTmetrix, you have everything you need to start optimizing your website and getting noticed by the right audience – all without spending a dime. These tools are powerful, easy to use, and perfect for giving your business a solid SEO foundation.
That said, DIY can only take you so far. If you’re ready to take your online visibility to the next level, Digital Resource is here to help. As a top SEO company in Seattle, we specialize in strategies that deliver real results. From fine-tuning your site to driving more traffic, we ensure every dollar you invest works hard for your business.
Don’t leave your success to chance; partner with a team that knows how to get you noticed. Reach out to us today and let’s start growing your business together.
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