“Can you recommend one free or low-cost digital marketing resource that has been beneficial for you? How has this resource helped you in your digital marketing efforts?” Here is what 15 thought leaders have to say.
- Increase Mobile Traffic with Search Console
- Optimize SEO with Ubersuggest
- Boost Conversions with Google Analytics
- Enhance Landing Pages with Microsoft Clarity
- Improve Local Visibility with Google Business Profile
- Streamline Marketing with HubSpot
- Save Time with CustomGPT
- Gain Insights from Reddit Communities
- Expand Knowledge with Google’s Skillshop
- Make Data-Driven Decisions with Google Analytics
- Plan Content with Google Trends
- Optimize Strategies with Google Analytics
- Discover Experts on Threads
- Schedule Social Media with Buffer
- Learn from AuthorityHacker and Backlinko
Increase Mobile Traffic with Search Console
This free tool provides invaluable insights about website performance. For instance, we discovered that mobile usability issues were affecting our rankings. After fixing these problems based on Search Console’s reports, our mobile traffic increased by 45%.
Key benefits we leverage:
Real keyword performance data
Technical issue alerts
Click-through rate analysis
Core Web Vitals monitoring
A practical example: When launching a client’s new service page, Search Console showed which search queries were driving clicks but had low rankings. By optimizing for these specific terms, we doubled the page’s organic traffic in two months.
The detailed search analytics help us make data-driven decisions without spending a dollar on expensive tools. For small businesses especially, it’s an incredibly powerful resource that many underutilize.
Harmanjit Singh, Founder and CEO, Origin Web Studios
Optimize SEO with Ubersuggest
Absolutely! When it comes to SEO research, one free (or low-cost) resource that has been a total game-changer for me is Ubersuggest by Neil Patel. Think of it as the nerdy, budget-friendly cousin of SEMrush or Ahrefs-except this one won’t make your wallet cry.
Here’s why Ubersuggest rocks:
- Keyword Magic: It dishes out keyword suggestions like a chef at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Want long-tail keywords with low competition? Boom, done. It’s like having a digital marketing genie-except you don’t have to rub a lamp.
- Competitor Analysis: Ever wonder why your competitor’s blog keeps outranking yours? Ubersuggest lets you peek into their strategies (legally!). You can see their top-performing pages and traffic sources, so you know exactly what to steal-uh, I mean, get inspired by.
- Content Ideas: Stuck on blog topics? Just type in a keyword, and Ubersuggest gives you content suggestions based on search trends. It’s like a brainstorming buddy who never needs coffee breaks.
- Site Audits: It scans your website and tells you what’s broken (like a very honest friend). From fixing meta tags to improving load speeds, you get a step-by-step guide to boost your SEO.
I once used Ubersuggest to optimize a client’s blog. Within a month, organic traffic spiked by 30%. And no, I didn’t have to sacrifice goats to the Google gods-just used Ubersuggest to find low-competition keywords and fix on-page SEO issues.
The free version is super generous, giving you a solid starting point. If you want advanced features, the paid plan is ridiculously affordable compared to big players in the SEO game. Plus, Neil Patel’s videos are like having a friendly SEO guru cheering you on.
On the humor side, Ubersuggest once suggested the keyword “how to SEO like a boss”, which felt oddly personal. But hey, it worked!
If you’re an SEO enthusiast on a budget, Ubersuggest is your new BFF. It’s like the Robin Hood of SEO tools-giving the little guys a fighting chance to rank!
Dhaval Alagiya, Digital Marketing Executive, Brainvire
Boost Conversions with Google Analytics
A free digital marketing resource that’s made a huge difference for me is Google Analytics. Google Analytics has significantly improved my understanding of how people interact with my website. Monitoring key metrics such as bounce rate and user flow allowed me to identify areas where visitors were losing interest. There was a specific page where the bounce rate was unusually high, so I tested a few changes-adjusting the layout and tweaking the content to make it more engaging. Within a few months, those small changes led to a boost in conversions. Google Analytics has helped me turn raw data into clear action steps, making it easier to fine-tune my strategy and see real results.
Matt Gehring, Chief Marketing Officer, Dutch
Enhance Landing Pages with Microsoft Clarity
Microsoft Clarity is an extremely powerful and highly underutilized digital marketing resource. It’s completely free, easy to use/install, and has transformed how we optimize our landing pages and evaluate traffic quality. What I love most is being able to actually watch user sessions – it shows us exactly how visitors interact with our pages. This has been invaluable for A/B testing and optimizing landing pages. It has also saved us thousands of dollars in wasted ad spend by helping us spot which traffic sources are bringing in genuinely interested leads versus junk traffic. For anyone running paid traffic campaigns, I can’t recommend it enough.
Chris Rossi, Digital Marketing Consultant, Attorney Sluice
Improve Local Visibility with Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile – It’s a simple but powerful tool, especially in a competitive market like Southern California, where local visibility can make all the difference.
By keeping our GMB profile updated with accurate contact details, photos of our facilities, and customer reviews, we’ve been able to boost our local search rankings significantly. Many of our customers are searching for storage solutions “near me,” and having a well-maintained GMB profile ensures we show up at the top of those searches. It’s also a great way to showcase promotions or features, like drive-up units or climate-controlled storage, to attract more attention.
The insights feature has been helpful, too. It allows us to see how customers find us-whether through direct searches, discovery searches, or maps-and tailor our strategies accordingly. This resource has driven measurable foot traffic and online inquiries, all at no cost. It’s a no-brainer for any business looking to enhance their digital presence without spending a fortune.
Bill Miller, Operations, Sun Valley Storage
Streamline Marketing with HubSpot
HubSpot is the most valuable tool for digital marketing. The platform has an all-in-one suite integrating various marketing functions such as CRM, email marketing, social media management, and analytics. This integration has significantly streamlined our operations.
HubSpot’s CRM allows us to manage customer relationships effectively and track interactions, enabling personalized communication that enhances customer engagement. The email marketing features are particularly powerful; they allow us to automate campaigns based on user behaviour, ensuring timely and relevant outreach. Additionally, HubSpot’s analytics provide deep insights into campaign performance, helping us make data-driven decisions.
Overall, HubSpot has really revolutionized the way we approach digital marketing by integrating the tools we use and giving a holistic view of our marketing efforts. This integration actually resulted in efficiency and improved ROI on our campaigns.
Sheraz Ali, Founder & CEO, HARO Links Builder
Save Time with CustomGPT
One low-cost digital marketing resource that’s been a game-changer for us is creating an internal CustomGPT specifically for marketing. At just $25 a month, this tool has revolutionized how we approach content creation and brand management.
It’s saved us 70% of the time we used to spend on crafting social media content. This time savings ensures we’re posting consistently-a vital element of any successful digital marketing strategy. Consistent posting keeps our brand visible, fosters trust, and strengthens connections with our audience.
What truly sets it apart is its versatility. You can instruct the CustomGPT to follow key marketing principles, like always including a strong call-to-action (CTA). You can even specify which CTAs to focus on-whether it’s driving website traffic, encouraging sign-ups, or boosting engagement. This level of customization makes it a powerful ally in ensuring your content is not just consistent, but also strategic.
And because the AI mirrors our unique tone and values, every caption, blog post, or reply feels authentic-even when different team members contribute. For any small business or entrepreneur looking for an affordable way to streamline marketing, save time, and stay on-brand, an internal CustomGPT is a must-try solution.
Laurel Robbins, Founder, Bold Peak Marketing
Gain Insights from Reddit Communities
My favorite free resource that has turned out to be super helpful when it comes to digital marketing is Reddit, particularly r/DigitalMarketing and r/SEO communities.
These forums are where experts, newcomers and enthusiasts all interact to share information, discuss queries, and talk about actual case studies related to digital marketing. So, I recommend you take a look at the site and see how interactive they are – post a question about a campaign strategy or some SEO issue and you’ll get thoughtful answers from a wide array of experts. It’s really more like a conversation going on, with other peers that are just there to support you.
I do actually remember that some people on r/SEO had a discussion and taught me how they were using a local sponsorship method that I never thought about. Applying that concept gained quality backlinks and improved the client’s community. These subreddits have been a popular place for brainstorming and debugging that provides a blend of tips and tricks.
Patrick Beltran, Marketing Director, Ardoz Digital
Expand Knowledge with Google’s Skillshop
One free digital marketing resource that has been immensely beneficial for me is Google’s Skillshop.
Skillshop offers a wide range of free online courses on various aspects of digital marketing, from the fundamentals of online advertising to advanced topics like Google Analytics and YouTube marketing.
I’ve taken courses on topics like search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and Google Ads. This has deepened my understanding of these key areas and allowed me to apply best practices to my own work.
The hands-on exercises and assessments in Skillshop have helped me develop practical skills in using Google’s marketing tools and platforms.
Skillshop regularly updates its courses with the latest industry trends and best practices, ensuring that I’m always learning and adapting.
Skillshop has been an invaluable resource for me in expanding my knowledge, improving my skills, and staying ahead in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about digital marketing or enhance their existing skills.
Daniel Rivas, CEO, Digital Media Ninja
Make Data-Driven Decisions with Google Analytics
One free digital marketing resource that has been extremely beneficial is Google Analytics. It provides in-depth insights into website traffic, user behavior, and conversions, helping me understand how visitors interact with content and where improvements can be made. By tracking key metrics like bounce rate, time on site, and goal completions, I’ve been able to optimize my marketing strategies, improve user experience, and measure ROI more effectively. It’s a powerful tool for any marketer looking to enhance their data-driven decisions without incurring additional costs.
Shreya Jha, Social Media Expert, Appy Pie
Plan Content with Google Trends
One free tool I’ve found incredibly useful is Google Trends. It helps you see what people are searching for and when their interest peaks. Whether it’s a seasonal trend or a sudden spike in a topic, it gives you clarity on what’s resonating with audiences.
For me, it’s been a game-changer in planning blog topics and social media posts. By spotting rising trends early, I’ve been able to create timely content that gets better reach and engagement. It’s a simple resource, but it’s made a big impact on understanding what works and staying relevant.
Dinesh Agarwal, Founder, CEO, RecurPost
Optimize Strategies with Google Analytics
One free digital marketing resource that I’ve found incredibly beneficial is Google Analytics. This powerful tool provides invaluable insights into website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. By understanding these metrics, I can make data-driven decisions to optimize my marketing strategies. For example, I can identify which marketing channels are driving the most traffic, which pages are performing best, and where users may be dropping off.
Additionally, Google Analytics offers a wide range of features, including audience segmentation, custom reports, and real-time analytics. These features allow me to gain a deeper understanding of my target audience and tailor my marketing efforts accordingly. By leveraging the insights gained from Google Analytics, I’ve been able to improve website performance, increase conversions, and ultimately drive more revenue for my clients.
Greg Walters, Co-Founder, SEO Modify
Discover Experts on Threads
The marketing community on Threads has been beneficial for me and my business. It’s a great place to discover subject matter experts across digital marketing disciplines. For example, I started my podcast after the Threads algorithm surfaced podcasting experts in my feed (I hadn’t been searching for podcasts), and I completely overhauled my welcome sequences after Threads surfaced an email marketer in my feed whose approach resonated with me.
Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach, Jyll.ca
Schedule Social Media with Buffer
One of the most helpful and cheapest platforms we have that we use every week is Buffer. A social media scheduling service which is simple to use and allows you to schedule and manage a wide range of accounts across different social media platforms. We can schedule Instagram posts, Facebook, LinkedIn and more, plus add on additional accounts for our clients, saving us from swapping between different log-ins. This has helped to be more efficient with our work and also keep our weeks organised as we can schedule everything at the start of the week, ready to be automatically posted.
Annie Everill, Digital marketing executive, Imaginaire
Learn from AuthorityHacker and Backlinko
There’s tons to learn from AuthorityHacker.com. Their podcast is great to listen to while you walk, for example. I also recommend their YouTube channel, it’s plenty of free, educational videos.
I also like Backlinko.com. Its hub about SEO is full of free resources any beginner (or expert) should read.
Both AuthorityHacker and Backlinko have been helping me a lot during my online venture, both for learning new concepts or trying new marketing strategies.
Erik Emanuelli, Author and Internet Marketer, ErikEmanuelli.com
