The SEO Tools I Actually Use
After 8+ years in SEO, these are the tools I rely on daily categorised by use case with honest assessments. No affiliate bias, no sponsored placements.
Keyword Research
Best all-round SEO platform. Keyword research, backlink analysis, and site audits.
Free keyword volume data directly from Google.
Good free tier for basic keyword research and content ideas.
Technical SEO
The best site crawler. I use it on every technical audit I conduct.
Essential for indexing data, keyword performance, and manual action checks.
Core Web Vitals checker. Check your LCP, INP, and CLS scores.
Link Building
The most accurate backlink data in the industry.
Email finder for outreach campaigns. Finds verified contact emails.
Help a Reporter Out. Earn links from journalists writing news stories.
Content & Writing
Content optimisation tool. Great for ensuring content depth and keyword coverage.
Readability checker. Keeps content clear and scannable.
Free trend data. Useful for content timing and seasonal keyword planning.
Free SEO Checklists and Templates
100-point audit checklist covering every technical SEO issue from crawlability to Core Web Vitals.
Get Free DownloadFill-in-the-blank optimisation template for any page in 30 minutes.
Get Free Download5 proven email templates for link building outreach with 40%+ reply rates.
Get Free DownloadSpreadsheet that generates perfect hreflang tags for any number of pages and languages.
Get Free DownloadProfessional reporting template to share progress with clients or company stakeholders.
Get Free DownloadStep-by-step keyword research process in Google Sheets format with scoring model.
Get Free DownloadBooks That Shaped My SEO Thinking
The Best SEO Blogs in 2026
The most consistently high-quality SEO content on the internet.
Fast news coverage and practical guides across all SEO topics.
Authoritative technical SEO content and research.
Breaking news and analysis on Google algorithm updates.
Data-driven studies on what actually works in SEO.
The best source for Google algorithm update analysis.
The 6 Tools I Use Every Single Day
If I had to keep only 6 tools, these would be them. Everything else is supplementary. Start here if you are building your SEO toolkit from scratch.
SEO Courses Worth Your Time
Free and comprehensive. The best free SEO education available anywhere.
Solid foundational course. Good for beginners building their first knowledge base.
Free certification directly from Google. Essential for any SEO professional.
Want a Personalised SEO Strategy?
Tools are great. Strategy is what drives results. Book a free consultation and get a custom SEO plan for your business.