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Search Performance Marketing
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Resources Hub

Free SEO & PPC Resources

Every free guide, tool, calculator, comparison, and glossary definition on Search Performance Marketing, grouped into six topics: local SEO, PPC and Google Ads, technical SEO, content and AI search, conversion rate optimization, and analytics. Each topic starts with its pillar guide, then the articles, tools, and terms that go deeper.

Other ways to browse

This page is the complete index. If you want a shorter reading list or a single type of tool, these pages do one job each.

Guides Hub →A reading map: the pillar guide and core articles for each topic cluster.Learning Paths →Step-by-step tracks for beginner SEO, paid media, and analytics, in order.Calculators →CPA, ROAS, CPC, CPM, cost per view, budget, and lifetime value math.Checklists →Interactive SEO audit and PPC launch checklists you tick off in the browser.Toolkit →Copy-ready SEO audit, launch, and content brief templates.Comparisons →Balanced head-to-heads like SEO vs PPC and Ahrefs vs Semrush.Glossary →Plain-English definitions of SEO, PPC, and analytics terms.Blog →The full archive of practitioner articles, newest first.

Topic 01

Local SEO

Ranking in the map pack and local organic results for searches with a place attached. Start with the pillar, then use the industry pages for a playbook that fits your type of business.

Start here: pillar guideLocal SEO: ranking for local intent →

Free tools & calculators

Local SEO by industry

Third-party tools

Google Business ProfileThe free listing behind your Google Maps and local pack presence. Keep categories, hours, services, and photos current.

Topic 02

PPC & Google Ads

Paid search that pays for itself: account structure, bidding, Quality Score, and the audits that stop budget leaking. Run the numbers with the calculators before you change a bid.

Start here: pillar guidePPC and Google Ads: running paid search that pays for itself →

Third-party tools

Google AdsThe primary paid search platform for Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns.Microsoft AdvertisingSearch ads on Bing and its partner network. Most Google Ads campaigns can be imported.Google Keyword PlannerSearch volume and bid range estimates from Google. Needs an Ads account but no active spend.SpyFuAffiliateCompetitor research for paid search: the keywords rivals buy and their ad copy history.OptmyzrRule-based optimization and reporting layer for larger Google Ads accounts.

Topic 03

Technical SEO

Crawling, indexing, speed, and structured data: the foundations that decide whether a page can rank at all. The checklist and audit template turn the pillar into a working audit.

Start here: pillar guideTechnical SEO: a practitioner's field guide →

Third-party tools

Google Search ConsoleFirst-party data from Google on impressions, clicks, indexing, and Core Web Vitals. Set it up on day one.Screaming Frog SEO SpiderDesktop crawler for broken links, redirect chains, duplicate content, and missing metadata.PageSpeed InsightsCore Web Vitals lab data plus real-user field data. The first stop for speed diagnosis.Google Rich Results TestValidates structured data and shows which rich result types a page qualifies for.GTmetrixWaterfall charts for debugging what slows a page down.

Topic 04

Content & AI Search

Content that ranks in Google and gets cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. The content strategy pillar covers planning and authority; the AI marketing pillar covers answer engine and generative engine optimization.

Start here: pillar guideContent strategy for SEO →Start here: pillar guideAI marketing, AEO and GEO →

Third-party tools

AhrefsAffiliateBacklink index, keyword research, content research, and site audits in one platform.SemrushAffiliateCompetitive research across SEO and PPC. The keyword gap report is a strong starting point.Surfer SEOOn-page content scoring for keyword coverage and structure while you write.Answer The PublicQuestion-based keyword research that maps what people ask around a topic.Google TrendsRelative search interest over time, with seasonality, rising queries, and regional breakdowns.PerplexityAI search with live web citations. Useful for research and for checking which sources AI answers cite.ChatGPTGeneral-purpose assistant for research synthesis, outlines, and first drafts that you then edit.JasperAffiliateAI content platform with brand voice controls, aimed at teams producing content at volume.

Topic 05

Conversion Rate Optimization

Turning the traffic you already have into more leads and sales. Every lift in conversion rate lowers your cost per conversion, so these resources pair with the paid media calculators.

Start here: pillar guideConversion rate optimization →

Third-party tools

HotjarAffiliateHeatmaps, session recordings, and on-page surveys: the qualitative layer analytics cannot show.Microsoft ClarityFree heatmaps and session recordings from Microsoft. Easy to run alongside other tools.

Topic 06

Analytics & Attribution

Measuring what marketing actually drives: GA4, attribution models, server-side tracking, and reporting that ties work to revenue. The budget and lifetime value calculators cover the unit economics.

Start here: pillar guideAnalytics and measurement →

Third-party tools

Google Analytics 4Event-based analytics. Define key events and conversion values; the default setup is not enough.Google Tag ManagerManage analytics and ad tags without code deploys, with a preview mode for testing.Looker StudioFree dashboards that combine GA4, Search Console, and Google Ads data.

Books worth reading

Amazon links use our affiliate tag (spm-20). Same price for you.

Building a StoryBrandDonald MillerA framework for clarifying your brand message so customers listen. Useful reading before writing marketing copy.TractionGabriel WeinbergNineteen channels for acquiring customers and the bullseye framework for choosing which to focus on.Hacking GrowthSean EllisThe growth playbook from the person who coined growth hacking: acquisition, activation, retention, and revenue loops.Obviously AwesomeApril DunfordProduct positioning done properly. When messaging is not converting, positioning is often the real problem.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What free SEO and PPC resources are on this site?

Pillar guides for six topics, practitioner articles on the blog, six marketing calculators, interactive SEO and PPC checklists, copy-ready audit, launch, and content brief templates, a SERP snippet preview tool, a free local SEO audit, head-to-head comparisons, and a glossary of search marketing terms. Everything on this page is free to use.

Where should a beginner start learning SEO?

Start with the Beginner SEO track on the Learning Paths page. It puts the glossary, technical SEO fundamentals, the technical SEO checklist, content, and local SEO in a sensible order. If you already know the basics, jump to the topic on this page that matches the problem you are working on.

How is this page different from the Guides Hub and Learning Paths?

This page is the complete index: every type of resource, from pillar guides to calculators, checklists, comparisons, and glossary terms, grouped by topic. The Guides Hub is a shorter reading map of the pillar and core articles in each cluster, and the Learning Paths put a selection of them in the order to read them.

Which tools do I need to start with SEO and paid search?

Google Search Console and Google Analytics 4 are free and cover search performance and on-site behavior. Add a crawler such as Screaming Frog for technical audits, a keyword research tool for content and paid search planning, and Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising once you run paid campaigns.

Are the third-party tool links sponsored?

Some are. Tools labeled Affiliate, and the Amazon book links, may earn this site a commission at no extra cost to you. Unlabeled tool links carry no commission. Each tool is listed under the topic where our guides put it to work.

Do the calculators and checklists require a signup?

No. The calculators, checklists, SERP snippet preview tool, and toolkit templates work without an account or an email address, and the calculators run entirely in your browser, so nothing you type is sent anywhere.