Laying the Foundation with Google Search Console

Search Engine Optimization
Aug
11

Laying the Foundation with Google Search Console

08/11/2025 12:00 AM by Tushar in

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From Zero to Hero: How I Grew Organic Traffic 300% Using Only Free SEO Tools

Growing organic traffic without spending a single dollar on paid tools might sound impossible—but I’ve done it. Over the course of six months, I increased my website’s traffic by 300% using only free SEO tools.
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how I did it, step-by-step.

Step 1: Laying the Foundation with Google Search Console

Tool used: Google Search Console
Google Search Console became my starting point. I used it to:

  • Identify my top-performing pages

  • Find low-hanging keywords (terms I ranked for on positions 8–20)

  • Spot and fix technical issues like 404 errors or indexing problems

Pro Tip: Sort queries by impressions and focus on keywords where you’re already ranking on the second page—small optimizations can quickly push them to the first page.

Step 2: Keyword Research Without Paid Tools

Tools used:

I built a content calendar based on:

  • Long-tail keywords (easier to rank for)

  • Search intent (matching content type with user needs)

  • Seasonal trends (using Google Trends for topic timing)

Example: Instead of targeting “SEO tips” (too competitive), I targeted “SEO tips for small business owners in 2025”.

Step 3: On-Page Optimization for Every Article

Tool used: Yoast SEO (Free)

Every article got:

  • Keyword in the title, H1, and first 100 words

  • Meta description optimized for clicks

  • Internal links to relevant articles

  • Images with descriptive alt text

Quick Win: Adding FAQ sections helped me land in Google’s “People Also Ask” boxes.

Step 4: Competitor Analysis Without Paying a Cent

Tools used:

I studied competitors’:

  • Top-ranking keywords

  • Backlink sources

  • Content structure

Then, I created better and more comprehensive versions of their content.

Step 5: Building Backlinks Without Outreach Spam

Tools used:

Instead of sending hundreds of cold emails, I:

  1. Responded to relevant journalist requests via HARO

  2. Found broken links on related websites and suggested my content as a replacement

These methods brought in high-authority backlinks naturally.

Step 6: Tracking Progress Like a Pro

Tools used:

This helped me see:

  • Which blog posts brought the most traffic

  • Where visitors dropped off

  • Which CTAs were working

I doubled down on content formats and topics that performed best.

Results After 6 Months

  • Traffic growth: +300%

  • Keyword rankings: 40+ keywords in top 10 positions

  • Backlinks gained: 50+ from reputable sources

And yes—all of this without spending a single dollar on paid SEO tools.