Everyone acts like you need to drop hundreds of dollars monthly on SEO tools to build quality backlinks. That’s nonsense.
We’ve been building links for clients across dozens of industries, and some of the best tools cost absolutely nothing. These ten free tools have helped us build quality backlinks without the enterprise price tag. No trial periods that auto-renew. No useless “free tiers.” Just solid, practical tools that get results.
Our 3-Phase Link Building Framework
Before we dive into the tools, here’s how we approach link building for every client:
- Phase 1: Discovery & Opportunity Mapping – We identify where your target audience hangs out online, which sites already link to competitors, and where content gaps exist that you can fill.
- Phase 2: Relationship Building & Outreach – We connect with site owners, editors, and creators through personalized outreach that provides genuine value, not template spam.
- Phase 3: Content Placement & Monitoring – We secure placements, track new backlinks as they go live, and identify unlinked mentions that can be converted into links.
Every tool below fits into one of these three phases. Use them strategically, not randomly.
The 10 Essential Free Tools
1. Google Search Operators (Discovery Phase)
Link: https://www.google.com
Most people use Google like it’s 2005. Type something, scroll results, maybe check page two. But there’s a whole other level to this.
Google Search Operators are like having a decoder ring for the internet. You type specific commands and suddenly you’re finding exactly what you need in seconds.
Key search operators to use:
- “write for us” + your niche for guest posting opportunities
- inurl:resources + your keyword for resource pages
- intitle:”resource page” + your topic for broken link opportunities
- Combine operators for even more targeted results
Best for: Bootstrapped founders, freelancers, small business owners starting from scratch. If you’ve got time but not money, this is your foundation.
2. Substack Directory Search (Discovery Phase)
Link: https://substack.com/discover
Substack has exploded over the past few years. There are newsletters about everything now, and they’re searchable in one central directory.
What you can check before reaching out:
- Browse newsletters by topic and niche
- Check subscriber counts and audience size
- Review posting schedules and consistency
- Read sample content to assess quality
The beauty of Substack newsletters? They’re run by individual creators who are way more accessible than traditional media outlets. And a link from a popular newsletter carries serious weight with engaged audiences.
Best for: B2B businesses, content creators targeting niche audiences. Perfect for building relationships with newsletter writers and tapping into engaged communities.
3. Hunter.io (Outreach Phase)
Link: https://hunter.io
Finding someone’s email shouldn’t feel like detective work, but it usually does. You’re checking website footers, scanning LinkedIn, trying different name combinations.
What Hunter.io does:
- Free plan gives you 25 email searches per month
- Finds verified email addresses from domain or name
- Eliminates guesswork on email formats
- Prevents bounced emails that hurt sender reputation
Best for: Anyone doing outreach at scale. Freelancers pitching clients, marketers building partnerships, small business owners trying to get featured.
4. Medium Publication Stats (Discovery Phase)
Link: https://medium.com
Medium has thousands of publications. Some have massive audiences and publish daily. Others are abandoned with three followers and a post from 2021.
What to check before pitching:
- Follower count and audience size
- Recent posts and publication frequency
- Engagement levels on articles
- Overall activity status
Take 30 seconds to vet before pitching. It’ll save you from writing for ghost towns.
Best for: Writers, content marketers, thought leaders, consultants, coaches. Anyone using guest posts to build authority needs to target publications that matter.
5. Check My Links Extension (Discovery Phase)
Link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/check-my-links
This Chrome extension is ridiculously simple but effective. Install it, click the icon, and it scans any webpage for broken links in about five seconds.
The broken link building strategy:
- Find authoritative pages in your niche
- Run Check My Links to scan for broken links
- Identify the broken ones worth replacing
- Reach out to site owner with a polite heads up
- Suggest your content as a replacement
They fix their site, you get a backlink. Everybody wins. It’s one of the oldest link building tactics in the book, but it still works because most people are too lazy to execute.
Best for: SEO specialists, digital marketers, agencies, tactical link builders who understand broken link building and want to execute efficiently.
6. Google Alerts (Monitoring Phase)
Link: https://www.google.com/alerts
Set up Google Alerts for your brand name, products, competitors, whatever matters to your business. Google emails you whenever new content mentioning those terms gets published.
How to capitalize on unlinked mentions:
- Monitor when people mention your brand online
- Identify mentions without backlinks
- Reach out and thank them for the mention
- Politely ask if they’d add a link
- Most people will because it’s a reasonable request
Free backlinks delivered straight to your inbox without actively hunting for them. That’s about as passive as link building gets.
Best for: Established businesses, brands with existing visibility, thought leaders, SaaS companies. If people are already talking about you online, track it and capitalize on those mentions.
7. HARO (Outreach Phase)
Link: https://www.helpareporter.com
HARO connects journalists writing articles with experts who can provide quotes and insights. You sign up for free, receive daily emails with journalist queries, and respond to ones matching your expertise.
What you need to know:
- If they use your quote, you get credited with a backlink
- Featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., and other major publications
- You need to respond fast—hundreds get the same queries
- Quality and speed matter more than anything
Best for: Business owners with real expertise. Consultants, agency founders, SaaS CEOs, subject matter experts. This is how small businesses punch above their weight and land features in major publications.
8. Terkel (Outreach Phase)
Link: https://terkel.io
Terkel works similarly to HARO but with less competition and more focused questions. Marketers and content creators post questions looking for expert insights.
Why Terkel works:
- Less competition than HARO
- More specific, focused questions
- Better chances of getting featured
- Content often gets syndicated across multiple sites
- One solid answer can generate multiple backlinks
Best for: Niche experts, consultants, agency owners, specialized service providers. If you’ve got deep knowledge in marketing, business, tech, or professional services, Terkel is a goldmine with less noise than HARO.
9. Google Trends (Discovery Phase)
Link: https://trends.google.com
You can pitch guest posts all day, but if you’re pitching boring topics nobody cares about, you’re wasting everyone’s time.
How to use Google Trends strategically:
- See what people are searching for right now
- Identify trending topics in your industry
- Spot questions gaining momentum
- Find timely angles for your pitches
- Increase acceptance rates with relevant topics
Relevance and timing matter more than perfect writing sometimes.
Best for: Content creators, marketers pitching guest contributions. This helps you stay current and pitch topics that editors actually want instead of the same tired ideas everyone else is sending.
10. ChatGPT (Outreach Phase)
Link: https://chat.openai.com
Don’t use ChatGPT to write your entire pitch or guest post. Editors spot AI content instantly and it gets rejected.
Smart ways to use ChatGPT:
- Draft initial outreach templates
- Brainstorm subject lines
- Structure your pitch outline
- Generate article ideas
- Handle boring structural work
Use ChatGPT for the framework, then rewrite everything in your own voice with your expertise. The free version handles this perfectly fine.
Best for: Anyone doing volume outreach. Freelancers pitching multiple sites, marketers managing campaigns, business owners who hate writing emails. This speeds up the tedious parts so you can focus on personalization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are free tools really enough or should I eventually upgrade to paid?
For most small businesses, free tools handle everything you need. If you’re managing hundreds of backlinks monthly or competing in super aggressive niches, paid tools offer more data and automation. But start with free. You’ll know when you’ve outgrown them.
How long before these link building efforts show results?
Typically three to six months for noticeable ranking improvements. SEO isn’t instant. Google needs time to discover new links, evaluate their quality, and adjust rankings accordingly.
Which tool should I start with if I’m completely new?
Start with Google Search Operators and Google Alerts. They’re the easiest to understand and require zero setup. Once you’re comfortable finding opportunities and monitoring mentions, add Hunter.io for outreach and branch out from there.
How many backlinks do I actually need?
Stop thinking in numbers. Ten high-quality, relevant backlinks from authoritative sites in your industry beat 100 random directory submissions every time. Focus on quality and relevance, not hitting some arbitrary number.
How do I know if a backlink opportunity is actually worth pursuing?
Check the site’s domain authority, look at their traffic and engagement, make sure they’re in your niche or a related field. If the site looks spammy, isn’t relevant to your business, or seems abandoned, skip it.
Should I use all ten tools or focus on just a few?
Start with three or four that fit your workflow. Master those before adding more. Having ten tools you barely use is worse than having three you use consistently and effectively.
Want to know exactly where your website stands right now? We’re offering free Zero-Click SEO Visibility Audits to 5 businesses this month. Email in**@************io.com with “Zero-Click Audit” in the subject line for honest feedback about your current situation and clear next steps.
