Resources
You don't need a big budget to start showing up online — you need the right free tools, set up properly. This is the shortlist we install for our own clients, grouped by what each one gets you.
01 · Get found
Before you spend a dollar on ads, claim the free real estate. These are the first tools we set up for every client.
Google Business Profile
Your listing on Google Search and Maps — hours, photos, reviews, and posts. The single highest-impact free tool for local businesses.
→ Use it for: local visibility & reviewsFreeGoogle Search Console
See the exact searches that bring people to your site, and get alerts when Google has trouble reading your pages.
→ Use it for: search performanceFreeGoogle Keyword Planner
Find out what your customers actually type into Google and how often — the starting point for content and ads.
→ Use it for: keyword researchFreePageSpeed Insights
Test how fast your site loads on real phones. Slow pages lose customers before they ever see your offer.
→ Use it for: site speed checksFreeAhrefs Webmaster Tools
A free site audit that flags broken links and SEO issues, plus a look at who links to you.
→ Use it for: SEO health checksFreemiumAnswerThePublic
Maps the questions people ask around any topic — a shortcut to content ideas your customers already care about.
→ Use it for: content ideas02 · Measure
Stop guessing. A basic measurement setup is free and takes an afternoon — then every marketing decision gets easier.
Google Analytics 4
Where your visitors come from, what they do, and which pages turn them into enquiries.
→ Use it for: website analyticsFreeLooker Studio
Pulls Search Console and Analytics into one live dashboard, so your numbers live on one page you actually look at.
→ Use it for: plain-English reportingFreeMicrosoft Clarity
Heatmaps and session recordings that show where visitors click, scroll, and give up. Genuinely free, no limits.
→ Use it for: seeing user behaviour03 · Look the part
Most customers judge you by your website and socials before they ever call. These keep you looking sharp without a design budget.
Canva
Drag-and-drop design for social posts, menus, flyers, and ads — with templates that keep everything on-brand.
→ Use it for: graphics & social postsFreeMeta Business Suite
Manage Facebook and Instagram from one place: schedule posts, answer messages, and see what performs.
→ Use it for: Facebook & InstagramFree planBuffer
Schedule posts across channels in advance, so your socials stay active even during your busiest weeks.
→ Use it for: post schedulingFreeUnsplash
High-quality photography you can use commercially — a stopgap until you invest in real photos of your business.
→ Use it for: stock photography04 · Run the business
The boring-but-important layer. Less time in spreadsheets and inboxes means more time on the work that pays.
Wave
Canadian-built free accounting: invoicing, receipts, and bookkeeping designed for small business owners.
→ Use it for: invoicing & booksFree planCalendly
Let customers book calls straight into your calendar — no back-and-forth. It's how our own booking works.
→ Use it for: appointment bookingFree planMailchimp
Email newsletters and simple automations. The free tier covers up to 500 contacts — plenty to start.
→ Use it for: email marketingFree planZapier
Connects your tools so repetitive tasks happen automatically — new lead in, follow-up email out.
→ Use it for: automating busyworkNot sponsored — we don't earn anything from these links. Free plans change; check each tool's pricing page.
Not sure where to start?
Answer a few quick questions and the Business Toolkit builds you a personalized action plan — which of these tools to set up first, and what to fix before spending a dollar on ads.
Try the Business Toolkit