How I’ve Been Growing SEO by Building Free Tools

Hey IH 👋

I wanted to share a growth strategy that’s been working really well for me: adding free, useful tools to my site to boost SEO and attract new users.

Instead of only publishing blog posts or chasing backlinks, I started building small, lightweight web utilities that solve problems for my target audience. Each tool gets its own dedicated page, which creates more entry points for organic search traffic.

Here are a few of the most popular ones I’ve launched so far:

• 🔗 Link Expander – paste a shortened link (like T.LY or TinyURL) and instantly see the full destination URL.

• 📊 UTM URL Builder – easily add UTM tracking parameters to your links for Google Analytics.

• ⛶ Bulk QR Code Generator – upload a list of URLs and generate multiple QR codes at once.

These tools not only bring in steady search traffic but also funnel users deeper into my product (T.LY URL Shortener). Some visitors discover the tools via Google, use them, and then sign up for the core product.

A few lessons so far:

• Keep tools simple — one clear use case per page.
• Add helpful explanations so they can rank for related keywords.
• Promote them on social and in niche communities to give them an initial boost.

It’s been a fun way to grow SEO without relying only on content marketing.

Curious — has anyone else tried this “free tools for SEO” approach? What’s worked (or not worked) for you?