Free Digital Marketing Tools Every Perth Business Should Use

Marketing software can get expensive quickly. Fortunately, some of the most useful tools for a small business cost nothing to use.

Below are the free tools we suggest Perth business owners set up first, with practical tips for each. Free plans and features change from time to time, so check the current details on each provider’s website before you rely on them.

SLINKY has worked with Perth businesses since 1998, and these are the tools we see making the biggest difference when they are set up properly.

Google Business Profile

For any business that serves local customers, this is the place to start. Your Google Business Profile controls how you appear in Google Maps and in the local results shown for searches such as “plumber near me” or “cafe Subiaco”.

Check that your business name, address or service area, phone number, hours and website are correct. Choose the most accurate primary category, then add your services.

Upload real photos of your team, premises and work, and keep adding new ones. Reply to reviews, both positive and negative, in a calm and helpful tone. Regular posts about offers, news or recent projects show customers the business is active.

Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) shows how people find your website and what they do once they arrive. It is free, but it is often set up poorly, which makes the data hard to trust.

The most important step is tracking the actions that matter to your business. Set up key events for contact form submissions, phone number clicks, bookings or online sales.

Once that is in place, you can see which marketing channels bring in genuine enquiries rather than just visits. That information is valuable later if you invest in SEO or paid advertising.

Google Search Console

Search Console shows how your website performs in Google Search. The Performance report lists the search terms people use to find you, along with your clicks, impressions and average position.

It also flags technical problems, such as pages Google cannot index and issues with your sitemap. You may need help fixing some of these, but at least you will know they exist.

Add your website, verify ownership and submit your XML sitemap. Then check in at least once a month.

Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing has a smaller share of searches in Australia than Google, but its results also appear in other services. Bing Webmaster Tools is free and works much like Search Console.

You can import your site directly from Google Search Console, which makes setup quick.

Google Keyword Planner

Keyword Planner sits inside Google Ads and is free to use, although you need a Google Ads account. It suggests related search terms and gives an idea of how often people search for them.

Accounts that are not running ads may only see broad ranges for search volume. Even so, it is useful for spotting the words your customers actually use.

A Perth landscaper, for example, might find that people search for “water-wise garden design” as well as “landscaping”. That can lead to new service pages or blog topics.

Google Trends

Google Trends shows how interest in a search term rises and falls over time, and you can filter it to Western Australia. It is useful for spotting seasonal demand.

Searches for heating services tend to climb as the weather cools, for example. Knowing when interest rises helps you time your content, promotions and ad budgets.

PageSpeed Insights

PageSpeed Insights, also from Google, tests how quickly a page loads on mobile and desktop and suggests improvements.

Do not chase a perfect score. Focus on the issues it flags as most important, especially on your home page and main service pages.

Microsoft Clarity

Clarity is a free tool from Microsoft that records visitor sessions and creates heatmaps. You can see where people click, how far they scroll and where they get stuck.

It is a good way to find problems such as a form that confuses people or a button nobody notices. If you add it, update your privacy policy to explain the tracking.

Canva

Canva’s free version includes templates for social media posts, flyers and simple presentations. It helps you produce tidy marketing material without design software.

Keep your brand colours, fonts and logo consistent across everything you make. Some brand management features are only on paid plans, so a simple style guide is a sensible backup.

Canva is handy for day-to-day material. It does not replace a properly developed brand identity.

Email Marketing Platforms

Several email platforms, including Mailchimp, offer free or entry-level plans with limits on contacts, sends or features. These limits change often, so compare current plans before you sign up.

A simple welcome email for new subscribers is a good first step. Under Australia’s Spam Act 2003, you need consent to send commercial emails, must identify your business and must include a working unsubscribe link.

When your list grows, our email marketing services can help with strategy and automation.

Meta Business Suite

If you use Facebook or Instagram, Meta Business Suite lets you schedule posts for both and view basic insights in one place.

The insights show when your audience is most active and which posts get the most engagement. That helps you plan without paying for separate scheduling software.

A Simple Four-Week Plan

Trying to set everything up at once usually leads to nothing being done well. Spread it out instead.

• Week one: set up Google Analytics 4 and Search Console, with conversion tracking for enquiries.
• Week two: complete and update your Google Business Profile, then ask a few recent customers for reviews.
• Week three: plan a month of social media posts and schedule them in Meta Business Suite.
• Week four: choose an email platform and set up a welcome email.

After that, use Keyword Planner, Trends, PageSpeed Insights and Clarity as you plan improvements.

When Free Tools Are Not Enough

Free tools give you data. Turning that data into better results takes time and experience.

You may be ready for outside help if you are spending more time on marketing tools than on running your business. The same applies if your enquiries have stalled or competitors are consistently ahead of you in Google.

The groundwork you do with these tools still pays off. Accurate tracking and a well-kept Business Profile make any digital marketing work more effective.

Need a Hand?

If you would like help setting up these tools or making sense of the data, get in touch. You will deal directly with senior people, with no lock-in contracts.