How I Bought SEO Tools on a Budget

What do you do when you can’t buy a new SEO tool, like SENukeX (did you read my SENukeX bonus yet?) – do you roll over and pour ashes on your head or just think you’ll never get the tool? Well, if you’re on a budget, then I’ll make a few recommendations of what not to do (in my opinion) and a few suggestions of what I did do when I didn’t think I could get a tool…

Confessions of a Tool Junkie

I know a lot of what I link to (usually because of my link cloaker) isn’t affordable for everyone: that’s OK – know you’re on a blog of a confessed tool junkie: I love tools for whatever industry I’m in. Right now, it’s IM 100% – so anything SEO or IM related, I’ve probably looked at the sales page already…

Usually I don’t buy. I’m too cheap to get everything, and I don’t like to rely on tools when I can do things better myself in most cases. Sort of like, “Do I buy this comment bot so I can comment on 100′s of blogs with, ‘Great post!’ – or do I just actually comment like a human being?”

I’d say: stay human with that one. :)

Anyhow – if you don’t know it yet: I’m an ex-carpenter. Love working with my hands when I can – but back in the day it was all about production. Sure, you can use a hand saw if you want…

Some prefer it. It’s a good workout. Also a great way to never, ever get done with a project on time (unless your time-frame is months).

So the tool junkie comes out in me. I love power tools. Same with SEO and IM: and I buy what I can afford, and what’s going to give me the most bang for my buck, not shy to report that right now SENukeX is going to be a time-saving “HECK YA!” addition to my toolbox, at least for a couple of months as I try it out (it needs to meet my automation standards first).

Remember this guy?

Well…that’s me, but with an ergonomic keyboard now.

So I buy tools, smart ones I like to think – and I always return what I don’t like. If you see me linking to it, it’s because it works, and I didn’t return it – but how do you afford the tools?

Develop A Strong BS Meter

Sorry, no polite way to put it – a lot of tools are just hype. In my experience, I don’t link to any – I actually use these things or have tried them.

But know that most of the stuff you see is entirely too hyped up to really be a bother…

WP Syndicator is one of those tools. Heck, you can pay $47 or whatever for it if you want to: but you can also do a much BETTER job for FREE using Ping.fm or Amplify.

Another one is SEOLinkVine – sadly someone bought through an old link of mine, I was shocked – that network did me no good. Little syndication, it was worthless…

So I have a strong BS meter. I usually scoff at what I see. You need a strong spine in this business (but don’t be afraid to try it all out for yourself).

How I Bought SEO Tools on a Budget

This is from a former freelancer on Elance (I do love Elance, by the way – recommended for anyone starting out and learning the ropes – I learned a TON there, got paid well) – I know how to live cheaply. I also as many kids as I do fingers.

My point is I’m frugal as dirt.

So when I found out I could get more work done with certain tools, I bought those first (my spinning software was a must for Elance gigs and my own linking: The Best Spinner and now Instant Article Wizard for the “seed” articles)…

Then I just used the spinner to leverage my time better, get more gigs, and buy more tools. That was step one for me, it might be different for you (it’s probably better to get into copywriting than spinning for the most $$).

The four ways I’ve used to get tools for cheap:

Barter
Quid pro quo – a little this for that, but not sleazy…this is the forgotten art of exchange – what do people want badly enough to pay you with a tool? OK, maybe they don’t buy you the tool – but they give you the money for it (same thing, right?).

This is exactly how I’ve “afforded” a few of my best, Market Samurai included (ghost posted on a great blog – got lots of comments, too!).

Sell Services
Obviously I’m a writer – also an SEO, sales fella, and consummate back-scratcher. I can’t scratch backs usually, but I do sell (or did, not counting my SENukeX bonuses) writing and SEO services – all with the aim of getting more tools.

This was how I paid for monthly subscriptions last year – see the “tool arbitrage” below…

Sold the Tool
Obvious one: I have you surrounded with affiliate links – I haven’t entirely broken even on my tools, but I’ve more than made my money back by using them.

Still – if I buy and enjoy a tool, I link to it and sell enough that it’s a wash. Meanwhile, I get the benefits of the tools I’ve bought and obviously love writing about it (keeps it fun).

Tool Arbitrage
This is where I’ll buy a tool (or used to do this) – and turn around and sell the use of it: so I’d buy an ArticleRanks subscription and submit enough articles to more than pay for it – and include my own articles in submissions as well, of course.

The net effect is that I’d do what I did in carpentry: buy the tools that made me money, then used the tools for making me money…

This is also why Magic Submitter, SENukeX and other tools will pay for themselves – at least one small way. SENukeX you can use on 3 computers – so that’s another “bonus” of the tool.

Can you imagine having 3 computers linking for clients? Or for your own projects? That’s money.

Steal (not!)
Uh, never. I don’t go to blackhat forums and download stuff for free or little money – just not ethical, and not my style. I figure the developer deserves his or her profit from the development, and I’d hate to be on the other side of all that nonsense.

Anyway. Just sayin’.

If You Can’t Afford A Tool…

Then try those methods out. If not – then simply do what the tool does: build links, find keywords, etc. manually. This is surprisingly how I learned a lot of what works from Magic Submitter back in May 2010…

And I hit #1 in Google for a lot of terms (still have the ranking)…But if you really can’t – then consider this:

Save up for it. Buy a one-time payment tool, like Article Marketing Robot, Bookmarking Demon or the like – these tools are solid additions to your link building, and no monthlies? That’s where it’s at when you’re on a budget.

Manual methods still work: follow James Martell’s advice – the guy’s making a mint, with no software shortcuts like I use (I think he’s nuts, because I’m impatient: but he is one serious player and I respect the fella).

It’s really not the end of the world – but if you CAN afford premium tools like SENukeX or whatnot – then naturally you get what you pay for: one solid piece of hardware you can use to make a lot more back on your investment.

I Think I Have Solutions For You – What Do You Think?

I’m on a mission of sorts to totally remove any excuses for not making money online – and I came up with a few ideas…

1. Should I have a forum? This is NOT MY IDEA. I shudder at the thought, to tell you the truth, because I think forums are great places to burn daylight…

I also think great forums exist already (I just got a premium membership to the Warrior Forum)…why add to them? The reason it’s come up is because a number of list members were asking about it…

But I hate to burst your bubble – I’ve never run a forum, and not sure it would be “all that” – it would have to be member’s only – in other words: you’d have to be on or join the emailing list (not Feedburner, I mean Aweber)…just to make it worthwhile for me.

All that said: I already think the format would make a lot more sense…it would eliminate the perpetual password post thing (though I’ve received more positive than negative feedback on that), and I have some ideas…like:

2. Barter board… The “barter board” is sort of like a “job board” – but you’d put up your “I want to exchange XYZ for 123″ type of requests. The idea would be exchanging services or time for products or services…

And it’s my way of putting an end to any excuses. :) In a nice way, I mean. I know money is an object for a lot of people – well: let’s barter.

And by the way – I mean this for YOU guys, not for ME – I’m buying my tools now. :)

What do you all think? Feel free to Tweet the living daylights out of this, or to steal the idea. No harm, no foul.

3. Job board… NOT that I think this is better than Elance – um, no – but you know the audience here more or less: other IMers…and if I can learn to set it up right, this can go out on the RSS feed, maybe increase your chances of getting a gig? I dunno.

I don’t really keep up with my stats on the blog, so I have no idea if anyone would hire anyone…but it’s worth a shot methinks.

What do YOU guys think?

Good ides? Mind you these will likely have to wait for a few weeks as I get back from California – but just wondering if these are good ideas or whatev’.

It’s also sort of begging for a forum – unless some snazzy WP geeks have some ideas (like: I need to buy the Genesis theme and use it’s layout functions….this theme’s getting claustrophobic…).

Thanks for readin’ and for weighing in!