Best SEO Tips to drive results?

[Austin Mudd]

I am running my own website,  and a partners website, through Investor Carrot. I am making an effort for 2017 to put more time to help drive SEO results to both our websites. 

I'm looking to spend a few hours a week on helping to do this and I'll be spending more time looking at IC's resources, but it's definitely been challenging as I know nothing about SEO marketing so I'm not sure what i've done is even effective.

What are the best tools to track SEO results and websites to comment and drive SEO by back linking? If anyone has any other general tips that would be so great to hear.

I'm looking for free and affordable options as I don't have the budget to hire someone for SEO currently.