How I Get Free Online Marketing for My Business

“There’s no such thing as free lunch.” This is a common phrase, especially in business. While it may be true in some ways, it’s not true in marketing, especially for your small business.

As a business owner, one of my main goals is to maximize profit while offering value. Marketing is essential, but there aren't always enough resources for it. This is why I do a lot of free online marketing.

There are effective yet free ways to market your small business. You only need to know where to look. Here are some tested and trusted ways you can try too:

Local Listing Services

If, for instance, you run a retail restaurant, Google My Business or Google Places are great options to give visibility to your restaurant on Google searches. It will also show up on Google Maps where customers can leave reviews on your dishes. Same goes for other product and service niches. It is an excellent way to create an online presence.

Microsoft's Bing also has an extensive database for businesses. Service-based businesses can also take advantage of this platform. Both listing services take just a few minutes to set up, and they are free.

There are a lot of online directories that can help you with this. Getstace.com is a tested and trusted digital commerce platform that I always recommend to new businesses that desire visibility. They help you sell your products and services with no fees.

Social Media Posts and Engagement

It isn’t enough to merely post on social media. Increasing engagement on social media platforms and building an online community is a good way to create a brand presence online. Create business accounts for small businesses on big social media sites like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. This also doesn't take time, and it's free.

You can encourage your customers to tag your product or service page on their posts or stories. They can also leave reviews in the comments section. This is a great way to get your customers to speak for you.

Got a new dish on your menu? Post it on Instagram today.

Create a Blog

A blog helps you connect to your consumers and get your business’ name to your target audience. There are many free hosting platforms for your blog, so you don't need to bother about the cost. You only need to stay consistent with updating the blog because a dormant website is as good as having none. I understand that this may be a bit of a task, but it’s for the greater good. Position yourself as a thought leader in your service niche and watch your small business grow.

Local SEO is a Way to Go

Google's algorithm is designed to show high-quality, accurate, and relevant content for any search query. Since you don't have to pay to get visibility on Google, there is an opportunity for both small businesses to compete with big businesses on SERPs. This is a great way to sell your unique selling proposition using keywords.

If your signature dish is a favorite in the city, chances are that people are searching for it on Google so here’s your chance to be creative with keywords.

If for instance, you run a spa, use keywords like affordable, flawless, and other keywords that are unique to your industry to get your business at the top of Google search.

Join the Right Online Communities and Contribute

There are online communities for every business niche. Find yours and get involved. When you sign up for an online beauty forum (for instance), and keep posting about your business all the time, you might end up as an irritant to the members of the forum. Consider active contributions on such platforms instead of boring people with unsolicited messages about your business.

Build rapport with community members without rubbing your business on their faces. Once you connect with the community, you can begin to promote your businesses passively by adding a link to your signature or mentioning your business within the proper context.

Hashtags

Yes! You read right. Hashtags are also free tools that you can use to read a wider audience with your social media posts. This doesn’t only apply to Instagram, TikTok or Twitter. Hashtags work for Facebook and LinkedIn as well. Is a fashion influencer trending? Tweet your business using the hashtag. Do this for other niches as well. However, you can always chip into any trending hashtag, but the more targeted, the better.

Use Data-rich InfoGraphics

Infographics are awesomely powerful marketing tools. They are pleasing to the eyes and easy to understand, so people love and interact with them. They are a good way to get referrals. Post them on social media, including WhatsApp.

The good news is that you don’t need to hire a graphic designer for this. You can design them yourself with free tools like Adobe's Free Vector Kits, Canva, etc. These free design tools give you everything you need to design clear, shareable infographics.

Every small business owner can use these strategies. Since the burden of cost is out of the way, all you need is a stable internet and a mobile device or computer to get started.

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