Starting a business is no easy task and it can get very expensive. There are free ways to promote your business and get noticed without spending money. For your business to be successful you need to promote it for brand awareness. People need to know about your business and what you’re offering. In this digital era the possibilities of creating awareness are limitless. You may not have a lot of money to spare for marketing but there are plenty of free ways to promote your business.
Using free ways to promote your business is all about getting creative & thoughtful with your digital marketing and using the tools in your favor. They may be free but they are super effective when it comes to promoting your business.
Here are free ways to promote your business;
1. Google Business Profile
Engage with your potential clientele on Google free of charge using Google My Business. You can create a free profile on Google and create a great business profile that will create visibility for your business. This increases brand awareness and visibility and is a new way for clients to reach you. Google my business also increases your overall web presence. Whenever someone is looking for a product or service that you’re offering in your location your business profile will pop up.
RELATED: Free Google Tools For Business Owners
2. Website
Every business requires a website in this generation. If you don’t have an online presence, you don’t exist no matter how old fashioned your business is. A website is very important because it’s a way of showcasing your presence to people online. People are shopping more online and having a website is a way of promoting your business online. Even if you have a social media presence a website is very essential. It distinguishes you from other businesses and is a way of reflecting your brand’s personality.
3. SEO
After creating a website for your business, you’ll also want to make sure you’re actually discoverable on google. Google is the most popular search engine on the planet. People google for products or services. Search Engine Optimization ensure’s you’re discoverable on google and other search engines. You can hire an SEO expert or you can do it yourself with tutorials.
RELATED: SEO Checklist for Beginners
4. Blog
To improve and increase the value you give to your clients, you should create a blog section on your website. This will improve your SEO and make you stand out from other businesses. Having a blog gives people an educational point of view when it comes to your products. When you have a blog showing people how to use your products and services and why, it comes in handy. It makes people trust your blog.
5. Interactive Content
When creating online content you want to make it interactive. You can create quizzes linked to your products or online surveys that make it fun to engage with your kind of content. Make your content easily shareable as well. If you have a bakery, you can create quizzes like which cake best describes you and allow people to share this content on social media. This way you increase brand visibility free of charge.
6. Email Marketing
This is an oldie but a goodie. Email marketing has been effective for years and it can be an effective way of promoting your business. There are so many free starter email marketing tools like Mailchimp that can help you keep in touch with your clientele. The chances of people opening emails has increasingly dropped however it can still be effective. If your emails are creative and provide value to your clients your email open rate will go up.
7. Harness Social Media
Social media is one of the best free ways to promote your business. Most social media platforms have an option where you can open a page for your business. This is great for you to create a social media presence. Creating profiles for your business on all social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and in some instances Linkedin. You can then use these platforms to drive traffic to your online shops.
8. Business Directories
List your business in the various business directories in your area and location. There are many business directories you can list your business on from yellowpages, Yelp and so much more. This is also very helpful for SEO as it increases the quality and number of backlinks to your website.
9. Video Marketing
Video marketing has taken over and there are free tools you can use. You can market on YouTube and on TikTok by creating videos about your products. There are so many types of videos you can create for your business. From testimonial videos, tutorials, unboxing videos, behind the scenes video and so much more. This will create brand visibility and awareness for your products.
10. Online Customer Reviews
Online reviews are a big deal when it comes to your business. They show how authentic your products are especially on google and on social media platforms because people know those are real reviews. They increase exposure to your websites. Find a way of getting your clients to leave amazing online reviews. You should always ensure that you also respond to reviews both positive and negative to give potential clients some sort of experience on what it’s like to do business with you.
11. Partner With Small Business Owners
Reach out to business owners who may compliment your business and cross market for each other. There are some businesses that naturally compliment each other. For example caterers and bakers, wedding planners and florists. Research on the kind of partnership you can work on and get right on it. Cross market on each others blog and social media platforms and maybe collaborate on how to cross-sell your products.
12. Attend Networking Events & Expos
There are always expos and business networking events. Make a point of followin local events in your area. There are updates on LinkedIn, Meetup and social media platforms. Attending these events exposes your business to new clients and potential business partners.