You don’t need to drop a fortune to promote your business online, but you do need to be strategic. There are a variety of free and low-cost options to get your company noticed on the internet by potential customers and attract repeat business. Let’s get started!
1. Be a Podcast Guest
Generate exposure and visibility for your business by appearing as a guest on a podcast. Additionally, it builds credibility and authority in your niche because it shows that people value your opinion enough to interview you.
Plus, being on podcasts helps build relationships with influencers and other experts in your field, which can lead to business opportunities in the long run. At the end of the interview, remember to direct people to your website for more information.
2. Run Contests
Contests are an effective strategy for increasing customer loyalty and engagement since they reward existing customers, attract new customers, and promote products or services. Contests can also enhance campaigns or launches by building anticipation.
Plus, they offer the chance for word-of-mouth marketing through participants sharing their experiences on social media, increasing overall brand recognition.
3. Create Quality, Shareable Content
Creating content like blog articles, videos, infographics, and guides is an engaging way to inform prospects about your products/services, as well as improve your site’s visibility in search engine results.
Craft content that is helpful to customers at
each stage of the buying cycle or provides tips and tricks on getting the most out of your products/services.
4. Optimize Your Online Presence
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a site, web page, or online content so search engines show it as a top result for searches of a certain word or phrase, known as a ‘keyword.’
Appearing in top search results brings free, passive traffic to your site, perfect for attracting more customers, generating leads, etc. Although it requires some technical knowledge, there are many free or affordable learning resources available online.
5. Set Up Google Listing
Google My Business is a free directory listing service that Google offers. Not only does having a Google business listing establish your presence on the popular search engine, but it also allows it to show up on Google Maps — perfect for businesses with a local customer base.
Optimize your Google listing with quality images, information, and keywords to help it appear in the 'local pack' section, which is prime real estate that highlights the top three search results.
6. Be Active on Social Media
Set up a business profile on
social media sites where your ideal customers are active, whether that's Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or Pinterest. Include a high-quality profile photo, description, keywords, and a link to your site. Don’t just post content — create meaningful engagement with your target audience.
Join groups or conversations that talk about your type of products or services, but make sure not to be spammy and constantly plug your product/service. Instead, focus on adding real value to the online discourse.
7. Leverage Email Marketing
Email is a cost-effective marketing channel that you can use to create email campaigns and automation flows (e.g. lead nurture). It's a great way to share content, sales, new product features, and anything else that would interest your audience.
Grow your email list faster by offering something of value in exchange, like a free ebook or discount. Also, make sure that your site has an email signup form to capture more subscribers.
8. Implement Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing can help you sell more products by having individuals or companies market your products for some sort of commission. This process can also be useful for a business that might be looking for additional products to offer but doesn’t produce the products themselves.
Make sure your pricing structure takes into account the fees or commissions your business will have to pay on any sales that are made.
Bonus Tip! Cross-Promote with Others
Partnering with other businesses that serve the same market but sell different products and services than yours is an effective approach to expose your business to a new yet relevant audience. Cross-promotion is a mutually beneficial tactic that can increase sales, leads, referrals, and email lists.
See Results with the Right Strategy
With these tips, your business can reach large audiences online quickly and cost-effectively. A thoughtful digital marketing strategy, in particular, can generate a higher ROI because it allows you to target specific demographics, tailor your messaging, and leverage real-time data to track results and measure success.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in March 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.