Small Business Marketing Ideas that are FREE
Small Business Marketing

Investing in your business can be expensive. Advertising campaigns can cost you thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are quite a few free marketing strategies. These are ideal for both newer businesses with limited funding or established businesses trying to save money on expenses. Though free tactics may have some drawbacks, like requiring more focus and hours from you or your staff, they are good building blocks. Here are some of the top free ways to grow your business.

Build A Website

There are many resources that let you build a website for free. Depending on your preferences, you may need to pay for web hosting. You can avoid this if you’re willing to use a free web host. However, you may have third-party ads on your site and minimal features and capabilities.

WordPress

You can install WordPress for free. All major web hosting companies offer a simple WordPress installation. There are even free themes and plugins to help you customize your website. The nice thing about WordPress is that it’s fairly easy for beginners to use while having advanced features for professional designers as well.

Website Building Services

Companies such as Wix, Weebly, and others offer free plans to build your website. These services also offer upgrades. These can be a good alternative if you have no experience with web design and don’t want to outsource the task. At the same time, it does take some effort to learn how these platforms work. You will want to at least learn how to customize your site so that it doesn’t look exactly like thousands of others.

Use a Web Builder Provided By Your Web Host

Most web hosting companies provide website builder tools. Like the free services mentioned above, it’s up to you to customize these sites with your own layout, fonts, colors, and images. While you generally have to pay for web hosting, for around $10 per month (or even less in some cases), you can get a shared hosting plan with no ads.

Start a Blog

Blogging is one of the best free marketing methods of all. It helps you generate traffic, builds your domain and social authority, and gives the search engines content to index. You can set up a blog right on your own website or you can set up a blog on a third-party site.

Free Blogging Sites

There are quite a few services where you can simply sign up and start blogging for free. Some have been around for a very long time while others are more recent.

    • Blogger.com. Google’s free blogging service.
    • WordPress.com. Owned by the same company that makes the open-source website content management system discussed above. WordPress.com, however, is a third-party site so you don’t need to buy separate hosting.
    • Tumblr. A popular blogging site, especially with younger users.

Blogging on these sites is very convenient as well as free. There is, however, a downside to not owning your own domain. A domain helps you build your brand and is also helpful for SEO. Many third-party blogging sites let you host your own domain but you’ll have to pay a small fee for this (around $5 per month).

Build Traffic With SEO

The best way to get free traffic to your blog and/or website is to optimize it with the search engines. Here are some basic SEO tips that you can easily implement.

  • Get listed with Google. Local businesses should claim their Google My Business page, which is essential for local SEO.
  • Research keywords. Find out what terms your customers are searching for. Look beyond the obvious and search for long-tail keywords, which are less competitive terms that appeal to niche audiences. For example, if you sell weight-loss products “lose weight” would be a primary keyword and very competitive. “Can coconut oil help me lose weight” is just one example of a long tail phrase that’s not quite as competitive.
  • Use SEO plugins. If you use WordPress, take advantage of the SEO features on your dashboard. Choose categories and tags that are relevant to each post. You can also add free SEO plugins such as Yoast.
  • Make sure your site is mobile-friendly. This will help you attract a larger audience and boost your SEO as Google uses mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor.

Social Media

Social media is more than a popular trend. It’s become the primary way that most people spend their time online. While you can spend money advertising on social media, all of the basic functions are free. Each site has unique features that help you build your following and influence. Here are some of the most popular.

Facebook

With some 1.5 billion active users, Facebook remains by far the largest social media platform. Every business needs a presence here since your customers are going to be here. This means having a Facebook page and posting content regularly. You can also join (or create) Facebook groups that are relevant to your industry.

Twitter

Twitter is another platform that includes all demographics. It also serves a unique purpose with its format of short posts of 280 characters or less (it was increased from 140 a couple of years ago). Use Twitter Advanced Search to find influencers and potential clients. Aside from tweeting, you can host Twitter chats, form groups, and create short videos with Periscope.

LinkedIn

If you do business-to-business (B2B) marketing, you must use LinkedIn. It’s a powerful site for posting content, connecting with business owners, and building your brand. You can also use LinkedIn as a blogging site with LinkedIn Pulse.

Instagram

Owned by Facebook, Instagram is the leading site for visual content. It’s very popular with younger users but older people are joining as well. If your products or services can be portrayed in a visually appealing manner, Instagram marketing is a must.

Snapchat

With the ability to make customized filters, add your own interesting messages, and make your own stickers, Snapchat is all about personalization. For small businesses trying to establish or build their brand awareness on a shoestring budget and market to a younger audience, this could be the platform for you.

TikTok

If you can easily access video content, or have team members who have this skill, TikTok may be a good fit for your small business.  Many small businesses are learning to break into this heavily used platform by Gen Z.

YouTube

YouTube is not always thought of as a social media site but it actually is. It’s also one of the most important social media platforms as it’s the leading video sharing site. Furthermore, it’s owned by Google so it’s vital for SEO. Uploading videos to YouTube is a powerful free method for getting targeted traffic and building your authority.

There are of course newer social media platforms and ones that will launch the moment we hit publish on this blog post. The biggest key to determining what social media platforms to spend your business time on is knowing who your customers are and what platforms they spend their time on. If your customer base is 65+, TikTok is probably not a good use of your marketing time. You can also search for niche-specific social sites that may appeal to your audience.

Social media marketing works best when it’s part of an omnichannel strategy, which means reaching people on multiple platforms and devices. For example, make sure you have social media buttons on your website. When you publish a blog post, be sure to link to it on social platforms that are a fit for your business and where your audience will spend time. Always think of ways to link your pages and platforms.

The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Marketing

You can employ these and other marketing strategies yourself. The downside to this approach is that this can be quite time-consuming. Aside from setting up campaigns, there’s a certain amount of ongoing maintenance involved. If you have a WordPress site, for example, you want to make sure that your themes and plugins are updated and that you take advantage of any new features.

Furthermore, unless you or your employees have expertise in these areas, you might not make the most of them. SEO, for example, is a complicated process with rules that often change. Every time Google announces a new algorithm, SEO experts regroup, and figure out how to adjust. Similarly, social media sites such as Facebook are constantly introducing new features and changing policies.

If you decide you don’t have the time or expertise to manage these marketing efforts, outsourcing to an experienced marketing agency can free up your time and let you concentrate on what you do best.

BUZZ On Demand Marketing can help you create a buzz with any of your marketing efforts! To find out more about our services, check out our online catalog with no contracts and clear pricing.

Small Business Marketing: How to Promote Your Blog Posts
Content Marketing Small Business Marketing

As we’ve talked about in the past, blogging is an incredibly important digital marketing tactic. According to research from our partners at HubSpot, companies who blog regularly generate nearly 2.5x more leads than companies who do not blog.

However, a blog cannot stand alone. Think about it in terms of the age-old phrase, “if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” If you write a blog and no one can find it, does it make a noise? Does it matter? Is it worth your time? No! If you write a blog and no one reads it, then it’s not a valuable resource for your prospects and it’s not a good use of your time. But if there’s no one reading your blog, that’s not their fault, it’s yours. In addition to writing blogs, you have to promote them and help people find them. So how do you help your prospects find your blog? Let’s look at 4 ways: Read More

5 Tips to Increase Your Google Rankings
SEO Small Business Marketing

In the digital world, your Google ranking can mean the difference between profitable traffic and a metaphorical tumbleweed blowing across your website. You could have the most incredible product or service available, but if you don’t rank high on the search engine results page (SERP), chances are no one will find your business. However, there are a few measures you can take to make your website more attractive to Google’s algorithms while simultaneously improving the user experience, and it all starts with SEO. 

Read More

Why Small Businesses Need a Free CRM Tool
Small Business Marketing Software

As a small business owner, it can feel almost impossible to manage sales, marketing, and customer experience with a limited team or by yourself if you’re a soloprenuer! There’s an incredible amount of data and contact information to keep track of, especially if your business is seeing significant growth. How are you supposed to manage all of your contacts, update social media channels, track website traffic, maintain email marketing strategies, and optimize your campaigns without hiring more employees or breaking the bank?

This is where the free CRM comes into play.  Read More

How to Build Brand Awareness with Snapchat Geofilters
Small Business Marketing Social Media Marketing

How to Build Brand Awareness with Snapchat Geofilters

Social media has made it easier than ever before to connect with audiences in fun, creative, and engaging ways. With the ability to make customized filters, add your own interesting messages, and make your own stickers, platforms like Snapchat are all about personalization. For small businesses trying to establish or build their brand awareness on a shoestring budget, the ability to quickly produce eye-catching, tailor-made ads is key. This is where Snapchat GeoFilters will become your new go-to marketing tool. 

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10 Tips to Improve Your Brand’s Social Media Presence
Small Business Marketing Social Media Marketing

There are currently 3,499,000 active social media users online right now. Social media is the new way word of mouth travels.

Everyone has an online brand. It’s a matter of if you choose to control it or let others control it for you.

It’s vital to have a hold on your social media presence if you want your brand messaging to be clear and consistent.

Here are ten fixes that will improve your brand’s social media presence now.

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What Are Local SEO Services and Why Do You Need Them?
SEO Small Business Marketing

According to Google, “near me” local searches have increased by 500 percent over the past two years.

When a nearby customer searches for a product or service in their area, you can use local SEO services to attract them to your business. Google local SEO strategies can put your company on the map and get customers through the door!

So what is local SEO, and how can it help give your business a boost? Keep reading to find out.

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What the SEO Does That Mean? Your Guide to Small Business SEO Terms.
SEO

Search Engine Optimization — it can be so confusing and yet it is one of the most important aspects of small business marketing! Whether you are a one-person shop or have a few employees helping you out, none of you get paid if you don’t have customers. The Small Business Association says, “These days, consumers and B2B buyers alike find new businesses primarily by searching online. That means your website has to do some heavy lifting to attract new customers.”

Here are some SEO tips that you can use to increase your search rankings and therefore make it easier for potential customers to find you on that big world wide web.

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