How to Market a Small Business for Free

Want to market your business online but running on a tight budget? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there! And worry not, because there are plenty of easy and effective ways to market your business online for free – all you need to invest is your time.

Here are our four favourite methods for digital marketing, free of cost!

1. Google My Business – What is the purpose of opening a Google My Business account?

First and foremost, get your business on the most popular search engine in the world. Setting up a Google My Business account is fast, easy and an effective tool for marketing your business online. You will need to enter details like your business name, operating hours, service area and contact information, plus optional info like a picture of your business can really help too. Once you are set up, your business will appear in the right-hand side of Google’s results page whenever people search for it, giving people fast access to critical information about your business when they search for it.

Plus, if people are searching generic terms like ‘pizza in my area’ and your business happens to be nearby, it will pop up as a suggestion as well.

1. Social Media – How important is a social media presence when starting a small business? 

Setting up social media accounts can be intimidating if you aren’t familiar with them, but they are always worth it! You will want to think about what platforms your customers use and start there, but channels like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are always strong candidates. 

Social media is a great way to chat to your customers, advertise your business and show the world that you are an active and vibrant company – nothing will scare away a customer like an empty social media account! Maintain your accounts with constant, measured posting to keep them engaged, and always reply if a customer reaches out to you. Positive interactions are key – 78% of customers will buy from a business after having a great experience with them online.

1. Blogging – Should my company website have a blog?

A blog is a useful and engaging tool to connect with your humans, plus it will also highlight your status as an expert in your field. Creating and updating a blog is also a signal to Google that your website it current, plus it provides more opportunities for your blog to be discovered when people are googling queries related to your field of work – did you know that businesses with blogs got 55% more visitors than those without?

Blog articles can also be shared to your social media accounts – the whole article or just a snippet – and this can entice interested readers back to your website. 

When choosing what to write about, think of what queries your customers may have and try to answer them in a fun and creative way that they will enjoy reading.

1. Video – Should I include video on my website?

The simple answer to this question is a resounding ‘YES!’. The detailed answer is that people love to consume information via video, as it is more ‘personal’, and people retain the information and memory of the video better. Luckily, it is super easy to create videos for your brand – all you need is a smartphone or tablet and some steady hands. 

Be sure to create videos that are short, interesting and informative enough to keep the viewer’s attention, and don’t be afraid to try in-app video making tools – apps like Instagram and TikTok are especially suited for creating a video with filters and text effects.

The above are just some of the many options you have to advertise your business online using digital marketing strategies for free – you can also use an email marketing system, tagging in social media apps, linking to other businesses and more! While it can take time and effort for these options to bear fruit, your small business will definitely benefit from them in the long run.