Marketing your business online seems like a pricey and challenging undertaking, but don’t discount that amount of eyes that could be on your tiny startup if you start promoting on the web. There are plenty of free or inexpensive ways to attract new clients, grow your business, and achieve more sales. Here are 7 of the most effective ways to do just that.
1. Influencer Marketing
Start reaching out to influencers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote your business via marketing to their already hungry follower base. Plenty of influencers will volunteer to showcase your product, but if you can’t find one, you can contract a few as freelance marketers. Be sure to use a social media influencer contract to protect state terms like money exchanged and the agreement’s length. Doing so will protect both of you under the law.
2. Create a Website
It’s essential for your business and marketing strategy that you have a website, not just a social media presence. A professional-looking website can boost your credibility in your niche and help you get in touch with your customers. Your website also acts as a brochure for your products. Utilizing a website successfully will generate organic traffic and also send traffic to your other marketing efforts. Plus, you’ll have 100% control over all aspects of your business’s policies.
3. Write Knowledgeable Blog Posts
Content creation is extremely important because it helps you rank higher on search engines. Before we get to the elements that make a post appear on the first page of Google, you first need to produce engaging content. If your audience doesn’t connect with what you’re writing, or they don’t think you’re an authority in your industry, like photography, they’re less likely to buy from you. Commit to writing at least 1 blog post a week, so you always have new content.
4. Learn About SEO
Have you ever searched for yourself on a search engine? Do you show up on the first page? If you don’t, it’s likely because you haven’t taken advantage of search engine optimization (SEO). There are a lot of factors that play into whether your web page ranks like keywords, backlinking, non-duplicate content, and meta descriptions. It’s a lengthy and complicated part of promoting your business. If you want a more in-depth article on this topic, check out “What is SEO?”
5. Start an Email List
When your customers go to your website’s front page, does it have a call to action that asks for their email in exchange for a newsletter, a product, or coupon? If not, you’re missing out on a large number of new customers. Building an email marketing strategy is essential for growing your business because it cuts the time you need to convert users into customers in half. Just be sure not to bombard people with emails, or they’ll quickly unsubscribe.
6. Guest Post on Blogs
Building an audience takes a lot of work, and establishing credibility takes time. However, there are ways you can get more eyes on your website without ads, such as guest posting on other blogs or working with HARO. To appear on someone else’s blog, send them an email with a completed article that features links back to your website. HARO works similarly, except you answer questions posed by reporters that could appear on blogs, podcasts, or television.
7. Advertise on Social Media
It’s always good to have an active social media presence, but if you don’t, be sure to create one by advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter. Most social media platforms offer cost-effective advertising options that target your audience. Instagram has one of the best retail business resources because it uses the Shoppable tool. When a user clicks a Shoppable linked ad, it directs them to the product page instead of your general homepage.