1. Online Forums
When you are starting out and do not have a huge following, one of the best ways to promote your business is by joining online forums. When you join a forum and post on it, you will be able to share your knowledge with other members.
To make the most of forums, it is best you join one where you can find your target market. For instance, a popular Nigerian forum like Nairaland may be a good fit for you if your prospective customers are in Nigeria.
Do well to research the target audience of any forum, before you join it to invest your time and energy.
2. Social Media Platforms
Social Networks are a great free way to share what you do and build a following of people who are interested in what you have to offer.
In this section, we shall briefly highlight the different social media platforms and how you can use them or their sub-features to promote your business online.
YuSocial
Relying on the organic algorithm of most social networks can limit your reach. In other words, you would need to use paid advertising to increase your reach. This might be a challenge for people who have little or no ad budget.
However, a Social Marketplace like YuSocial has eliminated this challenge for businesses. As long as businesses build their community and remain active on the YuSocial network, they earn points which they can use to run ads and increase their reach on the network. In essence, advertising is free for active users on YuSocial.
If you would like to learn more about how YuSocial works, check out this article.
Youtube
As a small business owner, you may be looking for ways to promote your business without spending a lot of money. Luckily, there are several free ways to market your business using YouTube.
To get started, create a channel for your business and start uploading videos. Make sure to include keyword-rich titles and descriptions to help people find your channel. Once you have a few videos uploaded, start sharing them with your friends and family members.
Another great way to promote your channel is to post links to your videos on social media sites such as YuSocial, Facebook and Twitter. You can also embed your videos on your website or blog.
Finally, don’t forget to include a call to action in each of your videos. Ask viewers to subscribe to your channel or like and share your videos.
LinkedIn Groups
As the world’s largest professional networking site, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for promoting your business. And one of the best ways to take advantage of LinkedIn is to join and participate in groups relevant to your industry.
By joining these groups, you can share your expertise, connect with potential customers and partners, and stay up-to-date on news and trends in your industry. But with over 2 million groups on LinkedIn, it can be overwhelming to try to find the right ones for your business.
Here are three tips for finding the best LinkedIn groups for promoting your business:
1. Search for groups by keyword.
2. Check out the group’s discussion topics and activity levels.
3. Ask colleagues and peers which groups they belong to.
Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms with over 320 million active users. As a business owner, you can take advantage of this by using Twitter to promote your products or services.
Here are some of the best free ways to market your business on Twitter:
1. Use hashtags to reach a wider audience. Hashtags are used to categorize tweets and make them easier to find. When you use relevant hashtags, your tweets will be more likely to show up in searches.
2. Retweet other users’ content. When you retweet someone else’s tweet, it shows up in your followers’ timelines. This is a great way to get more exposure for your business while also providing valuable content to your followers.
As the world becomes more and more digital, businesses must adapt in order to survive. One of the best ways to do this is by promoting your business on Facebook. Facebook is a platform with over 2 billion monthly active users, which makes it a great way to reach a large audience. Plus, it’s free to create a business page on Facebook, so you can start promoting your business without spending any money.
There are a few different ways you can promote your business on Facebook. You can start by creating quality content that will interest your target audience. This could include posts, infographics, videos, or anything else that would be relevant to your industry. Once you have some great content, make sure to share it on your business page and in relevant Facebook groups.
Facebook Stories
Facebook Stories is one of the best free ways to market your business. By creating a Facebook Story, you can reach out to potential customers who are scrolling through the Story Feeds. Even though each video story lasts for 20seconds, a whole lot can be said within this short time. With Facebook Stories you can include photos, videos, and links to help promote your business.
If you're not sure how to get started, check out these tips:
1. Start by creating a compelling story that will grab attention.
2. Use high-quality visuals that are eye-catching and easy to understand.
3. Make sure your story is relevant to your target audience.
4. Use calls to action throughout your story to encourage engagement.
By following these tips, you can create a Facebook Story that will help promote your business and reach new potential customers.
Another best free way to market your business is through WhatsApp. With over 1 billion daily active users, WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world.
WhatsApp allows you to send text, photos, videos, and documents to anyone with a WhatsApp account. You can also create groups so that you can easily stay in touch with multiple people at once. Best of all, WhatsApp is completely free to use.
There are several ways that you can use WhatsApp to promote your business. For example, you can create a group for your customers and offer exclusive deals or discounts. You can also use WhatsApp to share news and updates about your business with potential customers.
WhatsApp Broadcasts
Broadcasting messages on WhatsApp is a great way to reach a large number of people without spending any money on advertising. It’s also an effective way to build a one-on-one rapport with potential and current customers.
When engaging with WhatsApp Broadcasts, you need to respect people's wish to be taken off your list. This is also important to avoid getting your number blacklisted for spam.
If you want an easy way to send out broadcasts to numbers not saved on your mobile phone, check out the AppsOnDuty Social Media web application.
WhatsApp Status
As a small business owner, you're always looking for ways to get the word out about your products or services. You want to find the best free ways to market your business so that you can save money and still reach a large audience. Using WhatsApp Status is a great way to do this.
With the WhatsApp Status feature, you can easily promote your products and services to a large audience.
Here's how you can use WhatsApp Status to promote your business:
1. Create an attention-grabbing status update that includes a call-to-action.
2. Make sure your status updates are timely and relevant to your target audience.
3. Use attractive visuals to make your status updates more eye-catching.
4. Use WhatsApp's built-in analytics tool to track the performance of your status updates.
In today's digital age, one of the best free ways you can market your business is through Instagram. With over 800 million users, this social media platform provides ample opportunities for businesses to reach new customers.
Here are some tips on how to make the most out of Instagram for your business:
1. Use high-quality images and videos: This is crucial in order to capture people's attention as they scroll through their feed. Make sure your content is eye-catching and visually appealing.
2. Utilize hashtags: Hashtags are a great way to help people find your content. Use relevant and popular hashtags that relate to your business or product.
3. Take advantage of Instagram Stories: Stories are a quick and easy way to share updates with your followers.
Tiktok
If you are wondering how to promote your business online in this age of technology, Tiktok is one of the most poplar ways to do this.
TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that allows users to create and share 15-second videos, on any topic. It is available in over 150 countries and 40 languages.
The app is popular with Gen Zers and millennials, and is a great way to reach out to this demographic. But it can be used by businesses of all types and sizes.
Here are some tips on how to use TikTok for your business:
1. Keep it short and sweet – remember, you only have 15 seconds!
2. Be creative – use props, film in different locations, or use creative editing techniques.
3. Add your brand logo or slogan to your videos.
4. Promote your videos on other platforms such as Instagram, YuSocial, Facebook and Twitter
5. Encourage community engagement
6. Keep it relevant
Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to promote your business online for free. By using popular hashtags, you can reach a wider audience and get your message out there.
If you are on a social network that uses hashtags, do well to make the most of them.
Here are some tips on how to use hashtags to promote your business:
1. Use relevant hashtags
When choosing hashtags, make sure they are relevant to your business and what you’re trying to promote. This will help you reach the right people and get more engagement.
2. Use popular hashtags
Hashtags that are popular tend to get more exposure, so using them can help you reach a wider audience. However, make sure the popular hashtag is still relevant to your business.
3. Use specific hashtags
In addition to using general and popular hashtags, you can also use specific ones that are related to your business or product.
This is important if you want to easily track all the activity from specific events or brands.
3. Blogging
If you're running a business, large or small, you need to find ways to market it effectively.
One great way to reach potential customers is through blogging. You can start a blog about your business, or write blog posts about topics related to your industry. This will help you attract readers who are interested in what you have to offer.
But how do you make sure your blog is seen by the right people? Here are some tips you can follow, to make the most of your blog:
1. Use keywords
Make sure your blog posts are full of relevant keywords that users might search for when looking for information about your industry.
2. Promote your blog on social media
Use Twitter, YuSocial, Facebook, and LinkedIn to share your latest blog post with your followers.
3. Guest post on other blogs
This is a great way to get exposure for your own blog and build relationships with other bloggers in your industry.
4. Comment on other blogs
This is a great way to get more exposure for your blog, and show that you are an expert in your industry.
4. Google My Business
Google My Business is one of the best free ways to market your business., especially if you have a physical office. It allows you to create a listing for your business that appears in search results when people search for your business or related businesses.
You can also use Google My Business to post updates about your business, such as special offers or events.
According to Publer.io:
- Local businesses receive 94% of calls from GMB on weekdays.
- A regular enterprise gets discovered in 1,009 searches monthly.
- 56% of actions on Google My Business listings are website visits.
- 49% of companies obtain +1,000 Monthly Views on Google Search.
Local businesses usually have a high ROI when they use Google My Business. It allows them to save time, money and effort while increasing revenue.
5. Classifieds Ads
Classified ads are a great way to reach a wide audience without spending a lot of money. You can list your ad in local newspapers, online directories, and even on social media sites.
Just make sure to include all the important information about your business, such as your contact information, website, and a brief description of what you do.
6. Business Directories
One easy way to position your business for long term marketing exposure is through business directories. Business directories are a great way to list your business and get it in front of potential customers. Plus, they're usually free to list in.
There are a few things to keep in mind when listing your business in a directory:
- First, make sure you choose a reputable directory. There are a lot of scams out there, so be careful.
- Second, take the time to fill out your listing completely and accurately. The more information you provide, the better chance you have of being found by potential customers.
- Finally, don't forget to check back periodically and update your listing if necessary. This will ensure that your information is always up-to-date and that people can find you when they need to.
7. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
One of the best ways to promote your business online is through Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. This means making sure your website appears as high as possible in search results when people are looking for businesses like yours.
There are a few things you can do to improve your website's SEO, including adding relevant keywords to your content and making sure your site is easy to navigate.
8. Attend Networking Events
Networking events are a great way to get your name out there and build relationships with potential clients. There are dozens of networking groups in every city, including the Chambers of Commerce, networks for women entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts, business owners and other professionals, so choose one and go!
9. Make A Deal Or Offer
Making a deal or offer is a great way to get people to take notice of your business. It shows that you're willing to negotiate and that you're interested in making a sale.
So don't be afraid to make a deal or offer when you're trying to promote your business.
10. Word Of Mouth
Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful marketing tools available to small businesses. Here are some of the best free ways to promote your business and get people talking.
1. Make sure your product or service is worth talking about
This seems like a no-brainer, but it's important to create a quality product or offer a great service if you want people to recommend you to others.
2. Get involved in your community
Build relationships with other local businesses and get involved in community events. This will help you raise awareness for your business and make it more visible to potential customers.
3. Use social media wisely
Social media can be a great way to connect with potential customers and promote your business, but only if you use it wisely. Posting relevant, interesting content will keep followers engaged and help you build a base of potential customers.
4. Make referrals easy
People are more likely to recommend your business if there is something in it for them, and if they can do it easily and quickly.
Conclusion
One of the top reasons why businesses fail is because of lack of marketing and this does not come cheap. However, a lack of resources should not stop any business from getting the word out.
I believe the tips I have shared here are sufficient to get anyone with little or no resource, start promoting their business.
Is there any other free way to market your business I did not cover here? Feel free to share it in the comments section. OR simply just share what has been working for you, so we can also learn.
To your success!
Nwanne Mmadu 2 yrs
Great read! Thank you for sharing.