Congrats, you’ve just launched your new business! Maybe, like many small businesses, you don’t have a pile of marketing money sitting around. Maybe most of the budget went into launching the business. You still need to get the word out, and luckily, there are plenty of ways to do that without breaking the bank.
1) Targeted Social Advertising
Cost: $5-20
These days, rising to the top of the social media platform isn’t a given. Whether you’re promoting your page, services, or product on Facebook or Instagram, it doesn’t hurt to narrow down your local audience and send some targeted ads their way. You can use the developer tools
2) SEO Updates on your Website
Cost: Nothing more than what you’re paying for a website
You’re already paying for your website, so make it work for you. If you use Wordpress, you can add the Yoast plugin to help tailor your own SEO to see what Google sees. This gives you immediate feedback on keyword locations, image tags, and what shows up when you pop up in a Google search.
You can also optimize all of your images with captions, alt text, and image descriptions. The more chances you have to pop up organically in a Google search, the better. Titles and headers are important also. We love being clever, but sometimes being more straightforward will do better when you’re trying to get off the ground and register with people’s internet searches.
Lastly, this means strategic keyword usage, but not stuffing keywords where they don’t fit. The algorithms are getting smarter and readers are getting more jaded, and those insane Amazon links that use every keyword under the sun don't cut it anymore. Don’t be like those Amazon links. Keep it authentic and the results will come in.
3) Google My Business
Cost: Free
Google is an incredible powerhouse. So powerful in fact, it’s almost a gatekeeper if you don’t rank well. The good news is that Google has plenty of lesser-known resources to help you rank higher in searches and make the most out of this search engine. Google My Business is a platform where businesses can create a business profile and listing.
This listing will appear in Google searches, and will help you start registering faster than waiting for your site to start showing up in results. These searches with Google My Business will start appearing when people search “coffee shop near me” or “computer repair near me” and will list your location, phone number, and website.
4) In-Person Meetups, Groups, and Flyers
Cost: Free
Take business cards and flyers around to other local businesses. Chances are they’ll be happy to host your cards on the counter for cross-promotion, and look up where you can hang flyers in lobbies or in-town event areas. Chat with groups, post on NextDoor.com, and see how you can be involved in local business meetups, events, and other places to help spread the word of mouth.
5) Save up money for one video or paid advertising spot
Cost: You determine the budget
This is where it’s good to start saving up for later. Once you get the ball rolling and have something coming in, you can see how much money you can allocate for a local TV spot, radio ad, print ad, or professional help with website development and marketing. This won’t happen immediately for most people, but keep it in the back of your mind and know that there are marketing firms out there who specialize in this, and will help you spread the word with their own tactics and resources.
6) Be Involved!
Cost: Varies based on budget and event
Local business means local involvement. Take a look at the local events calendar to get an idea of where your business might be able to support community organizations and events. This can mean anything from donating a good or service to a charitable event, or volunteering your time and helping get the word out about your business at the same time.
The cost for this can vary based on what the event and donation is, but even getting yourself and associates together for a night at the local food bank, or volunteering at a local road race can be huge in visibility and community engagement. Offer to donate a raffle prize with your item or service, or help staff a charity event. This means you’re getting yourself and your business out there while doing something good for the community. Sounds like a win-win situation to us!
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