Every good company needs to market themselves. But what if you?re on a tight budget and can?t afford to hire a marketing company to take care of your needs? Fortunately, there are lots of simple tricks largely using the internet that can allow you to market your business effectively for next to nothing.Design your own website
If you haven?t already got a website for your business and have been considering hiring a web developer, stop! You may be able to make your own website from scratch for free using a web building platform such as WordPress. You will need to first buy the domain name or a couple quid, but after this there will be no expenses. These sites are user-friendly and don?t require any coding. You do have the option to hire professionals to improve your WordPress site afterward, and you can always make changes yourself if you?re not happy with part of the layout.
Photo Credit: image from HTSABO
Make the most of social media
Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow you to connect to strangers worldwide. Companies have seen social media?s potential as a way of attracting new customers. By creating a business page on Facebook and Twitter, you can start creating engaging posts, as well as promoting your services to the globe. Invite all your friends and clients to follow these pages to give you a large following and improve your online credibility. You can even pay a few quid to promote your social media posts. It?s far cheaper than paying a marketing company for ads.
Blog your way to recognition
Blogging is becoming a more popular form of online marketing. You can blog about anything you like ? most business owners will choose to blog advice for fellow business owners or clients. By adding new content to your website all the time in the form of blog posts, your website will look busier and have more points of entry, naturally improving your SEO. Blogging can also improve your credibility, showing that you know your stuff. There are many websites that can teach you tips and tricks when it comes to the art of blogging. Make sure you read these so that your blog posts have maximum impact.
Build up your reputation with online reviews
Online reviews have more power than ever before and are becoming increasingly harder to avoid. Stop hiding from them and start embracing them. Get all your satisfied past clients to leave reviews on Google or Trip Advisor (you can even get your friends and family to leave a few positive reviews ? no-one will know). You can also collect positive testimonials and put them on your website. Occasionally you may get negative reviews ? respond to these politely or report them if you genuinely believe they are spam.
Outsource on a budget
You may be able to outsource some tasks without shelling out thousands on a marketing campaign. Sites such as Fiverr are full of freelancers offering their services for cheap. These services could involve SEO, product reviews, Facebook banner building, Press release writing and even advanced analytics. Check that freelancers have a website or testimonials to back up what they say they can do so that you know you?re getting a reliable service.
