In the digital era, you have a multitude of marketing tools and platforms to choose from to help you market your business online. However, in a very crowded market, fighting for the attention of consumers is easier said than done, especially when you’re only starting out.
Here are cost-effective ways that will help you stand out in an oversaturated market.
How to Market Your Business Online
Online marketing is a fundamental part of every modern business. To succeed, you don’t necessarily have to break the bank. Take a closer look at a few cost-effective methods to promote your business.
1. Optimize your content
If you’re publishing content online, you have to make sure that the information you’re sharing is relevant and valuable to your audience. Next, you should optimize it for keywords that your target audience use in product research. Just don’t overdo it. Don’t squeeze too many keywords into an article.
Optimizing your content will make it easier for search engines to find you. It should improve your rankings on platforms like Google and Bing, where consumers conduct their product research.
2. Use social media
Open a Facebook Business page to reach consumers effectively without having to pay too much on ads. Engage directly with prospects on Twitter in real-time. Showing consumers that you care about them is key to establishing stronger, longer-lasting relationships. Build a network on LinkedIn and meet professionals who can further the growth of your business.
3. Leverage user-generated content
One of the easiest ways to keep your social media feed fresh and up-to-date is to promote user-generated content. UGC pertains to any form of content – photos, videos, and text – that users post on social networks and other online platforms. It helps you build stronger connections with your existing audience. At the same time, it serves as great word-of-mouth advertising, which should lead to more sales.
Find patrons who believe in your brand and your products or services, then establish strategic relationships with them.
4. Run contests and giveaways
Running contests and giveaways on social media can increase your engagements. While it is an amazing way to show patrons that you do care about them, it’s also an effective way of increasing your reach. It might not be totally cost-free; however, the returns will be worth your investment.
5. Run SMS marketing campaigns
Use text marketing alongside your online endeavors to increase engagements and improve sales. SMS marketing has higher significantly higher open rates than email marketing. According to MarketingProfs, the former has a 98% open rate, while the latter has only 20%. Emails lack the sense of urgency that SMS messages carry; thus, the figures aren’t entirely surprising.
Free Marketing Tools
There’s a wide range of tools online that will work for every budget. Below are a couple of budget-friendly tools that entrepreneurs need in their arsenal.
1. Canva
Canva is a free and easy-to-use editing platform. It doesn’t require any downloads or installation. All you have to do is sign up to start creating marketing materials for your online campaigns. It uses a drag-and-drop interface, making it convenient for entrepreneurs who lack Photoshop skills.
The editing platform also has free templates. You can pick a template and add your personal touches before saving your content for the web.
2. Buffer
Maintaining an online presence on multiple social media accounts can take a lot of time and effort. That’s exactly why you have tools like Buffer. It lets you schedule posts ahead of time, so you won’t have to spend a big chunk of your day posting fresh content.
This intuitive social media management tool has a free plan which lets you connect up to three accounts, ideal for small business with minimal budget. As your business grows bigger, you can opt to upgrade your plan to add more features and functionality to your system.
3. Keywordtool.io
A free keyword search platform, Keyword Tool leverages Google Autocomplete to discover valuable long-tail keywords for any topic you can think of. If you don’t have extensive SEO knowledge, it’s an excellent place to start. It’s free, simple, and easy to use.
Use the online platform to search for keywords. Then, add your findings into your content to optimize them, making them more visible to your consumers and prospects.
Getting Started
Marketing your business online can be costly or overwhelming, especially when your work isn’t streamlined. Integrating and managing multiple service providers is no easy task. If you’re hoping for a seamless experience, look for a one-stop-shop for all your marketing needs.
Pr.business has everything you need to promote your brand online. Get in touch with professional analysts for a no-obligation assessment of your company’s digital marketing strategy and find out how you can enhance it.