There are many ways to promote your business on the Internet without spending tons of money on advertising. You may not have wads of cash when you’re starting your business venture, but with a little creativity you can still effectively advertise your products and services online. Before the advent of the Internet, small businesses only had a few ways to market their products cheaply, using methods like printing and distributing flyers or sponsoring local events. Now there is a huge world of opportunities open to you on the world wide web – you just need to know where to look.
Here are some ways to promote your business online without spending a lot of money.
1. Sign up for Google, Bing and Yahoo – The first step that you should not skip is to register your business in ‘Google Places’. This will allow your business to appear on Google Maps and be easily found in Google searches. The process is very easy: all you have to do is fill out a simple form and then get verified by phone or email. Also register your business with ‘Yahoo Local’ and Bing as these 3 are the major search engines and have huge databases of businesses from all over the world.
2. Press releases – Whenever your business does something that is newsworthy, feel free to make it public through a press release. Press releases can be very effective in generating publicity for your business. There are many news websites that allow companies to submit free press releases. Try sites like ‘PRLog’ or ’24/7 Press Release’. If you want more exposure, you can opt for paid press release distribution.
3. Participate in online communities – You can find online communities in almost every possible niche where people meet to discuss problems and other things related to that niche. Register an account with some of these online community sites. They are generally free to join. You can get an incredible amount of exposure through active participation on these community sites. You can passively promote your business via a link in your signature or by mentioning your website as long as the context is appropriate.
4. Photo and video sharing sites – Sites like YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and Flickr are not just for photographers or teenagers. Any business can make use of these sites to generate traffic and gain free exposure. You may post images or videos of your office, staff, events, products, or any other newsworthy content related to your business.