According to Strategy Analytics, the U.S. advertising spend is estimated at $187 billion for 2015. Of this amount, $52.8 billion (28%) is expected to be invested in digital advertising. Now it may be $30 billion behind traditional channels such as TV advertising, but digital is still the fastest growing sector. A major reason behind the disconnect between its wide and growing popularity and its low spend is the fact that many effective digital marketing and advertising methods don’t require a lot of money. In fact, by the end of this post, you’ll know five ways to promote your business online without spending a single dime.
Blogging is no longer an option for today’s businesses. Not only are blog posts necessary for today’s smarter shoppers, but they also improve your website’s SEO ranking as they allow you to put up fresh content regularly. According to Hubspot, B2B marketers that use blogs generate 67% more leads than those who don’t. Moreover, marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13 times more likely to enjoy a positive ROI. The only thing you’ll need to invest is your time, which may not be as costly as ad spaces or PPC campaigns.
If you want to tap into the power of what Pamorama believes to be the fifth most trustworthy source of information online, here are five quick tips to promote your business via your blog.
By April 2015, 72.8 million users (47.1 million American users) were on Pinterest and a little over 300 million (77.6 million) used Instagram. According to Pinterest Statistics for Business Sources, the average amount of sales generated through the platform was $123.50 in 2014. Pinterest also brings 300% more referral traffic to websites and influences the decisions of 47% of online shoppers. On the other hand, Instagram has proven to be more successful than Twitter in engaging users. According to E-Consultancy, the top 25 most engaging brands flaunted a 3.31% average post engagement rate on Instagram while scoring 0.07% on Twitter.
If you’re interested in using Instagram, Pinterest or both, here are five tips to help you out.
Press releases are one of the effective content marketing strategies if done correctly. Take for instance Green River Adventures’ PR regarding the launch of The Gorge zip line. Multiple publications and stations picked the story, allowing it to reach more than 8 million people. As a result, the company had a sold-out first year. If you want similar success (if not more), consider the following five tips.
Many believe that forums are a thing of the past, but there are thousands of people who still visit them to learn more and interact with likeminded individuals. Reddit, a community where numerous topics ranging from entertainment to pets are discussed, attracts 169 million unique users monthly. It has been used to advertise events and products both directly and indirectly. In fact, celebrities like Jeff Goldblum and Will Ferrell have promoted their movies and charities through this platform. To establish yourself as an expert and direct others to your offerings, use the following five tips to advertise via forums.
Google Maps can help you reach new customers who may be looking for the type of products or services you offer. Adding your business to this free service further allows you to share important information such as hours of operation and coupons, encouraging sales as well. All you need to do is log in with your Google username and password and fill out the information required. To further make your business stand out, prompt existing clients for reviews and add pictures of the inside and outside of your company.
These are just some of the methods you can start advertising your business for free. However, don’t shy away from paid methods, especially since you always get what you pay for with the right agency.
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