To thrive and expand, your business needs customers, and to attract them, you must promote your business. While traditional methods like flyers and brochures were once prevalent, today’s digital age offers a vast (and often overwhelming) array of options.

If you’re unsure about the best ways to promote your business or even what options are available, you’re not alone and in the right place. This article explores 30 effective business promotion strategies, regardless of your budget.

Table of contents

• How to promote your business on Google
• How to promote your business using online directories
• How to promote your business on social media
• How to promote your business in your community
• Other effective ways of promoting your business

How to promote your business on Google

Promoting your business is essential to differentiate yourself from competitors and reach out to your target audience. Let’s start with the most popular platform: Google. Utilizing Google for promote your business is a no-brainer. Dominating over 90% of the market share, it’s an ideal way to engage consumers actively seeking solutions. Here are some effective methods to leverage Google for business promotion:

1. Create and verify your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (Google’s term for your Google listing) determines your business’s visibility in Google Maps results, local Google Search results, and the right-side Knowledge Panel when someone searches for your business name (seeking unique business names?) and location. As Google refines its search results based on location, this free directory listing should be a top priority.

The key to leveraging your Business Profile is verifying ownership through your free Google Business account. This enables optimization of your listing for higher search result rankings and relevance.

Ranking on Google Maps or appearing in the Local Pack (shown above) on regular results pages (achievable!) means your business benefits from 24/7 promotion. Furthermore, publishing posts directly to your Google listing allows you to display attractive promotions to your audience when they are highly engaged.

For a deeper dive into this free and effective business promotion method, explore 13 Google My Business Optimizations.

2. Build a website

Regardless of your business or clientele’s traditional nature, a website is an indispensable marketing asset. It serves as the primary destination for current and potential customers. Even if they discover you on social media or Google, they’ll visit your website. Similar to your Google listing, it works tirelessly to promote your business.

A good business website is not just a promotional tool; it narrates your business’s story, outlines your offerings, provides contact details, and reflects your brand’s personality and unique attributes. It’s also crucial for measuring and enhancing the effectiveness of your other promotional initiatives.

For instance, running ads requires landing pages hosted on your website. Sharing valuable information on social media should link back to its source on your website. By directing all marketing channels to your website, analytics can reveal the most successful strategies and offer insights about your audience.

While free website solutions exist, a paid website is often necessary for serious business promotion. A custom domain name, a professional design, and the ability to scale and add features are vital for growth.

3. Implement search engine optimization

While you can actively promote your business, having Google do it for you is even better. SEO involves aligning your business with Google’s ranking algorithm. Since this algorithm now utilizes machine learning and user behavior to deliver accurate, high-quality results, optimizing for search engines essentially equates to optimizing for users—especially those interested in your offerings.

SEO isn’t a single tactic but a collection of strategies working in unison to boost your ranking. Thanks to Google’s sophisticated location-based results, your business has an equal opportunity to appear on the first page of Google alongside major retailers, without spending a dime! (Excluding website costs, of course).

Here are some SEO tactics to promote your business:

• Incorporating relevant (industry and location-based) keywords in specific areas of your website.
• Regularly creating original, high-quality content with tagged images.
• Maintaining fast page load speeds and robust security.

Explore more SEO tips in this article: The Top 10 Google Ranking Factors of 2020 (+How to Optimize for Them).

Securing a high search result ranking means Google effectively promotes your business, targeting individuals specifically searching for what you offer. It doesn’t get much better than that.

4. Develop a business blog

While content’s significance in SEO was highlighted earlier, its importance warrants a separate discussion as a promotional strategy. A business blog isn’t a personal online journal. While you can share milestones and events, a successful blog provides valuable content, reflecting your brand’s voice, addressing questions and terms your ideal customers search for on Google.

These questions and terms are known as keywords. The more content you create around these keywords, the higher the chances of your business appearing in search engine results. Effective blog posts can include:

• How-to and instructional guides
• Lists of strategies and resources (top 10, 5 best, 3 crucial, etc.)
• Q&A sessions or interview summaries with industry experts
• Thought leadership pieces
• Example/template posts
• Guest articles
• Customer testimonials or case studies
• Seasonal content (like this article!)

For assistance with keyword research and SEO-friendly blog post creation, consult these resources:

• nexus-security’s Free Keyword Tool
• What is SEO Content? A Guide to Creating Content for SEO
• Blog SEO Tips for Non-SEOs

5. Disseminate your content

A blog showcasing your expertise, approachability, and willingness to assist your audience is a powerful business promotion tool. Therefore, don’t just publish posts; promote them! Utilize social media, email newsletters, or transform them into downloadable guides for lead generation. Furthermore, by prioritizing shareability, your blog posts might attract attention from reputable websites, leading to mentions and backlinks—promoting your business indirectly.

Remember, as website traffic increases, fast content loading becomes crucial. For large or expanding websites, a CDN can ensure rapid content delivery. Numerous options are available, for example, HubSpot has a CDN option.

6. Utilize Google Ads

While SEO is a highly effective marketing strategy, it’s a long-term endeavor that might take weeks or even months to yield results. For immediate visibility and with budget availability, Google Ads is the solution. Google Ads appear above organic and local listings at the top of search results pages. Among search engines, Google reigns supreme, not only because it commands the largest search engine traffic share but also due to its flexibility, ad creation features, and comprehensive performance metrics.

Although mastering Google Ads requires time and experimentation, a well-optimized campaign is a worthwhile investment. Google advertising encompasses text ads on the Search Network and branded banner ads on the Display Network. For those ready to begin, our step-by-step tutorial on running Google Ads can be helpful.

If you’re already utilizing Google Ads, evaluate your campaigns’ true performance with our Free Google Ads Performance Grader.

How to promote your business using online directories

Consumers frequently consult online directories to research and assess businesses meeting their specific requirements. These platforms tend to be high-traffic, established websites with strong domain authority. It’s not unusual for your profile page or business name to appear on the first page of Google results through one of these domains. Online listings are quick to create and can significantly enhance your online presence, promoting your business to local, high-intent customers.

7. Create listings on major directories

Smaller directories often source data from larger ones. Creating listings on major sites can lead to automatic appearances on smaller directories. Below is a list of major directories to begin with. While all are free, they usually offer paid options for advanced features.

• Google (refer to tactic #1)
• Yelp
• Facebook
• Relevant niche directories such as TripAdvisor, Angie’s List, etc.
• Better Business Bureau
• Glassdoor
• Foursquare (Despite its decline as a social platform, its data is used by numerous other platforms.)
• Yellow/White Pages
• Bing

For a deeper exploration, refer to this article on the Top 10 Free Local Listing Sites.

8. Optimize your listings

Creating a listing is just the first step; optimization is equally important. Improve your business’s appeal and outshine competitors in searches by completing all profile fields, adding photos, and gathering reviews. Consistent information across listings and your website is crucial. Discrepancies can raise red flags about your credibility. Regularly monitor your listings for inaccuracies that can occur during auto-population. For additional listing optimization techniques, revisit the article linked earlier (provided again for convenience). here

9. Garner online customer reviews

While collecting reviews was mentioned earlier, their significance for small and local businesses merits a dedicated section. Word of mouth is arguably the most effective way to promote your business to the right audience. Testimonials on your website are valuable, but reviews on authoritative platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp carry even more weight.

These websites can boost your visibility. Their measures against fake or spam reviews make them more trustworthy. Reviews are also a key factor in local search rankings. To acquire reviews, consider these resources:

• How to Ask for Reviews (with Examples)
• Get More Google Reviews with These 16 Tried and True Tactics

10. Monitor and address reviews

Since many online directories allow anyone to add listings, your business might already have a presence and be accumulating reviews without your knowledge. Claim ownership of such listings wherever possible and monitor them diligently. This allows you to respond to reviews—another excellent business promotion method. Not only can you resolve (and potentially reverse) negative reviews, but your responses to positive and negative feedback showcase your brand values and provide potential customers insights into your business practices. RELATED: 85 Profitable Small Business Ideas Worth Trying

How to promote your business on social media

Social media offers a free avenue to publicize your small business. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter are popular choices, but consider niche-specific platforms like Pinterest or Reddit.

11. Prioritize Facebook

As the largest online social network, Facebook can be instrumental in engaging existing customers and attracting new ones. Promoting your business on Facebook varies significantly depending on your industry, but here are some fundamental tips:

• Create a Facebook business page with contact information and a call-to-action.
• Utilize Facebook events to promote and maximize event attendance.
• Host Facebook Live sessions for tutorials or behind-the-scenes glimpses.

For further insights into promoting your business on Facebook, explore our article 22 Facebook Marketing Tips for Small Businesses on a Budget.

Don’t overlook Facebook ads! Facebook advertising enables you to reach highly specific demographics by targeting based on user profile information like relationship status, profession, interests, and more. To begin or enhance your Facebook advertising endeavors, consider our article The 8 Best (and Free!) Facebook Ads Courses for Any Level.

If you’re already running Facebook ads, ensure you’re maximizing your spending with our Free Facebook Ads Performance Grader!

12. Engage and contribute on LinkedIn

LinkedIn has evolved beyond a platform for posting resumes. It facilitates group discussions, connections with potential customers, new partnerships, and general online networking. Potential customers can research you or your company before engaging in business to learn about your workforce size and employee backgrounds.

Promote your business indirectly on LinkedIn by sharing insights in group discussions and providing links to relevant content on your website. However, avoid excessive self-promotion.

13. Upload videos to YouTube

Video marketing is a highly effective way to promote your business, and YouTube provides a free platform for it. Promoting your business on YouTube can be a valuable tool for connecting with potential customers or clients. Create a concise video overview of your business and upload it to YouTube. This serves as an effective sales tool for your website’s homepage or email marketing campaigns targeting prospective clients.

You can also publish educational videos, tutorials, or how-to guides on your YouTube channel to attract individuals seeking your business offerings. Affordable video creation options are available; explore our article on DIY at-home videos. Adding videos to your blog posts, as illustrated in the nexus-security post below, can enhance their SEO performance:

Note that videos often appear in results for niche searches, sometimes even at the top, as shown below:

14. Advertise on YouTube

Like other paid strategies discussed, YouTube advertising, when executed effectively, can yield significant returns. YouTube advertising options include video ads displayed before videos in relevant categories or text ads appearing in search results:

15. Interact with your audience on Instagram

Despite being a relatively new social media platform, Instagram ranks third in popularity. With diverse posting options (permanent images, ephemeral Stories, IGTV series, live sessions, Story Highlights, etc.), it offers various ways to engage your audience and promote your business. You can:

• Promote sales and deals using hashtags for broader reach.
• Organize contests with free or discounted products/services to generate positive buzz and acquire leads.
• Share advice and tutorials to establish yourself as a valuable resource.

Explore these 11 Instagram marketing tips for more ways to promote your business on the platform.

16. Share updates on Twitter

Twitter, another free channel, can be effective for promoting your business, especially if your target audience comprises 18-24 year-olds. Building an audience might require more effort, but consistent activity can yield positive results.

Promote your products or services:

Or simply invite nearby customers to visit:

17. Explore Pinterest

While Pinterest primarily focuses on photo sharing, the ability to link photos back to your website creates opportunities for business promotion and driving traffic.

Pinterest is particularly beneficial for e-commerce businesses targeting a female demographic (Pinterest users are predominantly heavily skewed towards the female demographic). If this aligns with your business, consider becoming active on Pinterest.

18. Experiment with TikTok

Launched in 2016, TikTok has already already surpassed Twitter LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Pinterest in active users. Its user-friendly interface for creating engaging videos with special effects makes it an excellent video marketing platform, not just for Generation Z. While you can directly share how-to videos, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes content on the platform, consider promoting your TikTok channel across other networks, as shown below:

19. Participate in online communities

Offering assistance to others is an excellent way to gain an advantage. Join communities and groups related to your business or industry on LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook. Provide valuable advice and suggestions to those seeking help with problems or questions. (Ensure your profile information links back to your business.)

This fosters a genuine reputation and builds strong relationships with relevant individuals. Remember, while assisting one person directly, countless others observe your actions and recognize your expertise.

20. Consider influencer marketing collaborations

Businesses can be part of geographically-based and niche-focused communities, and influencers are the prominent figures within those niches. While they might not walk red carpets or host talk shows, they are respected, popular, and trusted experts in their fields. Their substantial social media and/or blog followings mean that a mention or feature can expose your business to a large, relevant audience.

Influencer marketing requires a strategic approach. Before contacting an influencer, familiarize yourself with their online presence across platforms; engage with their content through comments, likes, and shares; and approach them with a specific request and a mutually beneficial offer. For instance, offer a free month of classes in exchange for a blog review and social media mentions. Alternatively, propose a high-quality guest post for their blog that benefits their audience while providing a backlink to your website.

Here’s an example of an automotive influencer (David Patterson) promoting a local auto shop:

And here’s an example of an influencer in the home and parenting niche (Leticia Barr) promoting FabFitFun:

21. Invest in social media advertising

Social media advertising is one of the most innovative, widely used, and profitable forms of digital advertising today. Used by over 3.6 BILLION people, it constantly evolves to offer user-friendliness and exceptional value. When executed correctly, paid social promotion can target a specific audience, offering advantages such as:

• Familiarity: Reach your audience on their preferred platforms.
• Cost-effectiveness: Advanced targeting ensures your ads reach the most relevant audience.
• Supporting content: Your organic posts complement your sponsored content.
• Brand loyalty: Increasing your followers fosters community and loyalty around your brand.
• Analytics: Gain insights into what works best to optimize budget allocation.

How to promote your business in your community

The local community plays a crucial role in the success of local businesses. Retailers and restaurants inherently understand this. However, even businesses with a broader focus maintain strong ties to their operational locations. Let’s discuss some effective ways to market your small business within your community.

22. Pursue local press coverage

Pitching your business to local media might seem intimidating, but local blogs, newspapers, and online publications are always seeking fresh content.

Contact your local local news and explore opportunities to contribute articles—whether thought leadership pieces, resource lists, or newsworthy updates about your business. A compelling business story might even result in a featured article.

Consider writing about or inviting local writers to attend events you organize in your community in exchange for coverage.

If budget allows, a public relations partner, firm, or app can help disseminate your stories across multiple media outlets. For a more budget-friendly approach, publish press releases through companies like www.prweb.com. These releases might get picked up by media outlets and enhance your SEO through backlinks to your website.

Learn how to write effective press releases here.

23. Establish partnerships

Collaborating with non-competitive businesses serving similar customer bases can effectively promote your business within your local network. Once a relationship is established, explore cross-promotional opportunities through email lists, in-store flyers or coupons, or social media engagement. Don’t shy away from creative approaches to maximize the promotional benefits of the partnership.

24. Network, network, network

Local networking events provide excellent opportunities to enhance your community presence. While more beneficial for certain businesses (service providers directly catering to other businesses or consumers), any form of networking is valuable, even if it involves exchanging ideas and inspiration with fellow entrepreneurs.

Whether online or offline, these affordable marketing techniques can attract new customers and clients.

If you engage in networking (highly recommended!), don’t miss our nine networking email templates, like the one below:

25. Participate in, organize, or sponsor local events

Even in our increasingly digital world, attending, hosting, or sponsoring local events effectively promotes your business and strengthens relationships with local customers.

Consider conducting workshops at your location, offering classes at schools, libraries, or other local establishments, or hosting enjoyable seasonal or family-oriented events. Maximize your efforts by having someone film you while teaching a class and then share the video on your website and YouTube channel.

26. Utilize direct mail

Despite the dominance of digital media, sending postcards, flyers, letters, or other physical mail remains a viable method for promoting your business locally. The primary challenge lies in the inability to precisely target your mailings, necessitating high-volume printing and distribution for a response. However, when done correctly, direct mail marketing can attract new customers through a repeatable process.

Consider sending small gift packages to loyal customers during holidays to foster customer retention and encourage word-of-mouth referrals.

27. Explore local and offline advertising

Newspapers, magazines, radio, and television are traditional advertising avenues. If you’re considering promoting your business through print ads or other offline strategies, prioritize tracking to gauge their effectiveness. For additional local advertising tips, refer to this resource: 10 Effective Local Advertising Ideas for Small Businesses

Other effective ways of promoting your business

These last three promotional strategies are a mixed bag, categorized separately from the previous strategies.

28. Attend trade shows

If your target audience is national and you aim to sell products to retailers, attending large trade shows might be beneficial. If unsure about a trade show’s relevance, attend as a visitor before investing in a booth. If you have a good relationship with an exhibitor, they might allow you to spend time at their booth, offering observation, learning opportunities, and potentially free business promotion.

29. Implement email marketing campaigns

Although email marketing has existed for a long time, its effectiveness hasn’t diminished. In fact, 77% of people prefer permission-based promotional messages via email compared to other communication channels. Email is popular among consumers and businesses alike due to various factors:

• People appreciate staying informed.
• Email is frequently checked.
• Email offers detailed reporting.
• Lists can be segmented for targeted, personalized emails.
• Email marketing generates a 30x average return on investment.
• Email marketing platforms offer flexibility, creativity, and, most importantly, ease of use.

For more email marketing tips, refer to my article How to Write Undelete-able Promotional Emails.

30. Transform your employees into advocates

Strong leadership and employee appreciation naturally turn them into advocates for your business. Organize brainstorming sessions, encourage employee blog contributions, host informal discussions, involve them in local events, and offer family and friend promotions—value your employees, and they’ll reciprocate by valuing your business. Encourage social media sharing and equip them with information and tools to effortlessly promote your business.

How to advertise your business: The comprehensive list

Numerous options exist for promoting your business, regardless of your budget. Implementing the strategies outlined in this article, combined with regular review and adjustments, is bound to yield positive results.

This article covered a lot, so here’s a recap of business advertising and promotion strategies:

1. Create and verify your Google Business Profile.
2. Establish a website.
3. Implement SEO.
4. Start a business blog.
5. Share your content.
6. Utilize Google Ads.
7. Create listings on major directories.
8. Optimize your listings.
9. Gather online customer reviews.
10. Monitor and respond to reviews.
11. Prioritize Facebook.
12. Engage and contribute on LinkedIn.
13. Publish videos to YouTube.
14. Advertise on YouTube.
15. Interact with your audience on Instagram.
16. Share updates on Twitter.
17. Explore Pinterest.
18. Experiment with TikTok.
19. Participate in online communities.
20. Collaborate with influencers.
21. Invest in social media advertising.
22. Pursue local press coverage.
23. Establish partnerships.
24. Network actively.
25. Participate in, organize, or sponsor local events.
26. Utilize direct mail marketing.
27. Explore local and offline advertising.
28. Attend trade shows.
29. Implement email marketing campaigns.
30. Turn your employees into advocates.

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