The idea of marketing a business online is very doable, but the entire process can be a bit overwhelming. Not only does it require a complex set of intricate knowledge, but it also needs a wide array of skills. As an entrepreneur, you should know how important it is to market your business online, especially since it helps in visibility, branding and market reach.
But how can you reach new customers and gain a strong online presence? Or perhaps the biggest question is: “How can you market your business online without spending a fortune?” You already know that marketing a business – regardless of its size – is going to take a lot of time and money. However, there are a few low-cost ways to market a business online, and this is exactly what this article offers.
#1. Blogging
It holds true that building a blog requires a good amount of time, sometimes even years, assuming you’re taking it as a long-term project. The good thing about it, though, is that it offers you with the most cost-effective means for reaching your target audience. Being an active blogger means delivering a massive amount of value to your readers. You also need to convey key information relating to your industry, niche or main topic.
Let’s say you are into advertising in various digital platforms, and you want to write a blog post about the BannerBit banner ads marketplace. You want to make sure that your audience can find real value in the information you share (as well as trustworthy and reliable). And while the effect may not happen quickly, it will slowly build up over time.
#2. Email Marketing
Apart from being an effective, low-cost method for getting the word out, it is also considered as one of the best returns on investment (ROI) of your time. But much like blogging, email marketing will not make you succeed overnight. First, you have to attract the right people to your site. Start by creating compelling content, such as online tutorials, infographics, etc. In one way or another, gradually, you will be able to encourage customers to sign up to your email list.
Remember, however, that signing up is just one part of the overall process. There’s lots of work to do afterward. For instance, you need to be consistent in providing useful information continually. Keep in mind as well that email marketing requires skills involving writing engaging sales copy, in order to increase your conversion rate from those emails and newsletters. But as long as you keep thinking about your consumers, what are their needs and issues (and how can you help them), and adding value to their lives, your campaign will develop and succeed over time.
#3. Social Media Marketing
If you are serious about marketing your business online on a shoestring budget, you need to start mastering the art of social media marketing. While this one right here is proven to be a relatively low-cost method, you still have to carefully research who’s your audience on those platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.). Also, you have to decide how you’re going to gain followers or likes (for example, using Facebook Ads), what kind of posts you’re going to post, how frequently, how many of them will be pure content and how many sales-driven, etc.
The good thing is that the social media space is packed with billions of consumers, all of whom are ready to buy your products and services, so It’s just a matter of finding a way to reach them.