Are you looking for ways to advertise for your small business? I know that when I started my first business, it was important for me to learn how to advertise.
The best way to advertise your business is to take the time to know what works for your business. Even if you just started your business I’ll give you some help on where and how to advertise your small local business.
Use Google My Business to optimize for local search.
One of the most powerful free ways to advertise your business is through Google My Business, which enables companies to manage their presence on Google Search and Google Maps. The tool can bolster your rankings in local search results.
Ranking high in local search shows you’re a legitimate and relevant company: you wouldn’t rank #1 in Google for “pizza places near me” if you’d closed down six months ago. Plus, if you rank high in local search, more consumers will choose your business over a competitor’s. In today’s fast-paced world, convenience is key.
Click here or scroll to the bottom of this post to learn how to advertise on Google for free.
Attend networking events and mixers.
Connecting with fellow professionals at industry networking events is a great opportunity to meet potential consumers in a place where they are eager to discuss your business. The niche topics of networking events ensure you’re meeting high-qualified leads. For example, a “Best Technology Startups of 2020” event will primarily be filled with participants who are interested in technology and startups.
Particularly for small businesses looking to make their first connections, networking is a chance to get your name out there, meet potential partners, and find opportunities for growth. Plus, it’ll keep you up-to-date on trends in your industry.
Claim, Verify & Create Local Listings
The internet is one of the first places people turn to when searching for a local business. In fact, 46% of all searches on Google have local intent. While 46% might not seem like a hugely impressive percentage, when you take into account that Google processes an average 40,000 searches each second, that translates into 18,400 local searches every second of the day. And, you know what shows up in the majority of local searches? Local listings.
So, local business listings are a great idea for advertising your small business. As you can see above, a Google My Business listing is essential. But, there are more free local listings your business needs to be on.
Make sure your business has a presence on the top local listings sites and include accurate and updated information across all of them. This may seem like a large feat, but it’s worth it to ensure your information is correct (plus, you can get help with listings management). Not only do search engines reward consistent information across the web (including the exact same Name, Phone Number, and Address), but correct business information creates a positive customer experience – something that’s super important.
Invest in SEM
“Google Ads and PPC [pay-per-click] can give you crazy amounts of traffic if you are tight with your campaign and run niche ad groups,” explained Andrew Riker, former SEO Specialist at WordStream. “Focused, long-tail keywords that are specific to your industry will yield the highest possible click-through rate and, in turn, conversions.”
Riker adds that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a lot of traffic. “A small daily budget—$10-20/day—can provide you with a large amount of traffic and qualified leads, as long as the ad is relevant,” he said. If you’re new to Google Ads or just want to keep up with the latest tips and information, be sure to check out Google’s Ads & Commerce blog.
Get Seen on Local News Sites Consumers Frequent with Display Advertising
Right now, more consumers than ever are turning to their trusted local media outlets for up-to-date news and information. In fact, there’s been a 30% increase in visits to local news sites in the last few months. Your business can get in front of these consumers and increase brand awareness using display advertising.
Here’s an example of two display ads on a local news publication site.
Display advertising is a type of online advertising that shows ads directly on local news sites and other sites across the web and drive local customers to your business’s landing page or page on your website. Use display advertising to promote deals or specials, provide information that might be relevant to your local audience, or promote brand awareness by sharing who you are and what you do.
Boost social media ads
Similar to Google Ads, social media ads provide a cost-effective way to reach customers online. “We tried print ads and banner ads, but for our money Facebook Ads provide us with the most focused consumers,” explained Chris Knollmeyer, Ecommerce Manager for Carolina Rustica. “Being able to target specific demographics,” he said, “lets us pinpoint people we have not reached yet and gives us a platform to reach out to them.”
If you own a B2B company, LinkedIn Ads might be the perfect way to reach your target audience. “We are a small business and our target market is small business users,” explained Damian Raffele, former VP of Marketing at AnyMeeting. LinkedIn Ads have worked well for the company, because it allows them to target a specific audience by geography, demographics, job title or LinkedIn Group. They can be tailored to a niche demographic, which ultimately benefits the marketing ROI.
Younger audiences are more active on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, so consider advertising on those platforms if that’s the demographic you want to reach. These channels are focused more on photo and video content, so it’s important to have a strategy in place that will drive the results you want.
Use Print Advertising to Reach Local Readers
The local newspaper provides various opportunities for advertising. You can place an ad or get a listing in the appropriate section (whether that be in the classifieds or elsewhere). Print ads are a great localized marketing strategy because you know the exact area your local paper is reaching.
Plus, with technology, you can track the effectiveness of your print advertising by using call tracking numbers or custom codes for your promotions or coupons to keep track of the customers contacting you or doing business with you from your print ads.
Speak at an association or local event.
Similar to networking, speaking at an event about a topic related to your industry is another way to exhibit your expertise. Giving a thought-provoking and powerful speech will draw attention to you and, by association, your business, which can increase brand awareness and prove your business is qualified to tackle consumer’s challenges.
To start, brainstorm different topics and volunteer at various upcoming networking events and trade association conventions. If you’re afraid of public speaking (don’t worry, a lot of us are), you could enroll in a local Toastmasters chapter to improve your game.
Put up brochures or flyers.
Putting up brochures or flyers in local libraries, coffee shops, and businesses is a unique way to market to offline locations where people spend a good deal of their time.
You can create free brochures and flyers on PowerPoint or Canva. Depending on your industry, it might even help you reach an ideal clientele: if you’re a physical therapist, for example, perhaps you could hand out brochures to local gyms or nearby hospitals.
Invest in direct mail campaigns.
With direct mail, you’ll know that the right audience in your nearby area is receiving your promotions.
While a single batch of mailers may not be enough to drive tons of business, doing frequent distribution campaigns will increase the number of impressions you make on your audience, which in turn drives brand awareness and keeps you top of mind.
Surprisingly, there are also a lot of free ways to supplement your paid advertising efforts. By incorporating free advertising tactics into your strategy, you can remove some nonessential costs and dedicate your budget to deeper, more long-term plays.
Host an Event
Your event can be pretty much anything you want it to be. It could be a party, demo, festival, workshop, anniversary sale, charity event, or webinar. The options are endless and don’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
And, you can adjust your event for right now by holding a virtual event or by creating a social distanced event. Your event could also coincide with a promotion — the first 50 visitors get a free coffee with the purchase or 20% off a service or product. It doesn’t take a lot for people to enjoy themselves, and many are looking for creative ways to (safely) get out of the house.
Conclusion
Marketing is the key to growing your business, regardless of how big your budget is. The ideas in this list come with relatively low risk—you can spend as much or as little as you want to see if a particular marketing channel will be effective
Don’t let your advertising budget dictate how many people your business can reach. Start putting together your advertising plan today.