As social media becomes more of an advertising platform, businesses are struggling to find organic and cost-effective online tactics in order to build their brand. A common misconception is that you need to have a large budget to grow your business faster. The truth is, if you’re willing to put a little time and effort into promoting your business, you can generate more publicity that will be far more effective than paid advertising.
According to a report by the Content Marketing Institute, 72% of B2B marketers rely heavily on creating engaging content as part of their digital marketing strategy. This is one of the most important elements to building a strong presence online. Additionally, there are 8 ways you can create more awareness at little or no cost:
1. Build Up Your Social Networks
Make frequent, relevant and interesting posts on the major social media channels, and influencers and the media will take notice. Each network is different and constantly evolving as algorithms change. CoSchedule interviewed the top marketers in this arena and came up with a great infographic that explains the different suggestions for each social media platform.
If you are primarily using Facebook, for example, Ahalogy recommends one post to your Page is recommended each day between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. And Quicksprout suggests no more than 15 tweets a day on Twitter starting at 2:00 a.m. and ending at 10:00 a.m.
2. Start Engaging In Socials Media Groups
An active group on places like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google Plus that is relevant to your niche, can generate lots of interest – especially when you offer valuable tips and advice. At the top of the list is Facebook. Omnicorp reports that the average user belongs to 80 pages, groups, and events.
LinkedIn is still a top site for online business networking and making contact with leaders in your industry. In fact, according to Pew Research, 25% of adults in the United States are active on this platform. Publishing here directly will also help bring more eyes to your brand’s content, and establish more credibility.
3. Post Fresh Content On Your Blog
To stand out to your readers, you need to offer them original articles that answer their most pressing needs. In fact, the most popular types of content pieces remain numbered lists, which tend to attract more shares and engagement.
Reach out to other top bloggers in your niche and offer valuable comments either on their posts or through social media. As long as you’re adding to the conversation and not blatantly promoting your business, this is a quick and easy way to gain more exposure and foster relationships. Over time, you may find that these bloggers are looking for guest authors as long as they have something worthwhile to say. This will give your brand even greater exposure.
4. Feature Influencer Reviews and Interviews On Your Website
As your blog becomes more established, you can reach out to a larger audience by hosting a podcast interview or sharing advice from a list of leaders in your industry in a blog post. They will, in turn, spread the word on your content and help establish your business credibility. This should be done just two or three times in a year in order to be effective with the most reach.
5. Give Them Something Free
Freebies are great for generating publicity – especial on social media. For example, you can create a free eBook, report or exclusive webinar that offers something that is truly useful and leads to a higher end product offering. Whether you host a giveaway on your site or donate something for someone else to give away, it’s sure to attract attention. You’ll also get people actively involved and generate more interest. The bigger the savings, the more publicity you can expect.
Helpful Tip: Ask other websites if they would be interested in offering their customers an exclusive discount on your business if you do the same for them. This will result in good exposure for both of you.
6. Host a Webinar or Facebook Live Video
According to Outbrain, around 85% of marketers use video. You can draw a larger audience through things like a product demonstration, a question and answer session, or an interactive workshop. These types of events are sure to generate buzz. A fun or informative video about your business could easily go viral – especially when it’s live.
If you plan on hosting a podcast or webinar, keep in mind that some of the best ones are short and to the point in either audio or video format. As long as you have something interesting to offer to your audience, podcasting is a great way to reach people who prefer not to read blogs.
7. Put Press Releases On Your Website
A well-written press release is still one of the most basic yet powerful ways to spread the word on your brand. This will not only attract more website traffic, but attract the attention of various media outlets. Use resources such as PR Web to professionally distribute your release to the major news sites and search engines.
8. Run a charitable campaign
Featuring a specific organization for a worthy cause is also a great way to reach your community and show them that your brand cares about the issues that matter to them the most. Scholarships are another excellent strategy for your business, and can be offered as part of a contest.
In Summary
You don’t need a large advertising budget to spread the word about your business online. By using some of these creative methods, you can increase your social engagement as well as grow your blog traffic. It may take more time and effort to accomplish, but the long-term payoff is great.
If you’d like to suggest any other tactics to your fellow readers, please leave a comment, below.
Create Viral Press Releases and Content
Featured image: Copyright: ‘https://www.123rf.com/profile_casanowe‘ / 123RF Stock Photo
Susan Gilbert
Latest posts by Susan Gilbert (see all)
- 12 SEO, Digital Marketing Automation, and Live Chat and Chatbot Tools - January 24, 2023
- 12 Time-Saving Blogging, Newsletter Creation, and SaaS Tools - November 29, 2022
- 12 Customer Communication, Instagram Brand Reach, and AI Marketing Plan Tools - October 25, 2022