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50 Ways To Free Advertise Your Business On The Internet
50 Ways To Free Advertise Your Business On The Internet: You’re in business, but that means very little if you have no customers. Some forms of business automatically attract customers like word of mouth, they are few and far between and this is probably not true for your business. Word of mouth comes from actually having customers, then go and talk to others about their experience with your business.
Wringing your hands and hoping for customers is useless, but your budget might not support paying a lot, or anything, for advertising.
Here is some good news:
You can still advertise your business even if you have no room for advertising in your expense budget. I’m about to show you 50 ways to advertise your business for free on the internet. These platforms are a vital resource for small business owners or people just starting their businesses, as money can be tight when you’re just starting out and small businesses have a limited budget to spend on marketing.
Keep in mind that some of the listings we suggest are more effective for some types of businesses than for others, but with 50 ways to choose from, you are sure to find several that will help give your business a healthy advertising boost. With the objective of helping you grow your business in mind or, let’s get started.
50 Free Ways To Advertise Your Business… For FREE On The Internet ( Did I say it was free? )
# 1. Google My Business
It would be sort of ridiculous to not include Google My Business as the first place you should have your business advertised for free. After all, you have just spent a ton of time, effort, and cash to make certain that your web site was search engine optimized for Google. With Google business, you have the potential of being found within the nearly 8 billion searches that occur every day. With Google My Business your physical location and phone number can be linked to Smartphone app users so they can easily navigate to your door. Link up your other social media channels too.
Here’s how: Register your business at Google My Business in order to take advantage of the power of this top-ranked directory and to get you some free business advertising love!
# 2. MapQuest/Yext
You might remember MapQuest. Well, MapQuest has partnered with Yext in order to facilitate locating your business, business address, and phone number. It is also worth noting that MapQuest’s mobile app still shows up with Google Maps, so it is still a great way to help people find you.
Here’s how: Add your business and unleash the power of MapQuest w/Yext to build recognition of your brand.
# 3. Citysearch
Restaurants, bars, hotels, spas, and several other types of businesses can benefit from Citysearch. Citysearch partners with such platforms as Urbanspoon, Expedia, and MerchantCircle. Listings are accessed through the Citysearch mobile app. Businesses that are preferred by users are listed in “best of” lists which fall under 20 categories.
Here’s how: To get promoted on Citysearch you will want to register your business and location.
# 4. Manta
Dedicated to the interests of small businesses, you can hardly find a better directory that manta for getting your name out there. This site gets millions of unique visitors every month and this listing platform has one of the most comprehensive databases with geographic-specific, individual businesses, and industry segments listings.
Here’s how: Registration with Manta is quick and easy and you have plenty of optimizing packages to choose from as well.
# 5. YellowBot
You get a basic listing similar to those archaic Yellow Pages with YellowBot, but it also includes customer reviews and some additional options for those who upgrade to a premium package. YellowBot has quick sign-up and sign-in connected to Google, Facebook, Windows Live, Twitter, and Yahoo, making it easy and convenient.
Here’s how: Register your business with YellowBot in order to get your listing started.
# 6. Yellowbook
Easily searchable business listings that include your business information, a website link, product descriptions, map features, as well as options for display and video ads are all a possibility with Yellowbook. Besides being included in their business listing, you are linked with Google, Bing, and Yahoo partner sites and there is an affiliate program to take advantage of as well.
Here’s how: Put Yellowbook to work for you by subscribing to your business.
# 7. Superpages
One of the easiest business listings for users to navigate, Superpages also makes it easy to list and manage your business listing. Along with business listings, this service also includes weather and lottery listing. It also includes a quick sign-in option through Facebook.
Here’s how: Get started setting up your Superpages listing and watch your popularity grow.
# 8. Yellow Pages
The same old Yellow Pages your parents and grandparents used to flip through to find what they needed is still around and has a very well-organized online version. Besides your typical free listing, there are also a wide variety of premium options available when you are ready to expand. This listing draws 70 million+ visitors across its associated listings annually.
Here’s how: Get your Yellow Pages ad started online with a simple registration process.
# 9. Whitepages
This companion to the Yellow Pages lists about 30 million companies nationwide and offers additional options for premium services whenever you are ready to upgrade. Those services include a text message service for clients and a larger ad listing with expanded information.
Here’s how: Add and edit your business listing on Whitepages to get started.
# 10. MerchantCircle
Another free network targeted toward small businesses that are seeking to connect with local customers and other local small businesses is MerchantCircle. Boost your listings, post business blogs, and utilize a broad number of free marketing tools designed to help build your business.
Here’s how: Sign-up with MerchantCircle and become actively involved in what’s going on there to begin seeing the best results.
# 11. Yelp
The most popular online source for candid consumer reviews is Yelp. Being listed on Yelp can make or break you, but those who provide great service and good solid reviews will see a great deal of growth by using this listing. The demographics of Yelp users makes it much too valuable to pass up.
Here’s how: Be sure to get your business in perfect operation and then sign up with Yelp.
# 12. Bing Places for Business
Second, only to Google, this free business advertising platform by Microsoft, allows you to add multiple business locations, videos, photos, and a whole lot more. It has a quick and easy registration process and you can even optimize your ads for various viewing platforms through Bing Places for Business.
Here’s how: Give your business a running start toward the top by signing up for Bing Places for Business.
# 13. Yahoo Local
Still hanging in there toward the top of the business listing ranks is Yahoo Local. Running third behind Google and Bing, you can still get a free basic listing and are allowed some very affordable premium listing options when you are ready to expand your reach or have the budget to handle it. Though not a search engine giant like it used to be, Yahoo Local is still a sold listing directory.
Here’s how: Establish your online business presence by signing up with Yahoo Local.
# 14. Enroll Business
This directory offers a free business listing profile to get you started and then helps your business be found by popular search engines. There are also plenty of free and premium services to help expand your presence and better market your goods and services once your budget is able to handle an added expense of advertising.
Here’s how: Good your profile up on Enroll Business and start building toward the future.
# 15. Kudzu
Kudzu is a free database that claims to help over 20 million homeowners with renovation options every year. Profiles can include marketing descriptions, photographs or videos of in-progress or completed work, coupons, professional affiliations, and accreditations, as well as user-generated reviews and ratings to help give your business a leg up.
Here’s how: Get your Kudzu listing started and start taking advantage of what this site can offer your business.
# 16. Hotfrog
Hotfrog is an online directory designed to help boost your business among Google search results. Besides having a pretty significant list of over 1.6 million active users, there are a lot of options, like coupons and promotions, to help draw customers to your unique listing as well.
Here’s how: Register your business with Hotfrog to get started using its benefits.
# 17. Angie’s List
Nearly every one is acquainted with Angie’s list. It is one of the most respected review sites with completely objective reviews on the web. It boasts more than 3 million members who research, hire, rate, and review local service providers. This is a major listing that you can ill afford to overlook if you are serious about growing your business.
Here’s how: Join Angie’s List and get your business listed for review.
# 18. The Business Journals
Available in most major U.S. cities, this listing generates 8 million monthly searches. There are four levels of listings beginning with a free profile that gets you started and plenty of affordable options and resources to allow your business to grow and expand.
Here’s how: Set up your free profile and then discover how The Business Journals can expand your business to new levels.
# 19. DexKnows
Another online listing that monitors your ratings and reviews as well as provides data concerning how customers engage with your profile is DexKnows. This site also helps to provide you with additional insight into potential online and offline advertising opportunities, as well as giving you a boost when it comes to getting your brand out there. DexKnows is a mobile app that allows for single-tap searches and is available for Apple and Android peripherals. Your customers can mark favorites, write reviews and find your location based on GPS coordinates no matter where you are located.
Here’s how: You can take advantage of the free services of DexKnows by signing up and getting started growing your brand online.
# 20. Foursquare
Social networking and business directory collide at Foursquare. It allows users to check-in using their map and provides comments and reviews about your business whether on the mobile app or any desktop, laptop, or tablet. Foursquare boasts 60 million registered users and 50 million active monthly users.
Here’s how: Sign up at Foursquare and get involved in the community to get things rolling.
# 21. Local.com
Searchers are provided with detailed info about events, deals, and relevant local businesses for each city searched on Local.com. This database includes over 16 million business listing by zip code all across the U.S. to a given city. Premium options for later expansion are also available to give your business a greater boost.
Here’s how: Sign up with Local.com and take advantage of getting a listing in your local area.
# 22. Directory Critic
Directory Critic provides SEO-friendly article directories and web content to help as a link-building resource for promoting your goods and/or services. A general directory, as well as niche and article directory listings, are included in their no-cost service designed to help you develop a stronger search engine presence on the web.
Here’s how: Enroll in Directory Critic’s program and start optimizing your business presence on the web.
# 23. Best of the Web
Millions of websites are included in a collection of web directories on Best of the Web (BOTW). BOTW is focused on making listings both relevant and unique so that they attract discerning users. More than twenty-five million people utilize local search opportunities with BOTW on an annual basis.
Here’s how: Sign up to Best of the Web for free and then expand into premium options as soon as your budget will allow for it.
# 24. Instagram
We dive into the realm of social media with the free photo and video sharing app, Instagram. This app is available on Apple iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, making it extremely versatile when it comes to being used. It attracts over 1 billion active users each month and is an excellent place to give people an introduction into what you do and what you have to offer. It doesn’t work for every business, but it’s certainly worth having a presence on as this is certainly going to be one of the major social media channels for years to come.
Here’s how: Learn how to sign up and utilize Instagram to help grow you business.
Related resources on Makeawebsitehub:
Instagram tools
Best Instagram Analytics Tools
How to Make Money on Instagram
# 25. Answering Quora Questions
Being an expert/thought leader on Quora can draw attention to you and your business as well. Quora is a forum style platform with continuously generated user questions that are begging to be answered by experts just like you. Tap into this very broad and versatile audience to build your name and brand recognition. Becoming a thought leader in your field is a sure-fire way of attracting new clients and customers.
Quora also gives you an opportunity to create quality content related to your niche, outside of your own website. This is great because it allows a bigger audience to read what you have to say.
Here’s how: Register as an expert on Quora and start promoting yourself through your expertise.
# 26. Targeted Email
Targeted emails are not only free but statistically, they provide the highest rate of return on the time and effort spent to create and distribute them. You have to have an email list to make this an effective marketing technique, but there are a vast number of ways, 80 of them, to build your email list and make this into your best free advertising.
Here’s how: Make building your email list equally as important as closing a sale and start sending out promotional materials directly to your customers and potential customers on a regular basis.
Related resources on Makeawebsitehub:
How To Get a Free Business Email
How to Create A Professional Email Address
Best Email Marketing Software
# 27. Facebook Cover Photo and Background
Everybody sees your Facebook cover photo and background photos, so you might as well make use of them for advertising your business. Adding promotional offers, new items or new services to these image spaces will allow you to display your goods and services to a wide variety of people.
Here’s how: To get some tips on how to make use of this opportunity, click here.
# 28. Publish Content on LinkedIn
Changes to LinkedIn during the last couple of years allow you to essentially host a blog on LinkedIn. This helps to streamline your blogging into your B2B focused LinkedIn presence. You can establish yourself as an expert and also promote what you do and what you have to offer through these posts as well.
Here’s how: Learn how to get started publishing content on LinkedIn and then start expanding your business horizons.
# 29. Participate in LinkedIn Groups
Besides regularly posting content on LinkedIn, you can join LinkedIn groups to help network and market your business. Show yourself to be an expert by participating in LinkedIn group discussions in a respectful and knowledgeable manner and people will start seeking your services.
Here’s how: You need to make yourself more familiar with how you can market your business using LinkedIn groups.
# 30. Guest Blogging
Guest blogging on a blog that is closely related to what you offer in goods and/or services in your business can be an excellent way to reach potential buyers who are already interested in what you have to offer. You might have to work out some sort of an exchange between yourself and the blog owner, but a mutually beneficial deal is almost always a good deal to make.
Here’s how: Make use of a blog directory to find blogs that are a good match for your business.
# 31. Business Podcasts
You can accomplish this either by hosting your own podcast for your business or by offering to do an interview on known business podcasts that is related to what you do and what you offer. Depending upon your level of expertise in this area, you can grow an audience that can become potential customers rapidly.
Here’s how: Find the podcasts that relate well to your business and request interviews or study how they are done and begin to host your own.
Related resources on Makeawebsitehub:
How To Start Your Own Podcast
# 32. Utilize YouTube
Though YouTube is only a little more than 13 years old, it has already had a phenomenal impact on helping advertise and market businesses worldwide. An estimated 1.3 billion people use YouTube on a daily basis and close to 5 billion videos are watched every day on this platform. You can hardly afford to ignore this free business-building tool.
Here’s how: Getting started will take some solid research and a pretty intense learning curve, but you can get started using YouTube to market your business if you are willing to put in some effort.
# 33. Show Your Expertise in Forums
Like we mentioned with Quora and LinkedIn groups earlier, showing your expertise in various forums can help you develop a following of potential customers. To accomplish this you will need to select the right forums, the right kinds of questions, avoid spamming and becoming involved in any kind of arguments and create an appealing profile that will draw potential customers to your website.
Here’s how: Sign up to one or more forum search engines to track forum discussions related to your area of expertise.
# 34. Involve Yourself in Facebook Groups
Facebook groups, like LinkedIn groups, provide you with an opportunity to network with people who might benefit from your special skills, expertise, and services provided. Avoid being salesy in these groups and allow your knowledge to be what attracts group members to check you out. Be respectful and present yourself as an exemplary group member to achieve the greatest success.
Here’s how: Search for Facebook groups that best fit your interests and areas of expertise.
# 35. Pinterest
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so this might be a great way to get those words out there to your potential customers. Pinterest is something like an online corkboard. Its main purpose is to collect visual pieces of multimedia; usually photos and images. You can create various boards to pin your photos on and promote your business and area of expertise in a very broad and heavily used social media platform.
Here’s how: Learn more about how you can make Pinterest a top marketing tool for your business.
# 36. StumbleUpon ( Now Mix.com )
A lesser-known social media bookmarking site that is making gains is StumbleUpon. Essentially this site allows users to “like” certain websites, add them to their profile and pass them along to their friends and acquaintances. For a lesser-known social media site, StumbleUpon still has a pretty healthy 30 million regular users ready to StumbleUpon your business and promote it to others.
Here’s how: You can get more information about how StumbleUpon works and how it can help your business.
# 37. Reddit
Reddit is a social news aggregation site that is a little different than typical social media sites. Essentially, links, posts or images are submitted by users and then rated by other users on the site. Content that gains the most up-votes moves toward the top of the Reddit list in the various categories giving them a greater level of exposure. This has become number 3 on the world’s most visited websites with more than 500 million monthly visitors.
Here’s how: Before signing up, you might want to get some serious advice on how to put Reddit to work for your small business.
# 38. Starter Story
Starter Story is a platform that features entrepreneurs and shares the stories behind their businesses. In each interview, founders talk about how they got started, how they grew, and how they run their business today. The stories are inspiring and also provide specific advice and insight into starting a business. Starter Story has over 100k monthly readers, and sharing your story is a great way to get the word out for your business!
# 39. Twitter
This extremely popular short-form social media has tons of appeal as well as a huge number of users to access. Twitter has exploded in the past few years and it is becoming impossible to ignore this platform when it comes to marketing your business. Statistics show that there are almost 350 million active monthly users on Twitter to target with your brand name.
Here’s how: You should use good advice and tips for using Twitter to grow your business after signing up for a free account.
# 40. SlideShare
If you are a master at creating PowerPoints or your business is well suited to that sort of presentation, then Slideshare is a free social website that you have to keep in mind when it comes to marketing. SlideShare presentations are public, searchable, and shareable by anyone. SlideShare makes your presentations compatible with all viewing formats. This site boasts a pretty respectable 60 million monthly users.
Here’s how: Sign up and learn how to make SlideShare another major marketing tool.
# 41. Better Business Bureau
Most people think of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) as a place where you register complaints concerning poor service, scams, or dishonest business practices, but there is a positive side to this organization. The BBB helps to promote the accredited businesses as well and even offers a directory that is searchable by business type and location for its registered and accredited businesses.
Here’s how: Apply to become an accredited business and you will be included in the searchable directory of the BBB.
# 42. Chamber of Commerce
If you are a member of your local Chamber of Commerce, then you will be able to take advantage of another directory listing that is sponsored by them. The Chamber of Commerce lists all of its businesses by industry and location on its website and it is a powerful resource to have at your fingertips.
Here’s how: Join your local Chamber of Commerce and don’t forget to register your business on the Chamber of Commerce website.
# 43. Cylex
Cylex is an international business directory that manages 35 directories across 5 continents allowing you to market yourself just about anywhere. Statistics show that Cylex directories are viewed by more than 25 million users on a monthly basis.
Here’s how: Register your business with Cylex and tap into a broad network of users.
# 44. Find It Now Directory
The Find It Now Directory also provides a listing according to industry and business categories. This site covers a pretty broad spectrum of business and a large number of regions as well.
Here’s how: Register your business and start tapping into the power of the Find It Now Directory.
# 45. Find Us Here
Find Us Here is a global directory of businesses and community organizations. It includes more than 13 million listings in the U.S. alone and more than 18 million global listings making it a pretty solid directory to help market your business.
Here’s how: Sign up and get started using Find Us Here.
# 46. Hubbiz
Another free directory listing businesses by category, state, and city is Hubbiz. Besides including a vast number of listings, Hubbiz promotes the most popular businesses to a higher level of visibility to help those who are doing things right grow even more.
Here’s how: Register your business on Hubbiz and start moving up the ranks in popularity.
# 47. Jasmine Directory
Jasmine Directory, you don’t choose them, they choose you. This is a selective directory that can take up to 24 hours to decide whether to include your business. Though this might seem daunting at first, you have to consider that being selected also helps to bring your brand to a higher level of legitimacy.
Here’s how: Apply for approval to be listed on the Jasmine Directory.
# 48. Thumbtack
Local professionals of all sorts can promote their brand on the Thumbtack directory. The initial listing for this service is free, but there are additional features and services that will cost a bit more to implement.
Here’s how: Register for your free listing on Thumbtack to get started.
# 49. EZ Local
EZ Local offers business listings for their registered users, but it also helps give businesses a boost in search engines as well. This service is focused on helping local users find exactly what they need locally first.
Here’s how: Get your listing up on EZ Local by signing up.
# 50. HARO
HARO is an acronym for Help A Reporter Out. By enrolling as a source for reporters to come to as an expert resource, you can draw attention to yourself and your business. You will receive source requests to which you can provide answers along with biographical information by using this site.
Here’s how: Sign up to be a HARO source and fill in the requested biographical information.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to grow your physical or online business and increase your presence or perhaps to just make some money online, you will need to make use of some sort of advertising to accomplish your objective. Even if you don’t have a large advertising budget, or any cash available for advertising, you can still make your presence felt on the web by making use of free advertising and listings.
Though you might not be able to benefit from all 50 ways to advertise your business for free on the internet, you should be able to make use of a large number of the suggestions we have included on our list. So, dive right in and start making the presence of your business known.
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