With the Internet growing as fast as it is today, it is silly not to get involved. Since millions of advertising opportunities await you now, you will quickly find that there are both free and paid ways to get your business name out there.
Whether you own a brick and mortar business or an e-commerce store, here are a few advertising options you may want to consider:
#1 Submit to Directories
Directories are a great way to get your website name out there. While many directories are free, there are some that have premium listings. Be sure to research them before signing up with one. What you’re going to find that many industries will have targeted directories. These industries will be more than happy to list you as long as you meet their criteria. This is a great way to gain exposure and help with your search marketing efforts.
#2 Blogs
If you have a website, start a blog now if you haven’t done so already. With a blog, what you will quickly find is that each post will get crawled by a search engine. As long as this blog post is unique and lengthy, the search engines will love it. With every post you write, this will increase your chances with visitors landing on your website. The more visitors you have, the more exposure your website can have.
#3 Forums
No matter what industry you’re in, there’s a forum out there that has people talking about it. Take advantage of this, and start posting here and there. As long as the forum allows it, you can add a signature with your business name and contact information. Don’t spam the forum, though, because what you will find is that you will just tick off the members. Instead, offer credible advice and the traffic will follow.
#4 Links
Asking for links from other websites can take a lot of work, but it can pay off huge dividends in the long haul. The great thing about links is that not only will it allow your website to become authoritative with search engines, but it can draw in traffic when people click on that link. Find websites related to yours via search engines and ask them for a link. The worst thing that they will say is no!
#5 Coupons
For those who own any type of online store or service, a coupon is an awesome way to get your name out there. With the coupon, the ideas are endless. Whether you want to offer a certain percentage off, a free monthly subscription or a freebie, people are drawn in by coupons. When launching a coupon, be sure to add your URL, and make sure that you submit these coupon codes and coupons to the massive deal websites that are out there such as RetailMeNot and Savings.com.
While a thing of the past, article directories can still draw in eyes and help with search engine efforts. Massive websites such as Ezine Articles and HubPages are both great resources to use when looking to submit quality written pieces. As long as the article is unique and meets editorial guidelines, there isn’t a reason they won’t accept your piece. When submitting, just make sure that you add a URL to the bottom of your page so that the viewers can click through.
#7 Collect Emails
This one can take a lot of work, but if you’re consistent enough, it can pay off big down the road. Whenever someone lands on your website or if you meet someone in person, try to capture their email address.
By doing so, you can keep them in contact in the future. You can blast out new deals, news and keep them up to date with your business. If going this route, though, just make sure that you know about the laws.
#8 PPC
If you’re looking for a quick way to get customers, then look no further than PPC. Known as “pay-per-click,” this is the process of paying a certain amount of money for each ad that is clicked. Many major search engines and websites such as Google and Facebook offer these services. Your cost per click will greatly vary depending your niche and what you’re selling.
As you can see, there are countless ways to advertise. By taking action and testing out the many advertising models, there is bound to be one out there that can help your business thrive and grow.