When it comes to marketing your small business online, you need to be willing to spend money in order to make money, but you don’t need to have a large budget. Here are several ways to market a small business online for as little as $500.
1. Create a Downloadable Ebook or Case Study
Driving traffic to your website is only half the battle. You need to offer something of value to convert visitors to prospects. An ebook or a case study will help you convert a high percentage of traffic. There are several freelance marketplaces that you can source talent from.
2. Start a YouTube Video Ad Campaign
Video content receives higher engagement rates than traditional written content. YouTube is the second largest search engine, right behind Google, and its advertising options are extensive. You can target people that subscribe to specific channels and you are only charged for views, which can deliver great results if you have an effective video and your targeting is on point. Marketplaces like Fiverr offer several low-cost video production options.
3. Hire a Virtual Assistant to Manage Your Social Media
Social media can be very effective, but most small business owners don’t have the time to do it themselves or the budget to hire a full-time social media manager. You can hire a full-time virtual assistant to manage your social media for $500 a month or less.
4. Launch a Facebook Ads Campaign Targeting Local Customers
There isn’t a more effective option available than Facebook Ads. If you are not running Facebook Ads to get people in the door you are missing the boat. You can spend as little as $5 a day to start, and scale from there as you learn what works well for your location and business.
5. Hire Social Media Influencers to Advertise Your Business
Influencer marketing is one of the most effective strategies. The key is to identify influencers that are perfect for your business, without focusing on follower count. Find micro-influencers rather than big name celebrities. A local micro-influencer is going to have a laser targeted following, which can be more effective, even if it’s just 10,000 to 20,000 followers.
6. Run Google AdWords Pay-Per-Click Ads
When a consumer is looking for something, they open Google and search. Running a pay-per-click campaign on Google can drive instant website traffic, phone calls or physical location visits. To find success with Google AdWords, you need to create very targeted ad groups, focusing on a single keyword. When your keyword, ad copy and destination landing page are all perfectly optimized, it helps you achieve a high-quality score, which results in more exposure and a lower cost-per-click (CPC).
7. Launch an Affiliate Program for Your Business
Your affiliate program will have sales coming in around the clock without deploying your own advertising dollars. There are several affiliate networks you can join that will place your offer in front of experienced internet marketers. First, you need a product or service that is in high demand across a very wide demographic. Second, your payout needs to be financially attractive. Remember, affiliates are spending their own money to push the offer, so they need to feel confident it’s going to convert. Online marketing forums, specialized Facebook groups, and established performance marketing networks are all great places to start looking for affiliates.