In 2016, the small business Death Wish Coffee Company got countless calls and online orders because their ad was aired during the Super Bowl. Showing up on the Super Bowl commercials is exciting, but it comes with a very high price – it can be millions of dollars for a 30-second ad. 

The good news is that your business doesn’t have to appear at that kind of event to become successful. Follow these six affordable and easy ways to get your business noticed. 

1. Build a Website

Websites are the foundation of digital marketing strategy. It’s a place to put your content, showcase products or services, and develop an online presence on search engines.  

Nowadays, setting up a website is no longer intimidating. 

First, register your domain name and purchase a hosting plan. There are plenty of hosting companies that provide affordable hosting services with free domain registration. Then, start building the website with WordPress or a website builder.

The main benefit of using WordPress for business is that it is free and customizable. Meanwhile, drag-and-drop website builders always come with a monthly subscription.  

2. Publish a Business-Themed Blog

With the right blogging strategies, a niche audience will find your content through search engines and perceive your business as the industry leader. This aligns with the fact that most people prefer learning about a brand through content than ads. 

Share niche-related information or company stories. Todoist’s blog is a great example. The to-do list app doesn’t only write their app tutorials but also publishes articles on time management and remote-working, which is relevant to both their brand and target audience.

3. Use Google Tools

Getting noticed on Google search results organically can be a challenge. However, Google itself  provides several tools to help you get there:

• Google My Business. Generate leads and build a business presence on Google Search and Maps with business details and photos.

• Google Trends. Stay up-to-date when it comes to the industry trends and evaluate specific keywords for your content. 

• Keyword Planner. Find out detailed information about relevant keywords, average monthly searches, and the competition. 

• Google Alerts. Get notified on particular queries like mentions of your brand or competitors. 

4. Create High-Quality, Shareable Content

With so much information on the internet, it’s essential to make sure your content is high-quality and outperforms the competition. 

Here are the criteria for high-quality content: 

• Original. Has never been published before and passes the plagiarism checker. 
• Unique. Offers different perspectives by researching and filling in the gap within the existing content. 
• Relevant. Touches on the target audience’s interests.
• Readable. Has proper grammar and spelling. Also, it is scannable through the use of headings and bullet points. 
• Appealing. Uses images or videos to make the content more varied and interesting. 

To help visitors easily share your content, make sure to integrate social media buttons on your blog posts.

5. Promote on Social Media

An effective way to promote your business on social media is by using hashtags. They help users find your content when they use relevant keywords. 

Be respectful by applying only related hashtags to your posts, and don’t overload them. Try to keep the number up to 11 hashtags per post because more than that can look spammy. 

Also, combine general hashtags with a branded hashtag for your business to distinguish yourself. Good examples of this practice is Oreo came up with #OreoHorrorStories and Coca-Cola that uses #ShareACoke.   

Also, maintain a consistent posting schedule as social media algorithms favor active accounts. A rule of thumb is to avoid publishing more than two daily posts and incorporate Stories instead. 

6. Build Your Network

Attend networking events, like conferences and business training. It helps you connect with future partners or prospective customers. There, highlight who you are, what you do, and what makes your company stand out. 

Try to sign up as a source on Help a Reporter Out (HARO), a publicity service linking you with reporters. The platform will send out several newsletters a day containing a specific query to be answered by the experts – you. To build credibility, ensure you respond to queries that match your expertise. 

Conclusion

With those marketing strategies, you will start getting noticed even without spending much on your marketing budget. Feel free to copy the tactics or tweak them to fit your target audience and business model.