Free website to Advertise your business

Even a small business can get affordable, nationwide advertising exposure.

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All businesses need to advertise to make sales. Although small business owners generally have small advertising budgets, affordable advertising media can reach a national audience. Depending on the type of business you have, some types of advertising work better than others for increasing your exposure. The challenge is in selecting the advertising methods that let your target consumers know what your business has to offer and how it can benefit them.

Step 1

Promote your business using the Internet. List your site in free web directories. If you belong to a trade association or professional business association or society that offers a member directory, ask for a link. Keyword density, a site map and linking to external sites related to your business are basic SEO methods that can boost your search engine rankings and direct consumers to your website. Wise application of search engine optimization gets people to notice, increasing your web presence. The use of social media channels, including a business blog, online forums and online communities such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, are other ways to bring more traffic to your site.

Step 2

Advertise your business in e-mail newsletters. Placing ads in e-mail newsletters is an inexpensive way to advertise as long as you place ads in e-newsletters that go out to your target market. Another option is to publish your own free e-newsletter offering tips, new product updates or any other information of value to your target consumer.

Related Reading: How to Advertise Your Business by Mail

Step 3

Place inexpensive classified ads in newspapers or post free classified ads online to get your message to more people. Keep the message simple and to the point. Promote your products or services but avoid making an obvious sales pitch. Potential customers are more likely to respond to an ad if you give them the facts about what you have to offer minus any fluff.

Step 4

Run ads in newspapers. Ad rates vary, but it’s generally cheaper to advertise in several local papers. Larger, regional newspapers reach a broader audience, but you may be able to get to your specific target market easier through local newspapers with smaller circulations. Increase your chances of bringing in more business by running your ads frequently. Include your business telephone number, email address and website in the ad.

Step 5

Purchase a direct mail list. Direct mailings allow you to reach a targeted audience with your marketing message. Select from updated lists that offer demographic information similar to that of past customers. Direct mail list brokerages provide regularly updated consumer direct mail lists. Like newspaper ads, frequent direct mailings are more likely to draw new customers.

Step 6

Get a toll-free number to attract customers from outside of your local calling area. Having a toll-free number can help a small business improve its customer service and increase its visibility. Customize a number that is somehow associated with your business so that people can remember it easily. Vanity numbers often are acronyms or spell out a company’s name. Toll-free numbers are available from toll-free service providers, some of which are major telephone companies.