Advertising Strategically: Free and Paid Options for Growth
Should you get in the paid ads game? I think you should first maximize your free options – then use the paid stuff to amplify that reach. Let me share some insights on how small businesses like yours can maximize exposure to boost growth. A well-thought-out advertising strategy can work wonders whether you are just starting out or looking to expand your customer base.
Increase Visibility for Your Business
Let’s start with the basics. How do people find out about a new product or service?
Word of Mouth – Someone tells them about it. Recommendations from friends, family, colleagues, or even online communities can significantly influence purchasing decisions. Think about how you find products or make purchasing decisions.
Idea for you: ask friends, colleagues, or customers to share your work with their networks. Like, seriously, just ask them! Pick up the phone, email them… do it now.
Online Search Engines – It comes up in an online search. With search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, many people discover new products or services by simply looking online for them. They use specific keywords related to what they’re looking for and explore search results, including ads and organic listings. Think about how Amazon shows you similar products once you have searched for something in a particular genre.
Idea for you: use a resource like Answer the Public to add keywords to your website or online content. This will help you be found through SEO, search engine optimization.
Advertising, Social Media, & Content Marketing – They receive an advertisement, read an email, or see a social media post. People come across new products or services through sponsored posts, influencer recommendations, user-generated content, and targeted ads based on their interests and demographics. Blogs, articles, videos, podcasts, and other forms of content also introduce people to new people, products, or services.
Idea for you: post and engage! Be social on social networks and you will get found more often. When you advance to paid ads, this will matter more… read on.
By using a variety of tools, you can share (market) multiple times to your audience from different angles. Thus helping you grow your audience base. Advertising is not just about selling; it’s about creating a pathway for clients/customers to find out more about you and what you offer. It’s an opportunity to send them a message and connect with their needs. It’s your chance to highlight your work and show them how you can help. Want help building your messaging? Get my free workbook below!
Free Ways to Gain Traffic
Before we delve into paid options, let’s hit some free traffic tactics.
- Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterst are goldmine opportunities for small businesses. By creating engaging content, interacting with your followers, and staying consistent, you can organically grow your audience and drive traffic to your website or storefront.
- Podcast appearances or create your own!
- Blog posts (with SEO)
- Email Marketing (there are free and paid options)
- Online groups or forums – get to chatting and sharing
- Local industry groups in person or online – build up that word of mouth
Another free but overlooked strategy is partnering with local businesses, influencers, or adjacent industry biz owners (adjacent industry example: I’m a brand strategist so collab-ing with a photographer or Facebook ads expert would be ideal for me) – in person or online. Collaborations can introduce your brand to new audiences and create buzz around your products or services. What is better than telling someone about your product or service? Someone else telling them, along with a powerful testimonial about their experience working with you.
SEO – optimize your free reach
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), is basically a way to make your website more visible when people search for products or services related to your business in Google and other search engines. The idea is to get higher up in the search results without having to pay for ads. To start with SEO, first, focus on your website content—it needs to be clear, engaging, and full of the keywords that your potential customers might be typing into Google. Then, make sure your site is easy to navigate and loads quickly because search engines love that. Also, getting other reputable websites to link to yours can really boost your rankings. It’s like telling search engines, “Hey, these trustworthy sites think my content is good, so you should too!”
Some good SEO, keyword resources:
1. Answer the Public
2. SEMrush
3. Google Keywords Planner
Maximize Your Impact With Paid Options
First things first, do these then add the ads:
1. Get a rhythm of consistently showing up online and/or in person wherever you want to place ads
2. Make sure you have a ‘welcome mat’ wherever people will go to from an ad you create: your website, your social channel, email marketing platform
3. Set aside the time (and energy) to learn, create, and analyze your ads and efforts.
Then…
While it requires a budget, the returns can be substantial if done correctly. Google Ads and Facebook Ads are popular choices due to their targeting options and analytics tools – SEO plays a role here and you can use paid versions of keyword search resources to elevate your ads! You can reach potential customers based on their interests, demographics, and online behavior, making sure your ads are seen by the right people.
Since resources may be limited, it’s important to be strategic and efficient. Here’s a practical approach to kicking off your paid ad marketing:
- Define Your Goals: What do you want to achieve with your ads? Is it more website traffic, increased sales, or brand awareness? Clear goals will help you measure the success of your campaigns.
- Understand Your Audience: Knowing who your customers are, what they need, and where they spend their time online is crucial. This helps you choose the right platforms and tailor your messaging effectively. (consider the TrueYouBrand Blueprint to nail down these things!)
- Start with Facebook and Instagram Ads (IMHO): These platforms are generally very user-friendly for small biz owners. They offer robust targeting options that allow you to reach your specific audience based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. Plus, you can start with a small budget and scale up based on what works.
- Test and Learn: Begin with a small budget to test different ads (A/B testing) and see what resonates with your audience. Keep an eye on the performance and adjust your strategy based on the results. This iterative process helps minimize financial risk and learn more about your audience.
- Focus on Conversion Optimization: Make sure your ads lead to a well-designed landing page that encourages action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a guide. Your ad spend should ultimately drive conversions.
- Utilize Retargeting: Once you have some traffic, using retargeting ads can be very effective. These ads target users who have already visited your site but didn’t convert. Retargeting keeps your brand top of mind and increases the likelihood of conversion.
Starting here should give you a solid foundation, and as you grow more comfortable with the platforms and see what works, you can expand your strategies and explore other advertising opportunities like Google Ads or LinkedIn, depending on your business type and audience.
Don’t forget about traditional advertising methods like print ads, radio spots, and outdoor billboards. I had a client who used movie theater ads in her target cities – she saw fantastic results! This will depend on the scope and service area of your brand, but don’t underestimate the power of these outlets. Depending on your target audience and budget, these channels can still be effective in driving awareness and foot traffic.
Alternative Advertising
Ads can be a wonderful tool for quickly growing your email list, promoting time-sensitive offers, or sharing special deals. However, they are not the only path to growth or expansion. We can achieve similar results—and often build more authentic connections – through strategies that center on partnerships. Such as partnering with affiliates, working with industry peers, making guest appearances on podcasts, blogs, or social channels, and more. I’m especially fond of these alternative methods because they allow us to connect with our audience and other business owners in a meaningful way, even without a big ad budget. There are so many ways to reach our goals, and ads are just one piece of the puzzle!
In Conclusion
When used effectively, advertising is a powerful tool that can help your small business build upon your ‘free’ marketing strategies. I firmly believe that paid advertising is not necessary, but it will help get quick infusions of new audience members and expand what you are already doing.
Good luck my friend… email me if you have any questions!
If you want to ensure your messaging is on point for your brand, get my Free Message Mastery Workbook: Build Your Core Messaging in 7-ish steps.
