Businesses just starting out or brands with low to zero marketing budgets may think there is no way they can compete with large budget competitors. This isn’t the case, there are still many channels that can be explored and optimised with almost zero budget spent on digital marketing.
In this blog, you’ll find my top low-cost digital marketing channels which can take your business to the next level. Packed full of tips that have worked for me and my clients. You’ll also find how to practically apply these tips to your business.
Can You Use Digital Marketing With No Budget?
The short answer is YES! Digital marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the Internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital mediums. In the definition, there are many channels that can be used and won’t cost a penny!
Here’s a breakdown of the no-budget marketing channels:
Social Media
Blog Posts
Email
Podcasting
Social Media
Social media is in my opinion the best digital marketing channel that is completely FREE. If you’re a business and don’t have the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or TikTok… you need to get on it right now.
Not only is social media platforms free, but they also offer a gateway to millions of potential customers. However, it’s important to choose the social media platform that aligns with your brand and your audience. For example, if you sell fashion catered to 18-24-year-olds, Instagram is your place. On the other hand, if you sell website design services, LinkedIn and Twitter may be more suited for you. It can also be used as a local advertising platform as you can tag certain locations close to your site, this may be useful if you own a brick and mortar.
Create engaging content to build a strong following and nurture that community by providing them with value. In return, they will share your brand amongst their friends and family, develop trust towards your services and eventually, may even purchase what you have to sell.
Blog Posts
Another great digital marketing is blogging. I’ve considered this a low cost/free marketing channel because it won’t cost you anything if you already own a website. If you don’t however, you can create a blogging site for next to nothing at the following sites:
Wordpress.com - Free or from as little as £3 per month
Medium.com - Create and share free blogs
Wix.com - My personal favourite and where you read this blog post today
Another way to grow your business and to gain new audiences is to guest blog on other people's sites and platforms. For example, if you are an expert in the field of fitness, approach other fitness professionals and ask if you can do a feature blog on their website. This will expose you to their audiences and help develop credibility within the industry.
Again, this applies to those who already own a website. Email marketing is one of the most effective channels to convert consumers and to develop loyal brand advocates. There are two ways you can go about email marketing, campaigns and flows/automation.
When it comes to email campaigns, think of new product or service emails, newsletters or high-value information sharing to your sign-up list. Campaigns are a great way to generate sales.
The other angle is email flows/automation. This can be described as a series of emails that a customer will receive designed to nurture and build trust from them towards your brand. The best example of this is an email welcome flow. The first email of the welcome flow will be an introduction to who you are and what you do and what they should hang around to read your future emails. The second email can be directing them to your social media channel. This way you can build a business to consumer relationships through other free marketing channels. The last email can be service or product sale focused, offering a discount in return for their investment.
I offer an email welcome flow copywriting service that will make the prospect fall in love with your business. Click here to check it out.
Podcasting
Ok, I have to admit, this one may take longer than the others to master. However, if you get it right, it can offer you so much value to your business. Podcasting means sharing and voicing your opinions, knowledge and experience on topics related to your industry. You will have to be brave and willing to get your voice out there.
Podcasts can then be promoted on your website, through social media and various other channels. The benefit of podcasts is that consumers will be listening to what you are saying. They are giving their time to understand who you are and why you are the expert in your field. In return, they may subscribe to your podcast, follow you on other platforms, engage with your content and even purchase from your services.
The best free podcasting platform I have found is Anchor.fm. A completely free service.
Rounding Up How To Use Digital Marketing With No Budget
These are just some of the many opportunities modern technology has to offer when it comes to zero budget marketing. I could have made this list so much longer, but I didn’t want to cause you to fall asleep. Plus it gives me more stuff to talk about another time.
Hopefully, you can walk away from reading this blog inspired to push your business to the next level. If you need guidance, have questions or want expert marketing help, contact me by clicking here.
Thanks for reading, don’t forget to like and share this post. It means I can reach new audiences as mentioned. Something I will be so appreciative of. Now go out and conquer the world now you know you can use Digital Marketing with no budget.
Signing out
Jack
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