If you’re reading Small Business Trends on a regular basis, you know the importance of marketing your business online. It’s pretty important to consider a variety of factors in order to successfully build your online visibility as a small business. Not all small businesses have unlimited capital, so the tips here won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Better yet, you can probably do them on your own.
Don’t Ignore Local Search (Costs $0)
Local search is one of the most important things a small business with a physical location should consider. It may even be the most important thing. The Local SEO Checklist is a free checklist that identifies areas of improvement for all small business websites. It focuses on the various components that enhance your online visibility, be it the basics like setting up Google Webmaster Tools, or doing more enhanced updates like generating a schema. Don’t know what that means? The Local SEO Checklist has more information and direct links to do just about everything you need.
Run A Google AdWords Campaign; Use Free Credits (Costs Between $0 – $5)
Okay, not all online marketing is free. It may cost $25 — but you’ll get $75 free if you commit to that $25 spend. Google wants you to utilize AdWords. Doing very specific geotargeted campaigns can enhance your visibility in front of the right eyeballs pretty substantially. Using AdWords isn’t for everyone, but if you can make it work for you, especially with $75 free, you can bid on a few keywords for almost zero spend to test and see if it’s working. There’s very little risk if you haven’t used AdWords before.