Advertising your business can be a scary thing. If you’re a small or local business, the last thing you want is to use resources that may not lead to more sales, customers, or clients. The best way to support local business is through advertising, and there are plenty of ways to do it! Below, you’ll find a list of our Top 10 ways to advertise your business in 2021. 

1. Search Ads

The first and best way to advertise your business is through search engine ads. These ads can be run on Google, Bing, and Yahoo, and they’re a great way to get your business seen online. They are paid campaigns, so you have to monitor your budget, but they’re very easy to control how much money is spent and where. You can also always adjust your ads to fit your budget needs so you’re getting the most for your money. The other upside of these search ads is, you only pay for what customers click on. So while you may have an expensive keyword, you’re only paying if the ad has clicks. Like any good campaign, it can take a few tries to get it perfect, and even when you do you’ll have to continue monitoring to stay on top of your budget and the keywords. However, getting seen on these major search engines is a great way to advertise and boost your business.

2. Social Media Ads

You can also run ads on social media. Most platforms have paid advertising, making it easy to advertise your business. Social media platforms are also a key component in marketing your business in general, so it’s definitely worth trying an ad campaign to extend your reach. The major social media platforms are great to support local business, and when you pair your paid ads with other content like blogs, or posts to highlight services, you’re more likely to gain traction and boost your reach. Social media ads are also great if you only want to target a specific demographic, so your ads will only appear to those who have relevant interests, making them more likely to click and continue on their buyer’s journey with you. 

3. Email Campaigns

Email campaigns are a great way to reach your goal, because you can utilize this advertising method to retarget previous buyers or buyers you may have lost. You can use email marketing to send certain targeted emails to those who showed interest, have been a customer or client, or if you have an online store, left something in their cart. The great thing about email marketing is it’s easy, and you can break your campaigns down while still including your entire target base. 

4. Referrals

If a previous client or customer was happy with your business, they’re more likely to tell others. Referrals or word of mouth is a fantastic way to advertise your business because it’s coming directly from someone that has tried your business and had a good experience. Referrals are a great way to support local business, and for local business to reach out to their community. 

5. Google My Business

Using Google My Business is how you can be seen on Google Maps. To do this, you set up your account and verify your business, which is the key component. Once you’re verified, you can optimize your listing so you appear higher on searches, and in more relevant searches. This option is also free, which is great for local business owners who are being conscious of their budget. 

6. Optimize your SEO

We cannot stress this enough, optimizing your SEO is an organic way to boost your reach and to advertise your business. There are a lot of resources available on how to check your SEO ranking, tactics you can use, but by optimizing your site to meeting Google’s algorithm, you’re more likely to be seen and be able to compete with other businesses in your area. A few things you can try to start are adding relevant keywords to your website, increasing the speed your site loads at, and having regular high-quality content on your site and your social media accounts. 

7. Utilize Blogs

Along with SEO, utilizing blogs to increase engagement and content on your site is another top way to advertise. You can promote your blogs on your social media accounts, allowing your customers or clients to both read about your business, but also engage with you. Having blog content for your website allows you to also utilize keywords for SEO purposes, which can drive your ranking up on Google. Your blog topics can range from products you have, to your local business story, or to address events in your community and show you care. There are a lot of possibilities, and your consumers will appreciate the authenticity of your words. 

8. Share Content

Today with the prominence of social media content is still king, and sharing it can be key to your advertising campaigns. Not only can you share and promote your own content like blogs, social media posts, photos, but you can team up and collaborate with other businesses to support each other. This tactic can increase your social media presence and also help increase your engagement with others. It’s another organic way to advertise your business. 

9. Utilize Online Business Directories

An online business directory is great for you to put your business out there without having to do promotion or SEO. These directories allow you to put in your business information, let customers leave reviews, and even let you interact with customers. Some of them are free but there are paid options as well, depending on your needs. They allow people to do local searches and find services from local businesses or businesses closest to them. If you’d like to get started you can check out our blog of free online directories, or you can read more about our services as well.

10. Allow For Reviews

This might be the scariest option on this list, but allowing reviews can help your advertising efforts tremendously. This ties back to referrals and how word of mouth is a powerful source, allowing people to review you online is a way to showcase your strengths. You can also respond and show your community or potential consumers that you’re invested in what is being said. If you get a bad review, this can also be helpful because it will show others you’re willing to address the situation and do your best to correct it. Of course, you might not win every battle, but others will see your efforts and appreciate them. 

Advertising your business can be challenging, frustrating, and sometimes scary. You work hard, and having to put yourself out there is sometimes uncomfortable, but when it comes to your business it’s worth it! Whether you have a big budget or no budget, there are options and opportunities for you to advertise and be seen by your local community and visiting outsiders.