Looking to advertise your small business on social media, but don't want to break the bank? Check out our top tips for doing it for free!

 Looking to advertise your small business on social media, but don't want to break the bank?

 Check out our top tips for doing it for free!

Social media has become one of the most important platforms for small businesses and entrepreneurs to connect with their target audience, but it can be an expensive platform to use if you’re not careful! Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can advertise your small business on social media for free, if you know where to look. Here are our top tips for doing so.

Who are you targeting?

Small businesses may feel hesitant when considering how to advertise a small business. However, advertising is imperative and shouldn't be ignored. Here are some great ways to advertise a small business without spending a lot of money: 1) Enlist your customers--you might think this sounds like it's going to cost you, but in reality customer referrals are some of the most powerful types of advertising. 2) Post pictures of your product or service--people love seeing what they're buying before they make the purchase. 3) Leverage your existing platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter--you can create adverts that will show up on other people's feeds if you have these accounts. 4) Create an offer or coupon to share with people via social media platforms or email listservs. 5) Develop engaging content that is relevant to current events happening locally 

2nd Paragraph (six+ sentences using the words: advertise a small business): 

1) Enlist your customers--you might think this sounds like it's going to cost you, but in reality customer referrals are some of the most powerful types of advertising.

Look for native ad options

Advertising a small business is hard, especially when you're new to marketing. So when you find yourself feeling frustrated with coming up with an idea or message that will really resonate with people, remember that all's not lost: many platforms offer powerful tools and techniques that can advertise a small business without draining your budget. When in doubt about how best to use native ads effectively, these seven tips are a great place to start. 1) Be creative and give users something valuable - It doesn't matter what industry you're in or what type of content you produce, if you give users something of value they'll be much more likely to click on your post. Think outside the box - try including links to discounts, giveaways, or other exclusive offers as well as any noteworthy news (i.e., Introducing new recipes!). 2) Make sure there's enough information available- When advertising a small business make sure that there's enough information available so readers can learn more about what makes it unique - and be sure to have contact info listed somewhere at the bottom of posts so potential customers know where they can go if they have questions.

Try video ads

If you're looking to advertise a small business on social media without breaking the bank, there are plenty of different strategies and platforms that you can use. You can try video ads on Facebook or Instagram; both of these are affordable ways to market with visuals. For example, stop-motion videos show audiences what your product is capable of in a fun and engaging way that isn't straightforward like traditional advertising. Plus, if you're looking for some awesome music and/or sound effects to enhance your video ad marketing campaign, we offer just that - but we'll get into that another time. 

Another free platform to advertise a small business on social media is YouTube. There's an abundance of users perusing their feeds every day, so using one of their sponsored posts gives you high visibility among those who are more likely to buy from you.

Invest in content creation

It's important to create quality content if you're looking to advertise a small business. Investing in content creation will help grow and establish your brand by developing trust and providing helpful advice that prospective customers are likely looking for. Consider these ideas: 

-Consider using shorter pieces of writing (i.e., listicles) rather than full posts as they typically have higher engagement rates on social media platforms. 

-Create an online shop so potential customers can easily find products that match their tastes or needs. This also has the added benefit of allowing them to browse without having to step foot in a store, saving them time and transportation costs in addition to convenience if they are located outside of your reach.

Don’t pay too much attention to vanity metrics

A lot of people want quick, easy results when advertising a small business and will pay too much attention to vanity metrics like number of followers or likes. They often lose sight of what really matters: return visitors who become long-term customers. While these metrics are very useful when assessing how well an ad campaign is going over time (to know when a specific type of marketing might be ineffective), focusing too much on them in the short term can be counterproductive and lead to unexpected costs later.

What do you really want from your ads?

When advertising a small business, you need to be as clear and concise as possible. Make sure that you know who your target audience is and create ads that speak directly to them. Have a goal in mind when you are advertising and make sure that each ad is consistent with the goals set. Create and utilize ads in order of importance. If you don't have enough budget, try using text or images instead of video to save money on production costs. For more information about social media marketing for businesses, feel free to reach out!