4 easy ways to promote your business online

There are many ways to promote your business on the Internet without spending a lot of money on advertising. You may not have wads of cash when you start your business venture, but with a little creativity you can still effectively advertise your products and services online. Before the advent of the Internet, small businesses only had a few ways to market their products cheaply, using methods like printing and distributing flyers or sponsoring local events. Now there is a great world of opportunities open to you on the World Wide Web; you just need to know where to look.

Here are some ways to promote your business online without spending a lot of money.

1. Sign up for Google, Bing and Yahoo – The first step that you should not skip is to register your business in ‘Google Places’. This will allow your business to appear on Google Maps and be easily found in Google searches. The process is very easy – all you have to do is fill out a simple form and then verify yourself by phone or email. Also register your company with ‘Yahoo Local’ and Bing as these 3 are the leading search engines and they have huge databases of companies from all over the world.

2. Press releases – Whenever your company does something newsworthy, feel free to make a public announcement through a press release. Press releases can be very effective in generating publicity for your business. There are many news websites that allow companies to submit free press releases. Try sites like ‘PRLog’ or ‘Press Release 24/7’. If you want more exposure, you can opt for paid press release distribution.

3. Participate in online communities – You can find online communities in almost every possible niche where people meet to discuss problems and other things related to that niche. Register an account with some of these online community sites. They are generally free to join. You can get a great deal of exposure through active participation in these community sites. You can passively promote your business via a link in the signature or by mentioning your website as long as the context is appropriate.

4. Photo and video sharing sites – Sites like YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and Flickr aren’t just for photographers or teens. Any business can use these sites to generate traffic and gain free exposure. You can post pictures or videos of your office, staff, events, products, or any other newsworthy content related to your business.