Shoestring Online Marketing Budget: Getting the Most Out of Your Money

The business world has changed immensely over the years with the shift to online research, shopping, and browsing. A traditional marketing strategy will no longer be enough as most people rely on their smartphones. Looking up a business is as easy as ever as it only takes a few clicks to see company reviews. Consumers are more informed due to the reviews of other consumers on products as well as businesses.

Companies with small budgets need to be more creative than those that can throw a large amount of money at any strategy. The following are tips to help you get the most out of your shoestring digital marketing budget. 

Take Advantage of Social Media

Social media is free to use and can help your search engine rankings. Social media might not be a huge factor for a small local business although it can be a way to connect with their customers.

Being able to announce a special that is new or a one-time offer can drive sales. Being in touch with customers doesn’t have to be difficult as offering a discount or free item for following on social media can provide a direct feed to the customer. 

Be careful where you focus your marketing on social media. A travel-based business is more likely to thrive on Pinterest and Instagram than on Twitter. An accounting firm might do better on Twitter and Facebook when it comes to sharing their content. Track the ROI on each platform as you might see you can cut out a few due to no sales/leads being generated.

Podcasting Content Can Be Cheap to Generate Then Transcribe

The world of content changed immensely with podcasting picking up steam over the last decade. Podcasting has the advantage of being able to create content that is more in-depth than written content in a short amount of time. Transcribing this content later can make it searchable for those that want to reference it later. A great podcast can turn a company into a thought leader on topics regardless of size. 

Enlist the Help of Affordable Freelancers 

The best way to scale up a marketing campaign quickly is to build a team of freelancers. These professionals can help with everything from content creation to gathering contact information.

Freelancers overseas might charge far less due to a lower cost of living abroad. Freelancers can also be domestic as there won’t always be a budget for a full-time employee. Freelancers are great due to not wasting time as they are usually paid per project/piece. 

Allow An Agency to Handle Marketing for a Set Price 

There are so many digital marketing options for small businesses. Digital marketing agencies that specialize in small businesses can charge a set price for website and marketing management.

Look for companies that are willing to educate their clients on the company blog. Covering intricacies of digital marketing like website design or SEO tactics is important. Clients that are educated are easier to work with if an agency is providing results. This is rather than trying to convince a client that a certain metric matters that doesn’t.

You do not have to have giant budgets to thrive in terms of digital marketing. Use each dollar to its fullest potential and you would be surprised with the results.