How to Promote Your Business Online on a Budget

Wondering how to promote your business and set yourself apart from other business owners? You don’t need a huge marketing budget to beat your competition. You just need the right tools and tactics—and a way to measure your impact. When you can see what works and what doesn’t, you’ll know where to spend your marketing dollars effectively. 

7 budget-friendly tactics for promoting your business online

Start with these 7 marketing tools to promote your business and learn what works well for you. Then, you can use that foundation to optimize your approach and grow your business with confidence.

1. Build a website

Your website is your foundation for online marketing. It’s a place where people can easily learn more about your business. 

Think of your website like a storefront window. It should:

• look visually appealing and be easy to navigate
• clearly show what you do, what you offer and what makes you different
• include your contact info, business hours and location if you have a store
• let visitors interact with your business (like buying your product, making a reservation or filling out a form to learn more)

When people search for your business online, you want to be sure they’ll find accurate details about your services, location and hours. Don’t rely only on your Facebook page or other social media accounts to share this important information. Whether you run an online shop or a brick-and-mortar store, having a website you control helps customers find your business. Social media sites can change their rules or shut down, but your website remains yours.

Not a website designer? No problem! Many website tools have templates that help you build a site that doesn’t require technical expertise. Popular platform choices include WordPress®, Squarespace®, Weebly® and Shopify®. These let you drag and drop the elements you want without knowing how to code websites. Most include designs that work well on smartphones and tablets, too. You can usually start for free or pay a small monthly fee, then upgrade your plan as your business grows.

2. Claim your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is like putting up a sign online that helps local customers find you in Google Search and Maps. When someone searches for your type of business near them, your profile can show up and display your hours, location, phone number and customer reviews. This helps you reach potential customers who are looking for what you offer.

Setting up your profile is free and only takes a few minutes. You’ll need to verify that you own the business, usually by getting a postcard with a code or answering a phone call from Google. Once you’re set up, make sure all your contact information is correct and up to date. Add photos of your business, products or services to help customers get a better sense of what you’re all about.

Customer reviews on your Google Business Profile also help build trust with new customers. When someone leaves you a positive review, it serves as a recommendation for other people who are considering your business. You can respond to reviews to show you care about customer service. Other places to get your local business listed include Trustpilot and Yelp.

3. Boost your visibility in search engines

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of updating website pages to make it easier for potential customers to find you when they search online. When you use the right words and create helpful content, search engines like Google and AI-powered chat tools like ChatGPT are more likely to show your business to people who are looking for what you offer. It’s a no- to low-cost way to supplement your paid marketing tactics.

Start by thinking about how your customers would search online for your business. For example, if you run a pizza parlor, would they type in “pizza delivery” or “best pizza near me”? Use natural phrases and target keywords in your website page titles and throughout your content. You can also create blog posts, videos or even a podcast that highlights your expertise. This helps you show up for more search terms and proves you know your stuff.

Budget-friendly tools can help you get started with SEO. Google Search Console and Google Analytics are free and show you how people find your website. Other keyword research tools like Moz®, Semrush® and Ahrefs® offer affordable plans for small businesses. Many of these platforms also provide free learning resources to help you understand SEO better so you can improve your organic search results over time.

4. Create a social media strategy

Social media is a great way to spread the word about your business and build a larger, more loyal customer base without spending any money. But simply having a Facebook page or posting occasionally won’t win you more fans. You need a strategy to help you reach your target market and achieve your goals.

Depending on your industry, regular activity on social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok can increase your visibility with customers. This is your chance to get creative. Share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, customer success stories or helpful tips related to your business. You can cross-promote your content across different platforms to reach more people and reinforce your message. The key is to create content that grabs your audience’s attention without making them feel like you’re always trying to sell them something. Work to create promotional posts that resonate with your audience, speaking to their unique situations.

You can use low-cost tools to create and edit videos and graphics or try all-in-one tools that help you manage posts across different channels. If you’re regularly posting popular videos on platforms that monetize views, you could earn some passive income from your content while you’re working. You could even reinvest those earnings in your marketing!

You can also encourage your online community to create user-generated content (UGC) as a low-cost way to generate word-of-mouth marketing. When your customers share photos or reviews of your products, it’s like free advertising from people others trust. You could partner with trusted influencers who have a loyal following in your area to help spread the word about your business.

Attending local events—community fairs, markets and meetups—can be a great place to connect with potential customers face-to-face and create some interesting short-form content for your social media channels.

5. Use digital ads

Digital ads are online advertisements that help more people become aware of your business. For example, you can run social media ads on sites like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok or use search ads on Google and Bing. Display ads are the banner ads you see on websites. Each type of ad works differently, so you can choose what makes sense for your business and budget.

To get the most out of your digital advertising, start by figuring out which people are most likely to want what you offer. Digital ad platforms include simple tools that let you select your target audience by factors like age, location, interests or what they do online. When you show your ads to the right people with a message that fits them, you’ll get more value for your money and your ads can make a bigger impact.

It’s smart to start small with your ad spending until you learn what works. Many platforms let you set a budget as low as $5-$10 a day. Some social media platforms make it easy to get started by letting you boost a post that’s already doing well. This can help you reach more people in addition to your followers who might be interested in what you offer.

Most ad platforms are free to access, but you’ll pay when people see or click on your ads. The amount you spend depends on your industry, location and how many people you want to reach. Facebook and Instagram ads might cost $1-$3 per click, while Google ads can range from $1-$10 or more per click, depending on your business type. Start with a small budget and increase it if needed as you see results.

6. Stay active on review sites

Make sure your business is listed on Yelp® and other review sites. Most of those sites include instructions on how to claim and update your business profile. 

Did some customers pay you a nice compliment? Encourage them to review or rate your business. When people see that others like what you offer, they’ll want to find out more about you. Great reviews are like a form of free advertising, which is very cost-effective for small businesses.

Actively manage your profile on review sites. Responding to feedback (both positive and negative) shows potential customers that customer service is important to you. That can help build trust in your brand and grow your business. 

The best time to ask for reviews is right after you’ve provided great service or delivered a product someone loves. You can send a follow-up email, include a note with their purchase or simply ask in person. Make it easy by providing direct links to your review pages. 

When you get positive reviews, share them on your website or social media channels as proof for potential customers who are considering your business.

7. Send emails and text messages

Email and text marketing help you stay connected with customers and keep your business top of mind. When done right, these messages can bring people back to your store or website, remind them about services they might need or let them know about special offers. The key is to make your messages helpful and valuable, not just sales pitches.

Many email and text marketing platforms—like Mailchimp, Moosend and MailerLite—offer free or low-cost plans that work well for small businesses. Most platforms let you send a few hundred emails per month for free. As your contact list grows, your costs likely will increase—typically ranging from $10-$50 per month. 

Email and text marketing are some of the most cost-effective ways to reach your target audience with high-quality, personalized messages. You can set up automated messages like welcome emails for new customers, birthday discounts or reminders about upcoming appointments. For example, you could send an automated text reminding customers about reward points they’ve earned at your business.

Always use permission-based sending, which means only contacting the people who have agreed to hear from you. Make it easy for people to unsubscribe if they want to. 

Grow your business with Navy Federal Credit Union

Navy Federal offers business banking solutions designed to help you manage your finances as you scale your business. We provide business checking and savings accounts, business credit cards and business loans to support your growth. You can also find more business educational resources to help you make smart decisions for your company. When you’re ready to take your business to the next level, we’re here to help you make it happen.