Tanis Haofeng

Is there such a thing as free advertising? Yes!

While you'll have to put some time and effort into promoting your business, it's possible to advertise your business without shelling out a single cent on ad spending.  Yes, it's true! You don't need to pay for Facebook ads to bring in a potential customer. However, not all free advertising for businesses is created equal.

At Nextdoor, we think all business owners should have the opportunity to promote their business and increase their brand awareness. That's why our experts have created this list of some of the top ways to promote a business through free advertising options. In this short guide, we'll go over the top 12 places to advertise for free with minimal effort and maximum return on your time and energy.

A quick note: This list draws from many different mediums with varied audiences. The most important factor to remember when advertising and launching your ad campaign is to meet your customers where they are.

If they're local shoppers, consider avenues that target your neighborhood (like Nextdoor). If your customers seek out your professional services through how-to videos or advice, consider online advertising such as creating videos on streaming channels (like YouTube). Make sure the method you choose to promote your business matches the local customers you're trying to reach, such as display ads, or use a digital advertising technique through more social channels if you want to share your business online.

By keeping your customers in mind, you can ensure your advertising efforts will be worth it.

What's below:

As a local business owner, it's important to connect to new and current customers in your immediate area - your neighborhood. To that end, Nextdoor is the go-to digital space for engaging with your nearby community and a key platform for local advertising of your business for free.

Take advantage of Nextdoor's free advertising for local business leaders by creating a Business Page. Consider:

After you have one recommendation, you'll also start showing up in neighbors' local search results. From there, how much you engage on Nextdoor is completely up to you.

If you're a small business, you don't have to pay for Google advertising to show up on the first page of Google search results. Want a marketing secret? Google actually wants people to find relevant, local search results when they look for terms like "Plumber Tampa" or "Boise Bakery" on Google Search or in Google Maps, not just those who utilize Google Ads.

You don't have to invest in a big marketing campaign to improve your odds. Instead:

As you start to show up in results, you can also use Google's analytic tools to find out which keywords are driving traffic to your site. Google Analytics uses this information to make further changes to your description and website to improve your local SEO rankings.

After Google, Bing is the second most popular search engine. It's free and easy to create a Bing Places Business Profile.

Just claim and verify your business listing, then start updating your information. Once you're set up, you'll be able to start capturing traffic from Bing, too.

If you still receive a phone book from your municipality, you're probably more inclined to use it as a doorstop than a business directory. However, there are plenty of reasons to list your business in the Yellow Pages:

It's free to list your business, update your hours, add a menu, and more.

Similar to the Yellow Pages, the White Pages has evolved to include an online directory of personal and business addresses, phone numbers, and websites.

Since 35 million people search the White Pages directory each month, keeping an up-to-date listing with your hours and contact information could potentially pay off for prospective customers.

Along with Yellow and White Pages, there's a whole world of new online business directories that target younger consumers on the lookout for the best local businesses.

Your business probably already has a "Yelp" listing (whether or not you want one). Use this as an opportunity to increase your digital advertising. Claim your Business Page, and then take the following free steps:

This kind of engagement is another great marketing strategy that can gradually help you improve your rating and show up in local search results.

Do you offer professional services like contracting, interior design, or house cleaning?

Angie's List is another great online directory that can help you connect with local customers. While Angie's List has some paid features that allow you to book jobs through the site, our focus here is on free tools.

So what can you do without entering your credit card information?

Curious customers can still follow the links to your external site to get a quote.

Foursquare isn't just a playground game. This website started out as a social networking tool that allowed users to "check-in" at popular locations and compete to become "mayor" of their favorite venue by visiting frequently.

Customers can still use the Foursquare app to search their geographic location for fun venues to visit. However, Foursquare's technology now powers location data for dozens of other companies including:

While Foursquare offers paid marketing solutions, it's free to claim your listing and is a great way to advertise your business. That way, you can ensure your hours, location, and contact information start showing up accurately on FourSquare and with its partners.

Facebook is known for its wide array of targeted advertising options and tools. But you don't have to have a big budget to take advantage of the social media platform's massive user base.

Creating a Facebook Page for your business is simple and free. As with other sites we've listed, you can:

When customers "like" and review your page, it can help to increase your credibility and drive web traffic.

You're probably familiar with several social media networks beyond Facebook. Perhaps you even post on a regular basis! The odds are quite high that a potential customer uses the same platforms, which is why it's imperative you are establishing an online presence as a business owner.

But if you own a retail business and have zero energy for videos, tweets, or other kinds of posts, there's a quick and easy way to connect with customers without creating new content.

Believe it or not, YouTube is considered a social media platform which means it is an important online medium for business advertising. We'll admit that making videos for YouTube takes time. But if you have a smartphone, you won't need to invest in any expensive videography or editing equipment!

It's free to create a YouTube channel for your business. From there, you can start adding video content that promotes your business:

If your videos go viral on YouTube, your efforts will pay off in spades!

But even if their viewership is more modest, videos can help improve your search engine rankings and serve as a fun, engaging way to answer customers' questions and engage more deeply with your audience.

Like creating videos, blogging takes time and effort but as long as you do it yourself rather than hiring a writer, it's completely free! But before you go and start blogging, we recommend starting with content marketing and getting your website set up and optimized. Once you've done that, blogging is like the cherry on top. A blog post is also a great way to boost SEO quality on your site. SEO, Search Engine Optimization, is an organic form of marketing that can drive more traffic to your page from a search result, increase brand awareness, and help grow your business.

Creating a business blog has several potential benefits.

Don't feel like you have enough to say? A blog can also be a great space to post interviews with local leaders and influencers, which is a form of influencer marketing. As they promote the interview on their channels, you'll see more traffic and prospective customers to your site.

Readers of your blog may even sign up for your mailing list allowing you to communicate through email marketing strategies. Sending monthly email newsletters or notification emails when new posts come out are great ways to stay engaged with your closest clients.

For best results, try to update your blog at least once a month.

Social media is a powerful tool. Not only is it a way to share images and videos, but, it is also a great way to connect with your customers.  Having active and engaging social channels is crucial to any marketing strategy. You can build relationships with new and existing customers through both personal and professional platforms. LinkedIn, for example, can promote your business through a professional site.

Now that you know where to advertise for free, make a list of the marketing channels that are most appropriate given your industry and budget:

Remember that while it's free to create a listing on many platforms, what really pays off is finding ways to communicate with your target audience on a regular basis. When you take the time to update your online presence and consistently post, you'll generate meaningful interaction, and with it, new customers.  Start connecting with nearby neighbors and turn them into customers by claiming your free business page.

Sources:

Business Insider. Pinterest Passes Snapchat as the Third Largest Social Network.

For an Indian passport to be considered valid, it needs to have a passport photo with specific dimensions and other important specs. For that reason, you’ll want to use iVisa Photos to help you capture a photograph that conforms to all these decrees. For information on exactly what your photo will need, just cast an eye over our handy Quick Facts—then use the information to obtain a compliant passport photo.

Those of you planning on taking your passport to another country on your next trip is also advised to visit iVisa.com website, which can tell you whether or not your destination requires a visa for entry or exit. Because many visas can be processed online, this is a useful resource to help you take care of everything before you leave.

An Indian passport photo must be 51mm x 51mm or 2x2 inches. The head should be sized in-between 35mm to 40mm. You can easily get your Indian Passport Photo online today.

All Indian passport photos must be in color with no shadows, hats, or glasses. Any colored backgrounds, or scenery is also not allowed.

Here is an in-depth breakdown of what you can expect when getting a passport photo online:

Children and especially infants can be a bit tricky to photograph. With this knowledge, India allows for exceptions and relaxed standards. Keep in mind that details regarding the quality of the photo still apply as listed above. Every child in your family who is receiving a passport or visa must have their own photo completed. Here is advice for taking photos of children, and infants, and remaining compliant:

Getting a visa or passport photo online is the way to go these days. Rising costs and time management contribute to quicker and cheaper alternatives. Depending on how many rupees you plan on spending, could be the difference between money spent on vacation or official documents. At a government agency such as a post office can cost 500-700 rupees each on average. At iVisa Photos, we offer 2 photos for 423 rupees. This price is either for passport or visa photos. Order more and save money. One other benefit of taking a picture online is your satisfaction. If you don’t like the photo, unlimited retakes are allowed free of charge. At a post office or other outside agency, you are stuck with the photo unless you pay additional money.

We assume everyone enjoys saving time and money for other priorities such as family, friends, and making memories. Thanks to the Internet and governments all around the world jumping on the digital bandwagon, it’s easier and more cost-effective to receive passport and visa photos today than it has been previously. We at iVisa Photos are committed to getting you to where you truly want to be in the quickest and most convenient way possible. Our services are guided with step-by-step instructions and 24/7 representatives standing by to answer any questions you may have. We offer 100% guaranteed government compliance on photos submitted on your behalf. No need to worry about the finite details as our trained staff takes care of the gritty details for you. Our prices are another incentive to choose us over traditional services. Give us a chance to make your vacation worthwhile and allow for paradise in the sun.

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