Sure, you can hire freelance writers to create content with sparkle. Maybe you are spending hours on Facebook interacting with potential readers. Perhaps you’ve even gone under the table and paid people to pretend to like your website. Whatever you’re doing, you can do more and for less money. Discover how to promote your content so that fans come buzzing like bees on a bed of daisies. Best yet, these delightful methods are easy on the wallet.
Business Cards
Ever heard of Vistaprint? If you don’t have cable or you’ve been hiding under a bridge, then perhaps you’ve never heard of their free business card deal. You can get 500 business cards printed for free; you pay $10 for shipping. While these cards are certainly up to snuff, if you want to get all snazzy, you can opt for the premium upgrade in which you can receive 250 cards for $10. Think of all the places you can advertise your website with 500, even 250 business cards. Promote your content by featuring your website front and center. Pass your business card to everyone you know; place it in holiday greeting cards; and post it on bulletin boards in every town you meet.
Press Releases
Write, or have a professional writer write, a press release for your website. Include details about your goals with the site, what you have on the site, and how to expect to expand in the future. Make it as interesting and professional as possible. Then, submit it to bloggers and news media sites and hope they take the bait to publish the press release.
Get into Print
We are sucked into the computer screen so often that we tend to forget about the good, ole’ print media that has advertised businesses for a century. However, it can be intimidating to approach magazines or newspapers looking for a way to get your story into their columns. That is where Help a Reporter Out (HARO) comes in. This free resource allows you to forge through the muck of media contacts. Simply post your request for a reporter, or request a journalist to guest post on your website, and you’ll come up with dozens of requests in no time.
Connect at Conferences
If you have a website in a niche industry, such as swimming toys or garden tools, then look for conferences that are applicable to your business, such as home and garden shows. Alternatively, look for fundraisers asking for vendors to host booths for their event, such as with social groups, that would love to have someone, anyone fill up their booth space. Otherwise, look for conferences that are convenient to you where you can connect with local businesses. Put a human face to your website; you’ll find a new avenue for making connections with readers who’ll be interested in your content. Distribute flyers and business cards related to your website at the event, and be ready to explain what a website is to those old-timers in attendance.
Free eBooks
Give eBooks to visitors to your site. Start by creating an eBook that is relevant to your website—use the services of a professional freelance writer who can whip your eBook into shape in no time flat. In order to get the eBook, have visitors give you their email address, which you can use to distribute newsletters, emails or updates to your web content.
A word of warning. While these inexpensive methods are quite attractive, there’s one thing you must do first. Make sure that the content on your website is worth reading. Otherwise, you’ll have a great deal of unique visitors, but very few who will bookmark, StumbleUpon, share on Facebook, Tweet or return to your website, and that is what you really want.
Miranda B is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
