As a small to medium business owner, you are probably well aware of how you can connect with your current customers and reach new customers through Facebook. You may also utilize your own webpage to host a blog, share customer reviews or otherwise stay in touch with your client base. However, the internet is full of websites that you can utilize to boost your business. Believe it or not, your company may have business pages out there that you don’t even know about!
If you’re looking at ways to market your business without adding to your expenses, you’re in luck—spend some time researching these top 5 web services you aren’t using to their full potential, and perhaps you’ll find a new way to get your name out there.
Yelp
Yelp is an online local business directory that also hosts a review section. By default, many businesses are included automatically. You can advertise with the company for preferred placement in searches; however, depending on your business, you are probably showing up anyway. This site ranks very highly on the search engines so it is likely to show up very high if a web surfer searches for your business name. Because of this, it is very important you keep a close eye on the site and make sure your information is up to date and your reviews have not been tampered with by anyone.
TripAdvisor
If your company is in food service or hospitality of any kind, you probably have a TripAdvisor listing. This site is very similar to Yelp and the same advice applies. Keep an eye on the site and make sure you are properly represented.
You may not think of Pinterest as being a commercial or marketing site, but it is actually a great way to grab new visitors. If you can create visually appealing pages, add useful tips and create interesting posts, you will naturally get pins. The best way to take advantage of the site is to participate. Start pinning. Make sure you don’t just “spam” your followers with pins of your own stuff—be a useful resource and you will increase your reach organically.
Foursquare
You may or may not be familiar with the service. Essentially, Foursquare allows smartphone users to “check in” when they visit certain locations. This unlocks “in-app” trophies and allows users to interact with their friends using the app. Make certain your business has an active profile on Foursquare so users can easily check in. You may also consider offering coupons or specials to those who check in on your profile. This is another way to boost interactions with your customers.
Hubpages (Squidoo and Others)
These websites are set up to allow anyone to publish content on any topic that interests them. You can use these sites to create high-quality backlinks to your site. Make sure you check the site requirements, but this is a great chance for you to create high-quality content (perhaps hire a copywriter if you are not confident of your own skills) and add a link back to your page. Additionally, you can earn some revenue when your article gets traffic on these sites too.
Tracy S is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
