13 free advertising ideas to boost your small business

Published Tuesday 18 November 2025

Table of contents

• Optimise your Google My Business account
• Use SEO on your website
• Create valuable content that attracts customers
• Promote your business on social media for free
• Use LinkedIn to expand your professional network
• Work with other local businesses or sole traders to promote each other
• Host or participate in local events
• Connect with a local journalist or content creator
• Make the most of your shop window
• Join small business awards in your town
• Use employees and frequent customers as brand ambassadors
• Claim your listings on review sites
• Create a contact list and build a community
• Maintain a healthy cash flow for more marketing budget
• FAQs on free business advertising

Key takeaways

• Optimize your Google My Business profile with complete contact details, high-quality photos, and regular engagement to increase visibility, as consumers are 89% more likely to choose businesses that reply to all reviews.

• Focus your social media efforts on 1-2 platforms where your target customers spend time rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple channels, and post consistently with behind-the-scenes content and customer success stories.

• Build partnerships with complementary local businesses to cross-promote services and reach new audiences without spending money on advertising.

• Create and maintain an email list by collecting customer contacts in-person and online, as email marketing delivers an average return of £42 for every £1 spent and 61% of people prefer receiving promotional messages via email.

Optimise your Google My Business account

Google My Business is a free digital listing that displays your business information in Google search results and Maps. It's often the first thing potential customers see when searching for your business online.

An optimised Google My Business profile can help more people find your business online and visit your store, especially when you reply to customer reviews. In fact, research shows that consumers are 89% more likely to choose a business that replies to all reviews. Here’s how you can get the most from your Google My Business profile:

Essential profile elements:

• Complete contact details including phone, address, and website
• High-quality photos of your storefront, products, or services
• Accurate opening hours and holiday schedules
• Business description with relevant keywords

Active engagement tactics

• Respond to customer questions quickly and helpfully
• Encourage positive reviews from satisfied customers
• Share regular updates about offers, events, or news

Consumers are 75% more likely to buy from businesses with positive reviews, so asking for and replying to reviews is important.

Use SEO on your website

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) improves your website's visibility in search results, helping potential customers find you when they search for your products or services online.

Free SEO strategies that work:

Content creation:

• Publish regular blog posts about topics your customers care about. The average blog post length is now over 1,400 words, as readers increasingly favour in-depth content.
• Include relevant keywords naturally throughout your content
• Answer common customer questions in your articles

Technical optimisation:

• Use descriptive page titles and headings
• Optimise images with descriptive file names
• Ensure fast loading speeds on mobile devices

Free SEO tools to get started:

• Google Search Console for performance tracking
• Google Keyword Planner for keyword research
• Ubersuggest for competitor analysis

Getting started without a website:Create a free website using Google Sites or WordPress.com. Both platforms offer templates designed for small businesses and require no technical expertise.

Create valuable content that attracts customers

Creating helpful content is a powerful way to attract people to your business. You can write blog posts, guides, or articles that answer common questions your customers have. This shows your expertise and builds trust.

When people search for answers online, your content can appear, bringing them to your website. It's a long-term strategy that helps you connect with potential customers without a big budget.

Promote your business on social media for free

Social media advertising costs nothing but your time and can reach millions of potential customers. With 84% of UK adults using social media, these platforms offer unparalleled access to your target audience.

Strategic approach to free social media marketing:

Platform selection:

• Choose 1-2 platforms where your customers spend time, and consider recent growth trends. For instance, Pinterest's potential ad reach in the UK grew by nearly 78% in the year leading up to 2024, indicating a rapidly expanding audience on that platform.
• Focus your efforts rather than spreading thin across all platforms
• Research competitor activity to identify opportunities

Content that drives engagement:

• Behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business operations
• Customer success stories and testimonials
• Helpful tips and advice related to your industry
• Local community involvement and partnerships

Engagement tactics:

• Respond to comments within 24 hours
• Share user-generated content with permission
• Join relevant conversations using industry hashtags
• Post consistently using free scheduling tools

It’s better to do well on one social media platform than to spread yourself too thin across many.

Use LinkedIn to expand your professional network

LinkedIn is more than just a place for job seekers. It's a great platform to connect with other professionals, share your industry knowledge, and build your business's credibility.

You can join groups related to your field, participate in discussions, and share updates about your business. This helps you build a strong professional network and can lead to new partnerships or customer relationships, especially if you serve other businesses. While LinkedIn is key for networking, it's worth noting that when it comes to direct outreach, 73% of B2B buyers prefer that sellers contact them via email.

Work with other local businesses or sole traders to promote each other

Forming local partnerships can help you reach new audiences. Look for businesses or sole traders with products or services that complement yours. Negotiate promotions and offers you can give together.

For example, if you run a hairdressing salon, you could partner with a local makeup artist to provide package treatments. If you sell homeware, you could provide crockery for a local coffee shop or cafe to use and sell to customers.

Host or participate in local events

Getting out and about in your community is a great way to promote your business. Find events in your local area where you can book booths or stalls, or simply go along and mingle with potential customers. Have a handful of flyers or business cards ready to dish out.

If there are no events in your area, create your own. Use your space to host events with themes that tie back to your business. You could launch a book club in your coffee shop so customers can enjoy a hot drink and a good book, or run dressmaking workshops from your haberdashery.

For online businesses, hosting virtual events, classes and webinars can also boost your profile – particularly if you post the videos to your social media.

Connect with a local journalist or content creator

Journalists and content creators already have a well-developed media platform. Connecting with them helps you reach more people and grow your business.

Pick up your local paper and find journalists who are creating content about your industry, or carry out an internet search to find reporters and content creators related to your business. Once you've found their email addresses or social media details, reach out and introduce your business.

For journalists, you should suggest a compelling angle for an article and show them why they should write a story about your business. For example, you might run a zero-waste cafe that demonstrates the value of sustainability, or perhaps you spend the weekends helping ex-convicts learn repair skills from your hardware shop.

For content creators, you can send samples or offer a free trial of your product in exchange for a review or social media post. You can also share their content to help them reach more people.

Make the most of your shop window

In your hunt for low-cost marketing ideas, don't neglect your shop window - whether it's bricks and mortar or digital.

If you run a physical store, use your window display to show your best offers and products. You could even invite local art students to come up with designs or help you decorate. Use the space to show off your offers and specials, and give potential customers a reason to step through the door.

For online businesses, your shop window might take the form of a website home page or Instagram profile. Use high-quality photos, banners and visuals to show what your business offers. Remember: people like to see the faces behind the business, so don't be afraid to share a snapshot of your team too.

Join small business awards in your town

Many towns and cities run small business awards that you can participate in. If you don't have a local award, organisations like the FSB run national small business awards with a variety of categories to enter.

There might be a small fee for joining. But when nominees and winners are announced, you'll get business advertising free of charge.

Use employees and frequent customers as brand ambassadors

Your employees and regular customers can help spread the word about your business. Employees and regular customers know your brand best and can speak about your excellent products or services. Offer a brand ambassador opportunity to employees and frequent customers - a free product or service in exchange for a customer referral or social media post about your business.

If your employees and returning customers love your products or services, there's a good chance other people in their network will like them too. While this is a relatively low cost marketing idea, you'll want to make sure your cash flow is stable to make a profit from these offers.

Claim your listings on review sites

Review site management involves claiming and optimising your business profiles on platforms where customers leave feedback. This free strategy builds trust and influences purchase decisions.

Key review platforms to claim:

• Yelp for local services and restaurants
• Trustpilot for online businesses and services
• TripAdvisor for hospitality and tourism
• Google Reviews through your Google My Business profile

Review management strategy:

• Claim your listings on all relevant platforms
• Complete your profile with photos, contact details, and descriptions
• Monitor notifications for new reviews

Encouraging positive reviews:

• Ask satisfied customers directly after successful transactions
• Include review requests in follow-up emails
• Add QR codes linking to review platforms on receipts or packaging
• Provide printed cards with simple review instructions

Responding professionally:

• Thank customers for positive reviews
• Address concerns in negative reviews constructively
• Respond within 48 hours to show you care about customer feedback

Positive reviews help people trust your business. Research shows that customers read about 10 online reviews before deciding to buy from a local business.

Create a contact list and build a community

Email marketing means sending messages to customers who want to hear from you. Over 61% of people prefer to get promotional messages by email. On average, you can get £42 back for every £1 you spend, making it one of the best ways to market your business.

Building your email list:

In-person collection:

• Ask customers directly during checkout or service completion
• Offer immediate value like a discount code for signing up
• Use tablet or smartphone for easy email capture

Online collection methods:

• Website pop-ups offering valuable content or discounts
• Newsletter signup forms on your website footer and contact page
• Social media campaigns promoting exclusive subscriber benefits

Effective email content:

• Weekly or monthly newsletters with business updates and tips
• Exclusive promotions for subscribers only
• Product launches and behind-the-scenes content
• Customer success stories and testimonials

Free email marketing tools:

• Mailchimp (free for up to 2,000 contacts)
• ConvertKit (free starter plan available)
• Sendinblue (free for up to 300 emails per day)

Start with one email per month and send more if your customers are opening and reading them.

Maintain a healthy cash flow for more marketing budget

Free advertising strategies provide immediate marketing opportunities while you build your business foundation. As your revenue grows, these methods create the cash flow stability needed for paid advertising investments.

Measuring your free advertising success:

• Track website traffic from different sources
• Monitor social media engagement and follower growth
• Count new customer inquiries from each method
• Calculate customer lifetime value from free channels

Building toward paid advertising:Many businesses start with free advertising to bring in their first sales, then use some of that money to pay for ads on Google or Facebook. This helps you grow your business without putting your cash flow at risk.

Managing cash flow for marketing growth:When you manage your cash flow well, you can move from free to paid advertising with confidence. Knowing your monthly revenue and expenses helps you decide how much to spend on marketing.

Try Xero for free to track your marketing ROI and manage the cash flow that funds your business growth. With clear financial insights, you'll make confident decisions about when and how much to invest in advertising.

FAQs on free business advertising

Here are answers to some common questions about free business advertising:

How long does free advertising take to show results?

Results from free advertising can take time. Social media posts may bring quick results, but SEO and content can take a few months. Keep going to see the best results.

Can I advertise my business for free on Google?

Yes, you can. Setting up a Google Business Profile is free and helps your business show up in local search results and on Google Maps.

What's the most effective free advertising method for new businesses?

For new businesses, local and online methods work best. Start by setting up your Google Business Profile and posting on the social media platforms your customers use. This helps you reach people quickly.

How do I track the success of my free advertising efforts?

You can track your results by asking new customers how they found you. For online marketing, use free tools like Google Analytics to see where your website visitors come from, or check your social media profiles to see how many people are seeing and interacting with your posts.