Did you know there are 4 relatively simple ways to advertise on Google for free? When I say the word ‘advertise’ and ‘Google’ most people immediately think of Google Adwords. But as you will see below, there are numerous other ways to promote your business on Google without paying a dime. These are the same methods I’ve used on some websites to grow Google traffic above 100K users per month and drive thousands of hits to other clients’ websites. In this short guide, you’ll learn how to increase your site’s visibility on Google, without having to spend any money on advertising!
1. Achieve high rankings in organic search – The first (and probably most obvious) way of getting free exposure on Google is to rank high on the organic search results for keywords besides your brand name. When you build and publish a new website or blog, Google will eventually index it and show it in the search results when someone searches your brand name or URL. Although you can gain some traffic this way, it’s not enough. What you really want is to appear in the top five positions of the Google search results for search terms related to your products or services. That’s achieved by doing some search engine optimization to your website and it’s content. If you are wanting to learn more, check out my post about the Best On-Page SEO Techniques for Organic Traffic.
2. Create a free Google My Business account – Another great way to get some free exposure on Google is by creating a free Google My Business account. By opening an account, verifying your business and updating your information, you can achieve two things. First, a lovely user-friendly listing when people search for your business name on Google. Second, you increase your chances of appearing on the local results for searches related to your business and the areas you’re doing business in. Just creating a business account isn’t enough if you live in a big city like New York or Chicago, though. Give yourself a better chance of getting more traffic this way by following some tips:
3. Optimize your Google Maps listing – Google Maps is another Google service you can use to get some free website promotion. In the digital marketing industry, this actually has its own niche known as Google maps marketing. Google maps listings are shown in the search results (as part of the local search box) and when users visit the Google maps tab. To get your business to show up on Google Maps you’ll need a business account (as outlined above) and make sure that:
4. Add your products on Google Shopping – The final tip for getting some free exposure on Google is to add your products into Google shopping. Google shopping products are shown in the Google shopping tab, Google search results, and Google images. Until recently, adding your products to Google Shopping was only possible through paid advertising. However, we saw that change in April of this year. Paid ads will still be shown in Google Shopping, but the results will also be enriched with free listings as well. To get your products on Google Shopping, you need to:
Aside from the tips above, you can always find and claim your Google Ads coupon as well to get some additional free money to use with Google Adwords. But, the four methods above are great ways to get some additional exposure and traffic from the biggest search engine in the world without giving them any money!
