Get free advertising—leverage your expertise for good word of mouth

We know there's "no such thing as a free lunch." But here are some ways you can come pretty close.

Invest just a bit of your time and you can get yourself and your business featured in local publications—both on andoffline. Here's the secret: reach out to the papers, circulars, blogs, and trade publications that focus specifically on your community, and offer to write a guest post or column. This is a great way to gain exposure for your business and build your name as a trusted resource in your community—essentially free advertising!Here’s how

Make a connection

Publications are often looking for content contributors — especially local industry experts. Reach out to both local print publications and local bloggers. Introduce yourself, provide a brief background on your business and the services you provide, and ask about opportunities to write a guest column focused on your area of expertise.

If the publication features reviews of local businesses find out how to be included. Sweeten the deal and offer them an opportunity to experience your services firsthand at no charge!

Make it actionable

Choose topics relevant to the publication’s audience as well as your industry and expertise. Keep your articles informative and helpful and avoid directly mentioning your business — readers want to learn from you and aren’t looking to be sold just yet. Be sure to avoid these 17 foolish guest blogging mistakes. Of course, be sure to mention your business name in your bio.

Try offering “how to” or other actionable advice — providing real value to your readers will not only keep them engaged but incline them to read your bio and check out your business website. They’ll also be likelier to come back the following month for your next article.

Share it

Don’t forget to share the link to your article once it’s published. Share across all of your social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest), and tag friends and family who you think will be interested in the content.

Did you know? Citations boost rankings!

The more online citations your business has—that is, mentions of your business name and address, phone number, or website—the higher you'll rank in online search. These references to your business not only increase your visibility but also establish the trustworthiness of your business for search engines—a solid citation base is key to your online presence.  

Bonus tip

Wondering how to find local publications? You’ll have to get your hands dirty. When you Google “[your city] blog,” “[your city] magazine,” or “[your city] newspaper,” you’ll be greeted with your best candidates. Reach out to every publication on the first page of search results—they’re the ones that index the best in Google. Also try searching “[your city] [your industry] blog.” If all else fails, just take a look around your local coffee shops and pick up a few of the free community-focused publications.