22 FREE Marketing Strategies to Try in 2022

As you’re sitting and thinking about your marketing strategy for the upcoming year, the “more obvious” ideas are probably coming to mind: social media, email marketing, videos, etc. Although it’s great to incorporate those more “traditional” tactics, it’s important to also think outside of the box and brainstorm ways you can reach, captivate, and convert your target audience.

If you’re ready to try something new and exciting, read through this blog post as we share 22 marketing strategies to try in 2022 that are either ideas you haven’t thought of before, ideas you’ve considered but haven’t done yet, and ideas you might be totally hesitant to try… all for free.

Host Webinars

When was the last time you hosted a webinar, if at all? Webinars are an excellent way to not only demonstrate your expertise that can then convert attendees to become customers or clients, but it also drastically helps to grow your email list. Start with hosting two per year, then one per quarter, and eventually one per month once you feel comfortable for more opportunities to get seen in front of the right people.

SEE MORE: How to Use Webinars to Generate Leads

Blog More Often

We know that this one isn’t “out of the ordinary,” but it’s one that people often shy away from! Blogging is known to establish credibility, drive website traffic, and improve SEO, so why stop yourself from doing it? Starting with just one blog post per month can work wonders.

Leverage Reddit and Quora

This suggestion is probably one that you’d least expect, but Reddit and Quora can help to drive a lot of traffic, if done correctly. With the dozens, if not hundreds, of subreddits that Reddit has, you can find a category where your ideal client or customer is bound to exist and answer their questions, provide advice, and share resources that may help them further. Be careful about promoting yourself, however, as many subreddits prohibit it. That means you just need to get a little creative!

For Quora, people go there to ask questions and receive help. Comb through any questions under the topics that you’re an expert in and provide answers when possible. Any time you’re able to include a link to a blog post or a resource in your answer is a great strategy!

Interact in Facebook and LinkedIn Groups

It’s no secret that we love interacting in Facebook and LinkedIn groups and doing the same for our clients. These communities have thousands, if not tens of thousands, of active and engaged members that you can promote your business in front of just by being consistent, encouraging them to go back to your own social media profiles or to your website to learn more.

SEE MORE: 5 Ways to Use Facebook Groups to Grow Your Business

Tap Into User-Generated Content

There’s nothing that builds more credibility for your products and services than happy clients and customers sharing their positive experiences with your brand. Whether you use their photos, videos of them using your product or service, testimonials from them, or something else, user-generated content can easily be featured on social media, in blog posts, in newsletters, and elsewhere, convincing your followers that they need your products or services, too.

Get Featured as a Guest in Publications

Are there podcasts you can be a guest on or publications you can write an article for that can help to get you seen in front of your target audience? Co-creating content and cross-promoting allows new groups of people to learn more about who you are, what you do, and how you help, therefore expanding your audience.

Commit to Weekly Live Videos

We get it—going live on video is scary! But it’s also one of the easiest and quickest ways to captivate your audience. Whether you choose to go Live on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, or somewhere else (or even a combination of all of them!), you’ll help to build that know / like / trust factor with your audience and increase engagement.

SEE MORE: 5 Tips for Rocking Your Facebook Live

List Yourself in Directories

Are there any industry directories where you can list a link to your website and social media profiles? Not only does the backlinking improve your SEO, but it also helps your website to get seen in front of individuals who may be using those directories to find a company like yours to hire.

Join Business Organizations

Is there anything better than good old fashioned networking? Whether you join a Chamber of Commerce, a BNI group, or other business organizations, this is a great way to meet people who not only may purchase your products or services for themselves but also refer you to people they know who will.

Begin a YouTube Channel

Have you already been creating a decent amount of videos for your marketing efforts? If so, why not start a YouTube channel to house and repurpose the videos you’ve already spent all that time creating? YouTube is an excellent search engine as well, which can help to improve your visibility.

Start a Podcast

Do you have a lot of insight to share about your industry and expertise? Of course you do! Starting a podcast can be one of the easiest ways to quickly share that information and help others out. Plus, if you bring guests onto your podcast, you can increase your exposure because they’ll be promoting their episode once it airs.

Launch Your Own Group or Organization

Who said you had to only join Facebook / LinkedIn groups or organizations that already exist? You can certainly start your own, too! Especially if there’s a niche where there’s a strong need, you’ll be able to cultivate a community of people who will begin to see you as a thought leader.

Offer More Freebies

Besides providing a large amount of value to your audience, freebies (also known as lead magnets) are an extremely easy way to build your email list. If your clients or customers tend to ask you the same questions or have the same problems / struggles, use those conversations as starting points to creating freebies that will provide a solution to the issues they’re facing.

SEE MORE: How to Create the Perfect Opt-In

Create a Free Mini Course

Do you have a certain topic that you love to teach and that’s considered your zone of genius? Consider creating a free, or low-cost, mini course on that topic. Not only does that course teach your audience about something that will benefit them in their life or their business, but it also acts as a way to draw them in and encourage them to purchase a higher ticket item.

Test Cold Outreach

Have you ever tried directly reaching out to ideal customers or clients, whether it’s through email, phone, or LinkedIn? Pitching your products and services just might help to land you new business, especially if done the right way and at the right time.

Sponsor an Event or Organization

Is there a local event or organization that you can sponsor to not only support them but also get your business seen in front of more people? Whether your company name gets listed on a sign, in their program, through their marketing, or somewhere else, this will help to increase your visibility.

Reach Out for Referrals

Who do you have in your network who could send more referrals your way? Whether it’s clients, strategic business partners, or colleagues, reaching out to your network and asking if they know of anyone who’s in need of your products or services can help bring you more business.

Secure More Speaking Gigs

Are there any opportunities for you to speak at conferences, workshops, trainings, and more? Speaking in front of audiences who fall within your target market increases your awareness and allows you to demonstrate your expertise by teaching a topic that’s a part of your zone of genius.

Add a Second Business That Complements Your Current One

Is there another business you can start that would directly feed into your current business? Whether they offer complementary products or services or share the same client base, creating another business as a way to increase lead generation can help to drive some sales for you.

Purchase Ad Spots in “Lesser Known” Spaces

Whenever someone thinks of ads, their mind automatically drifts to social media and Google—but did you know that you can purchase ad spots in “lesser known” spaces, such as in podcast episodes or on websites? Think about the mediums that your target audience is known to frequent, and see if there’s a way for you to purchase ad space in those locations.

Try Affiliate Marketing

Do you sell a product that other people would be able to promote for you? Not only does affiliate marketing allow your products to get seen in front of your target audience through cross promotion but it also provides an incentive of helping affiliates to make money if their audience purchases your product through their link.

Engage on All Platforms

When was the last time you engaged with other users on social media instead of just posting new content? The idea of “build it and they will come” is no longer relevant, so if you want to grow your community, you have to go out and make it happen yourself! Even spending 10 minutes per day interacting with users who are an ideal client or customer can make a big difference.

After reading through this list, are there any ideas that you know you’re going to try in this upcoming year? Marketing is all about trial and error—testing a variety of methods to understand what works best for you and your business. By the time the end of the year rolls around, you’ll know what worked well and what didn’t, helping you to better plan for the future.

Get in touch with us to learn how we can help you with your overall marketing strategy by filling out our contact form or scheduling a free consultation.