People often create a website and then sit back and wait for visitors to come in. That isn’t exactly how it works. Here’s how you can get more traffic to your website for free.
Setting up your website is the first step in making an excellent online presence for your business in today’s digital-first world. But knowing how to promote your website is also important to ensure more and more people know about it.
Website promotion may be stressful, complex, and of course, a costly affair. You may need many financial means to invest in paid advertising and event endorsements. Many platforms, such as online directories and social media platforms, allow you to promote websites for free. Some require a quick URL registration, while others need a systematic approach.
Here are the best free websites to promote your business:
Social media platforms to promote websites for free
An initial step in promoting your website free is to use social media platforms. They are most efficient if you have a strong following. But you can also reach out to famous and influential users to advertise your business.
Tumblr
Tumblr has chosen to rebrand itself so it can compete with other social media platforms. It allows users to make blogs using photographs they have uploaded.
While marketing products on Pinterest, small companies flourish. Most people know that it is a great place to share recipes and artwork. With the right technique, it can also help small companies to achieve increased visibility through website promoting activities. The stats on Pinterest can enable you to monitor your influence.
Mix
StumbleUpon and its user base are now a part of Mix, a platform centered around sharing media, mainly commercial ones. It allows you to easily upload content and bookmark articles, music, and everything else you find online.
Reddit is an enormous discussion board with myriad options for “rooms” or discussion topics. On Reddit, you can instantly receive a lot of coverage, which can be good or bad.
Foursquare
Although it is not as popular as it used to be, it still maintains millions of users. It is a local search and engagement software that enables users to discover various types of businesses.
Quora
It seeks to be a more sophisticated and intellectual venue for analyzing current events. While Quora users may be aware of direct marketing, creating a network and trust over time could be a long-term strategy for promoting certain companies.
Others
TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and Myspace are among the most popular social media sites for free website promotion.
Online directories as free web advertising sites for businesses
Online directories cater to a broad mix of consumers, recording details of high-profile platforms to local listings. To help you increase your search engine optimization (SEO) and rank your company name and website better, below are some of the free websites you can visit:
Craigslist: Craigslist, one of the first online directories, has always been the most approachable platform to promote your site.
AngelList
It connects business owners with investors. On this portal, startups can look for finance and new employees.
Angie’s List
This site contains the names and evaluations of contracting companies. It is a powerful platform for well-reviewed businesses that are marketed globally.
Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau has long been a go-to place for well-known companies to promote themselves. Before the computer era, the BBB served as a resource. Getting listed on the Better Business Bureau used to be standard practice for anyone looking to promote websites free of cost.
Google My Business
Google My Business is a significant way to market your website online in 2023. It increases your SEO and provides additional know-how about your company to the target customers. It also generates better search results and lets the customers contact you or write reviews. If you are not already promoting your website on Google, you are missing out on free website marketing.
Apple Maps
Apple Maps is similar to Google Maps. It is preloaded on every Apple mobile device and PC, and it receives over five billion user inquiries each week. Long story short, if you are not marketing your website on Apple Maps, you are missing out on many prospective customers.
SaaSGenius
It is a directory that focuses on supporting subscription-based software and is a resource for SaaS (Software as a Service) companies. Since SaaSGenius caters to a specific audience, it is a beautiful place to list your company. Visitors to the site know what they are searching for. It also includes advanced search filters that are quite useful while filling out your company profile.
Yell, Thumbtack, SearchMe4, UK Small Business Directory (mainly if you are based in the UK or want to make your presence there), GetApp, MapQuest, Bing Places for Business, and Sitejabber are among many other top-ranked online directories to promote your website for free.
The other platforms and portals for free-of-cost website promotion usually include a wide range of classified ad websites along with curated content and social bookmarking. Here is the shortlist:
- Wikipedia
- Trustpilot
- Akonter
- Product Hunt
- MetaFilter
- Digg
- wikiHow
- Juxtapost
- Manta
- Yellow Pages
- Town Planner
- Buzzfeed Community
- TripAdvisor
- 24-7 Press Release
- Blogger.com (Blogspot)
- Free Press Release
- Yelp
- Merchant Circle
- Vimeo
- Dailymotion
- YouTube — the most effective and popular on this list.
Conclusion
Establishing a business section and listings on these sites is an excellent place to promote websites for free. To perform appropriate promotion takes a lot of time and work. So, you should choose platforms that your buyers love to access. Apart from the platforms mentioned above, there are many other ways to promote a website. The most beneficial way for you is primarily determined by the competition you face in the market and your resources.