As an entrepreneur, you’re always looking for ways to save money, increase efficiency and streamline your business processes. And what better way to do all of those things than to market online? Whether you’re just getting started or you’re already an established business, you’ll find a way to use the tools below to help you market your products or services online for free.

1. Build a Great Website.

A great first step to effective online marketing is to develop a website. A website establishes your credibility as an expert in your industry and gives potential customers confidence that you can provide them with useful information about your business. If you’re looking to create a professional website with a limited budget, consider using free tools like WordPress or Shopify.

If you already have a website, consider using free tools to update it and make it more user-friendly. You can also use tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic and learn more about your audience.

2. Grow Your Email List.

Your email list is one of the most critical components of your online marketing strategy. Newsletters, email campaigns and other forms of email marketing allow you to stay in touch with your audience and grow your business. You can use tools like MailChimp to easily and efficiently build your list.

If you’re looking for a free dedicated email marketing platform, try HubSpot. With HubSpot you can leverage tools like email marketing, lead nurturing and custom websites to build a solid foundation for your business.

3. Use Social Media.

Did you know that nearly 80% of people in the U.S. access social media sites like Twitter and Facebook? Whether you love it or hate it, social media is here to stay. Use social media to grow your business by engaging with your audience and sharing useful information.

You don’t necessarily need to have a large following to make effective use of social media. A popular blog with a small following can use social media to gain a lot of traction and make a difference in terms of brand awareness and customer engagement.

If you’re serious about leveraging social media to grow your business, consider using tools like Hootsuite and Buffer to schedule and monitor your content across all major social media platforms.

4. Use Google AdWords.

Did you know that people search for your product or service more than 200 times before they make a purchase? According to HubSpot, people visit Google more than any other single source when researching products and services, which makes it the perfect place to spend your ad budget.

If you want to advertise on Google, consider using AdWords, which is officially offered free of charge. AdWords offers you the opportunity to put ads on the network which may reach highly targeted audiences.

5. Measure The Results Of Your Efforts.

Chances are, you’ve heard about Google Analytics, which provides you with data about the effectiveness of your website. Analytics lets you measure and track all the activity that occurs on your site, including the number of visitors, where they come from and what drove them to your website.

If you want to know more about your audience and how they’re interacting with your content, consider using tools like CrazyEgg, Hotjar or Google Analytics to help you measure the results of your online marketing efforts. These tools provide you with information about user behavior, allowing you to make informed decisions about your website and online marketing strategies.

You can also use tools like Google Analytics to track the success of your offline marketing efforts, like trade shows, newspaper advertisements and radio show appearances.

6. Post Regularly.

Consistency is important when building an audience on social media, so keep this in mind when designing your content schedule. Consistency helps to establish you as an authority in your industry and encourages your audience to connect with your brand. And what better way to establish yourself as an expert than to continue to give useful and authoritative information.

To grow your audience, consider using tools like Hootsuite, where you can easily set up automated social media posts to share frequently and consistently. Doing this helps to establish your brand identity and allows you to gain credibility with your audience.

7. Get Inspired.

To create content that is both engaging and valuable, you need to find inspiration wherever you can. If you want to truly understand how to market online for free, consider reviewing the work of other businesses in your industry. Reviewing the content of others can help you find the best methods to reach your audience, attract new customers and increase sales.

Was there something specific that you noticed about a competitor’s content or an industry leader’s tactics that you can implement into your own business? Consider reviewing the marketing materials of other companies within your industry to see what works and what doesn’t work. This way, you can find inspiration for your own marketing strategy and make it work for you.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, including mainstream media sources like TV and radio ads, magazine articles, social media sites and blogs. You can use tools like Ahrefs, Buzzsumo and Medium to find content that is both relevant and helpful to your business.

8. Consider Sponsoring Content.

Did you know that businesses and brands routinely pay to have their products and services featured in other people’s blogs? In return, you’ll get free promotional content that could potentially grow your business. Consider looking for brands that are interested in paying for content that features their products or services. And don’t forget, you could always create your own sponsored blog posts to promote your business!

Creating sponsored blog content is a great way to build credibility and gain exposure with your target audience. In exchange for a product or service being featured, you’ll need to be responsible for creating unique content that is of value to your audience. You can also use tools like Hootsuite to connect with other social media marketers and get inspired by their content.

Bloggers make great spokespeople because they’re uniquely positioned to speak to their audience. Since bloggers write and post frequently, they have an established base of credibility and an engaged audience. If you want to become a blogger, consider using tools like Hootsuite and Medium to get started.

9. Use Digital Marketing Platforms.

Now more than ever, consumers are demanding digital marketing tools in order to find the information they need. The proliferation of smartphones, tablets and laptops has made it possible for consumers to access information at the touch of a button. If you want to take your marketing efforts into the 21st century, consider using digital marketing platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to gain more exposure and engage with potential customers.

What better way to engage with your audience than with content that is both interesting and valuable? The ability to post regularly and engage with your audience via social media is important in maintaining their interest in what you have to say. In addition to this, you can also use tools like Hootsuite to connect with other industry professionals and get inspired by their content.