Chances are you are already interacting with customers on social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. But are you actually taking advantage of the platforms to their full potential to grow your business?

You may be familiar with the concept of customer engagement, which comes in many forms, from engaging with customers on social media to sending out regular emails or even hosting live chats. But what if we told you there was a way to engage with customers using platforms designed for businesses – specifically for marketing and advertising purposes?

That’s what we’re going to tell you about today. We’ll introduce you to five top-notch, free platforms that can help you find the best fit for your business. Keep reading to learn more. 

Wix

Wix is the ultimate “one-stop-shop” for business owners seeking to take advantage of the internet to grow their companies. The platform offers a free site, as well as a premium option that offers all the bells and whistles. If you decide to go with the premium account, you can integrate your email marketing, create landing pages, and even set up a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system from within the platform. Wix is definitely strong in the marketing niche, with tons of tools and integrations offered.

The most significant marketing feature of Wix is undoubtedly their highly effective SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy. When you build an SEO-friendly site with Wix, you’re essentially handing the reins of your site’s growth over to the search engines. When a user searches for your product or service, your SEO-friendly site will appear prominently in the results – because, in order to optimize your site, they must first find it.

Squarespace

This year, we’re seeing a rise in the popularity of mazes — themed groups of rooms organized around a central hub. Squarespace is the ultimate “digital maze” — a creative, visual website building platform that offers free and premium pricing options. Like Wix, Squarespace also offers a variety of landing page builders, allowing for some creative website design without needing extensive web development knowledge. 

The best part about Squarespace is how easy it is to use. For example, if you’ve never designed a website before, you may not be familiar with the concept of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), which are the rules that guide the way your web pages are designed. With Squarespace, you don’t need to know CSS — the platform handles all the technicalities for you. Designing a website with Squarespace is more like designing a puzzle — you place your website’s ingredients (content, images, etc.) in the right order, and the platform does the rest.

Another great feature of Squarespace is that it allows for the creation of private websites — something that is not possible with other platforms. If you’re looking for a way to keep track of your affiliate marketing data, you could create a private website for each of your affiliate programs and host all the relevant information there. This way, you’ll always have access to the most up-to-date information without having to open multiple websites.

HubSpot

HubSpot is a CRM and marketing platform designed for businesses — specifically for marketers seeking to engage with customers on a deeper level. The free version offers a robust suite of features including:

• email marketing
• social media marketing
• campaigns
• analytics
• lead generation
• marketing automation
• site content management
• budgeting

While HubSpot is most well-known for its marketing software, it also offers a free website builder, allowing for the creation of simple, yet effective websites without needing any prior knowledge. 

Websites built with HubSpot are SEO-friendly — the platform makes it simple for search engines to find and connect with your target audience. As a marketer, you can track all the activity that happens on your site in real-time — whether that’s a lead, a conversion, or an interaction (for example, a comment or a share on social media). You can even set up email marketing campaigns and automated drip-feed messages to pull in new leads for your business.

Medium

Medium is the blogging platform that everyone is talking about these days. It’s mostly known for its effectiveness in driving traffic and engaging with readers, as well as for its “publishing platform”, which allows for anyone with a blog to easily set up a free account. 

We recommend that you try Medium out. It’s a great place to find and engage with an audience — whether you’re a seasoned blogger or a content creator just looking to find an outlet. Another great thing about Medium is that it provides you with a free 14-day trial, allowing you to try out the platform without having to risk a dime.

Bluehost

What if we told you there was a way to find the best hosting platform for your business, without needing to break the bank? Bluehost is the ultimate “one-stop-shop” for business owners seeking to take advantage of the internet to grow their companies. Bluehost offers a free, reliable shared hosting plan with no restrictions, as well as a premium plan offering additional perks, like free backups, advanced security features, and a free domain name.

One of the reasons why so many businesses are choosing Bluehost is due to their effective and simple to understand customer support. If you ever need help, you can contact their knowledgeable support team, who will be happy to assist you.

Shopify

Shopify is a platform designed for small businesses seeking to sell their goods and services online. The free version offers a fully featured eCommerce store, as well as a basic membership that allows you to create a store, plus view analytics and export orders. 

You can sell just about anything on Shopify, whether you’re an online store specializing in clothing, accessories, or home decor.

The fact that Shopify is growing in popularity among businesses is arguably because of their effective marketing campaigns — which you can replicate and learn from.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is the leading eCommerce software platform designed for businesses — specifically for those looking to sell their products online. They offer a free trial, along with their standard, professional, and enterprise plans. If you’re just getting started and don’t have the money or the patience to learn how to code, BigCommerce may be the right choice for you.

BigCommerce provides you with a fully featured eCommerce store, along with all the tools you need to build and maintain your online store, all in one place. They also provide a business version of the familiar Amazon Affiliate Program, which many merchants choose to opt-in for.

In addition to all the benefits that platforms like Wix and HubSpot offer, you can take advantage of the fact that you have your own online store. You can grow your business via online marketing and sales — without being afraid to touch a bit of code.

We hope this article has helped you find the best, free, marketing-related platform for your business. If you have a side gig or an online store and are seeking a way to improve your marketing, then these platforms are worth your attention.