Trust me, marketing is a word that can make us nervous. Gone are the days of “build it and they will come.” The marketing world changes every day and it seems there is always something new. 

Over the years we’ve watched marketing continue to evolve and grow and we are often forced to pivot as platforms change and understand where we should spend our time and energy.

To help, I’ll walk you through five ways that you can market your blog and website for free and I’ll help get your marketing working for you.

1. Build a brand, not just a blog or website

• The truth is we all have a brand. Building a brand takes effort and intention. A true brand has a voice and it makes people feel something.
• People now don’t want to buy from businesses; they want to buy from a human that they connect with. So to drive a brand, build connection and share more of what your values are – and what makes you, you.
• Think about; what do you want people to feel after they visit your website and interact with you? What does your brand stand for and value?

2. Create connection and leverage social media

• Social media is the fastest, easiest way to create connection and market yourself for free. Each platform gives you a unique opportunity to reach and grow your audience and each one holds unique ways to grow and share.
• The true power comes from knowing your audience on each platform and serving them content they will enjoy, which helps build trust. From personal photos to blog posts and articles that help solve a problem, there are so many ways to reach and grow your audience.

3. Build authentic engagement

• We’ve all put out posts expecting engagement and then there’s the dreaded crickets. You have to invite your audience to take action with every post, whether that is on your website or on social media.
• But engagement isn’t always about engaging on your platforms. It’s a two-way street. If you want people to read your content and engage on your platforms, you need to do the same with other people in and outside your networks.
• Liking, commenting, and sharing is a win-win for everyone. It helps others build their platform and helps get your brand out there too.

4. Start and grow an email list

• Growing an email list is entirely free (more complex ones have a cost) but this is something you own and holds huge value.
• When you can grow an email list you are able to reach your audience in a more personal way and deliver them content you know they will love. Delivering them frequent content also keeps you top of mind and is a great opportunity for them to keep coming back to your website.

5. Get published

• You have two options. You can advertise with businesses where your target market is or you can get your work featured in them and in front of more audiences (free of charge).
• Submit to publications, create articles for others audiences, look out for needs that platforms might have and then offer to fill them.

Marketing doesn’t have to cost you money, it just has to be backed with a sound strategy and a clear end goal. Every single piece of content you publish or share is considered marketing, so how are you sharing your value, getting your work out there, and helping people fall in love with you and your brand?

Challenge yourself to build a brand, not just a website. People connect with people they trust. If you serve them well, they will keep coming back with more friends.

*Lesley Kelly farms in Saskatchewan, Canada. She runs a successful farming blog called High Heels and Canola Fields, co-founder of the Do More Agriculture Foundation, is a motivational speaker, social media personality and a podcast co-host of the What the Farm podcast. Previously she held several branding and marketing positions in agricultural businesses. She uses these skills and her passion for farming to help make positive changes. She’s built a community of over 65,000 people across social media.

www.highheelsandcanolafields.com

Read more of Lesley’s posts on Eat Farm Now here and follow her on Twitter at @lesleyraekelly