Whether you have just launched a website for your business or are planning on doing so, this list is essential for you; it will save you a substantial amount of time spent scouring the internet to find a place to promote your site. Also, if your business has been online for some time now, you should also skim through our list - it is likely that you skipped some good platforms that could drive a decent amount of traffic to your website.
Promoting your website can turn into a really costly activity, and for someone running a small business or just beginning the business venture, promotion activities may seem out of reach. That’s why we are here to help you. This list of 50 free places to promote your business in 2019 will equip you with enough channels to considerably boost your online visibility. So, let’s not waste any more time and dive into this eye-opening list.
Online Directories and Review Websites
If you are a business owner, then you should create a profile on every platform that can be relevant for you. Here’s a list of the ones you shouldn’t skip, because they present an excellent opportunity to increase your online visibility.
1. Google My Business – One of the first things you should do when you start a business is go over to Google My Business and fill out all the information about your company. Whether you run a local café or an online shop, it is essential to have correct info about your business presented in the Google search.
2. Bing Places for Business – Although it has a smaller market share, Bing covers a significant portion of web searches. That’s why you should definitely register for this service. It is basically like Google My Business, just for Bing.
3. Better Business Bureau or BBB - One of the oldest business review platforms; although there are some controversies surrounding their rating system, they proved to be a good intermediary between companies and customers.
4. Yellow Pages – A local directory that is well known all across the globe. The biggest advantage of being listed on the Yellow Pages website is that they have nailed their SEO in the majority of local markets, which gives your listing a better chance of being seen.
5. Manta – Another small business directory that is good for local businesses. They have about 13 million monthly users and very specific industry categories, which makes this website easy to navigate.
6. Yelp – Although this platform is more popular with restaurant owners, you can also use it if you do business in other industries. If you claim your business on this platform, it is important to check it frequently to see what your customers are saying about your brand. Companies that manage their reviews (especially the bad ones) gain more popularity with the users, which can do wonders for the brand awareness and visibility on the platform. To obtain more positive reviews, you could encourage your existing customers to drop by and leave a few kind words.
7. TripAdvisor – This is a platform for tourists. Besides hotels, hostels and apartments, this platform is used by restaurant and bar owners. If you can utilize this platform, it can be a great source for both foreign and domestic customers.
8. Angie’s List – A website that provides user-generated reviews of local businesses. The main objective of this website is to advise users on where they can find reliable services.
9. Foursquare – What makes this app different from other local business directories is that it has a social component to it. In 2014, they released their spin-off app called Swarm to increase check-ins and interaction between users. In return, the app provides the data determines the popularity of the local listings.
10. GetApp – If you’ve just published an app, then this online app directory is for you. It is specialized for business apps, and can be a potential lead generation channel.
11. SaaSGenius – This is a great online directory specialized for SaaS solutions. You should really take some time to populate your whole profile so that it doesn’t look unfinished in comparison to others. This platform is designed to be a place where users can find and compare different SaaS solutions and make their decision based on these findings. That being said, this listing can bring you some serious customers.
12. Wikipedia – Probably one of the best-known sites on the internet, Wikipedia is still – after so many years – one of the top places to create a page for your business and include a link to your website. This is because Wikipedia is often the first place people go to check out anything – companies included.
13. G2 – Previously known as G2crowd, this is one of the largest tech marketplaces in the world. With over 3 million people visiting G2 on a regular basis to discover and review new software products and business services, this is a great place to promote your own services and redirect people to your website.
14. Trustpilot – Another consumer review website, which allows consumers to review businesses and suggest improvements. Trustpilot hosts approximately 1 million new reviews every month, and is great for promoting businesses and giving consumers a voice.
15. Whitepages – A website similar to Yellow Pages, providing crucial information about a multitude of businesses. This includes fraud screening and identity verification, so it’s beneficial for both promotion and securing your reputation.
16. Sitejabber – A platform that helps consumers to avoid being scammed and find secure online businesses. Sitejabber has been referred to as “the Yelp for websites and online businesses”, allowing consumers to write reviews and businesses to respond to them. Also a great promotional platform for your website.
17. Product Hunt – Founded in 2013, Product Hunt has grown to become the platform for promoting new products. Users can submit their ideas, and other users will vote and determine whether the idea deserves funding or not. Great for promoting apps, websites and other tech products.
Social Media Platforms
Although social media platforms have been all the rage for quite some time now, many business owners still don’t understand the full potential these platforms have. Sure, you probably have a few accounts set up to promote your business, but that’s not nearly enough. There’s a whole slew of new (and old) platforms that you can leverage to make your business more renewed in your industry, so join those communities and start a conversation with your potential customers. Here’s a list that you should definitely consider for your website:
18. Facebook – If you haven’t created one already, a Facebook page is the place to start when it comes to the promotion of your website/business. When creating your page, make sure you choose the right category for your business and fill all the information as well as the ‘About’ section to make it more informative.
19. Twitter – If you are doing business in the tech sector, then being present on Twitter is highly recommended. Here you can post news about your company, articles that you’ve published, and keep in touch with industry-relevant influencers.
20. YouTube – Many people don’t consider YouTube to be a place where you can promote your website, but it’s the perfect place to upload both promotional and tutorial videos (especially now that YouTube has replaced regular media as we speak).
21. LinkedIn – Every respectable business needs to have a LinkedIn profile. With 450 million users in membership, this business-oriented social network serves as a platform where people find work, partners and vendors.
22. Instagram – What was once a platform for teenagers has now become one of the most valuable platforms for promotion. Running a profile on Instagram can drive traffic to your website and give your brand a more “humane” feel.
23. Pinterest – This is a great platform for fashion/jewelry/DIY/design-oriented ventures, or basically for any business that produces attractive, original photos or graphics.
24. Reddit – Something between a social media platform and social news aggregator, but don’t let the high volume of links posted on this network fool you - Reddit is one of the toughest crowds on the Internet when it comes to marketing. This community doesn’t allow shameless self-promotion, but they will give you valuable feedback. If you play your cards right, Reddit users can become your most loyal customers.
25. Tumblr – Launched mainly for bloggers, this social network/microblogging platform can also be used for business. The key element of success is to try and make your post more humorous and “aesthetic”. To attract an audience to your website, you need to see what is trending and combine that with your message.
26. TikTok - Formerly known as musical.ly, TikTok is a short video sharing platform where users can incorporate funny videos and music together to tell a short story. Initially used by teenagers, TikTok now has a wide audience of adults who take advantage of the promotion side of the platform.
27. SlideShare – Powered by LinkedIn, SlideShare is the most popular hosting service for slide decks. Most businesses already have a well-designed presentation about their company, so why not upload those slides on SlideShare and reach a much larger audience.
28. AngelList – Although the AngelList was primarily built for matching startups and investors that want to fund them, this platform has become a tech company database over the years. If you are in the entrepreneurship game, you have to create a profile on this platform.
29. Quora – When it comes to Quora, you need to forget about shameless self-promotion. This is a question-and-answer based platform that appreciates experts and penalizes anyone who is there only for promotional purposes. You can create a topic for your company, but you need to give valuable answers to the community.
30. We heart it – This is another image-based social network, and is a good choice for brands that rely on beautiful visuals. Users come to this platform in search of inspiration, so if you plan to utilize it, make sure your images are truly inspirational, and not just your basic advertisements.
31. Dailymotion – If your company already has a few promotional videos, then you should create an account on this network. Dailymotion has a strong community and millions of monthly visits. That being said, you might consider making some funny, engaging or creative video material and make it go viral on this platform.
32. Vimeo – Another video-sharing website that can be used for your business promotion. Vimeo became popular because it was the first platform to support HD videos, and is still being used today.
33. XING – A Hamburg-based social network for professionals and businesses. XING is somewhat of a competitor to LinkedIn, and can be a helpful place to set up your profile.
Content Aggregation and Management
If you have a website for your business but still don’t have a blog, then you should consider starting one as soon as possible. Not only will your blog drive more people to your website, but you can also use those blog posts to promote your site across multiple content aggregation platforms. Remember, your content should always provide value to the readers so that more people will want to share it. Whatever the subject of your articles, here’s a list of places where you can promote it.
34. Flipboard – The founders will say that this is a social magazine, but the bottom line is that Flipboard is a well-designed content curation platform. It looks genuinely good, and it has the feel of an online magazine – attracting many visitors. This is a great opportunity for every business that has a blog, especially if it is a niche one.
35. AllTop – One of the most famous news aggregator websites, AllTop is a great place where you can submit your blog posts and potentially get discovered by millions of people visiting this website.
36. EzineArticles – In short, EzineArticles is a directory where you can syndicate your blog posts. Submission is free and, in return, you get a link to your website and the opportunity to reach larger audience.
37. HubPages – You need to create original content for this platform, but you can promote your website or blog in your ‘about the author’ section. This might be time-consuming, but depending on the industry you do business in, it might attract tons of quality traffic and leads.
38. Medium – This is a well-known online publishing platform that attracts mostly journalists and bloggers, which you can leverage for your business - promoting your blog for example. Create a profile for your company and share your core values, mission and vision with the world.
39. Mix – Previously known as StumbleUpon, Mix is a content sharing site that allows users to share their favorite pieces of content on the internet and collect them. It helps to connect people who share similar interests, and is a great networking tool for businesses and consumers alike.
40. BuzzFeed community – Organized by renowned internet media company Buzzfeed, this community allows users to create content and guest-write articles for the website. Once published, Buzzfeed editors will check your post and even promote it if they take a liking to it.
41. Bloglovin’ – Another content organization platform focused specifically on blogs and blog posts. Bloglovin’ allows users to discover, read and organize their favorite content, so syncing your website’s blog with this platform is bound to bring in more traffic to your website.
Press Releases
When something happens in your company that is newsworthy, publishing a press release is a must. If you plan to distribute your press release for journalists to notice it, then you should keep in mind that it is better to write as if you were a journalist yourself. This basically means to keep boasting to a minimum and stick to the facts and benefits for your users. When your press release is ready, you need to submit it to as many places as possible. That’s where we come in. Here are the platforms that let you post for free:
42. PRLog – An easy-to-use platform where you can submit your press release for free if it is under 500 words. This is more than enough to get your point across and explain to the world what’s new in your company.
43. PR.com – A platform that refers to itself as “a cross between a public relations and advertising entity”. PR.com is a good option for distributing press releases and building a name for your business.
44. 24-7 PressRelease – This platform also offers a free option, but the downside is that your submission might not end up being picked if the editors decide that it doesn’t suit the platform.
45. Open PR – Using their free plan, you are limited to 3 press releases per day, which is more than enough to make a name for yourself.
Photos and Infographics
In a competitive market, where tons of brands compete for user attention, visual content can make a huge difference. Whether you post photos of your employees, creative images or clever infographics, you need to find places where you can share them with a larger audience. That’s why we suggest you check out this list of places that are specialized in promotion of different kinds of visual content.
46. Visual.ly – It’s a great place where you can create and upload infographics. Visually brings together quite a large audience, so besides brand awareness, you can also promote your infographics here.
47. Infographics Archive – An excellent place for infographic dissemination. On this platform, you can share your infographics and also link your website.
48. Infographic bee – This site allows you to submit infographics for review, although using the free plan may result in a longer review time.
49. Infographic journal – A fancier platform for infographics that focuses more on quality than quantity, with a goal to publish the best infographics out there. Definitely worth a try.
50. Fast company – One of the leading brands on the internet with a large audience. Fast company also publishes daily infographics, which you can easily submit by contacting them directly via email. Make sure your infographic is both aesthetically pleasing and informative to increase chances of publication.
Now that you have gone through this list of free platforms and learned how to promote your business online, the only thing that’s left is to put in the work and create a strong presence on the platforms that you find relevant for your website.
Promoting your website can turn into a really costly activity, and for someone running a small business or just beginning the business venture, promotion activities may seem out of reach. That’s why we are here to help you. This list of 50 free places to promote your business in 2019 will equip you with enough channels to considerably boost your online visibility. So, let’s not waste any more time and dive into this eye-opening list.
Online Directories and Review Websites
If you are a business owner, then you should create a profile on every platform that can be relevant for you. Here’s a list of the ones you shouldn’t skip, because they present an excellent opportunity to increase your online visibility.
1. Google My Business – One of the first things you should do when you start a business is go over to Google My Business and fill out all the information about your company. Whether you run a local café or an online shop, it is essential to have correct info about your business presented in the Google search.
2. Bing Places for Business – Although it has a smaller market share, Bing covers a significant portion of web searches. That’s why you should definitely register for this service. It is basically like Google My Business, just for Bing.
3. Better Business Bureau or BBB - One of the oldest business review platforms; although there are some controversies surrounding their rating system, they proved to be a good intermediary between companies and customers.
4. Yellow Pages – A local directory that is well known all across the globe. The biggest advantage of being listed on the Yellow Pages website is that they have nailed their SEO in the majority of local markets, which gives your listing a better chance of being seen.
5. Manta – Another small business directory that is good for local businesses. They have about 13 million monthly users and very specific industry categories, which makes this website easy to navigate.
6. Yelp – Although this platform is more popular with restaurant owners, you can also use it if you do business in other industries. If you claim your business on this platform, it is important to check it frequently to see what your customers are saying about your brand. Companies that manage their reviews (especially the bad ones) gain more popularity with the users, which can do wonders for the brand awareness and visibility on the platform. To obtain more positive reviews, you could encourage your existing customers to drop by and leave a few kind words.
7. TripAdvisor – This is a platform for tourists. Besides hotels, hostels and apartments, this platform is used by restaurant and bar owners. If you can utilize this platform, it can be a great source for both foreign and domestic customers.
8. Angie’s List – A website that provides user-generated reviews of local businesses. The main objective of this website is to advise users on where they can find reliable services.
9. Foursquare – What makes this app different from other local business directories is that it has a social component to it. In 2014, they released their spin-off app called Swarm to increase check-ins and interaction between users. In return, the app provides the data determines the popularity of the local listings.
10. GetApp – If you’ve just published an app, then this online app directory is for you. It is specialized for business apps, and can be a potential lead generation channel.
11. SaaSGenius – This is a great online directory specialized for SaaS solutions. You should really take some time to populate your whole profile so that it doesn’t look unfinished in comparison to others. This platform is designed to be a place where users can find and compare different SaaS solutions and make their decision based on these findings. That being said, this listing can bring you some serious customers.
12. Wikipedia – Probably one of the best-known sites on the internet, Wikipedia is still – after so many years – one of the top places to create a page for your business and include a link to your website. This is because Wikipedia is often the first place people go to check out anything – companies included.
13. G2 – Previously known as G2crowd, this is one of the largest tech marketplaces in the world. With over 3 million people visiting G2 on a regular basis to discover and review new software products and business services, this is a great place to promote your own services and redirect people to your website.
14. Trustpilot – Another consumer review website, which allows consumers to review businesses and suggest improvements. Trustpilot hosts approximately 1 million new reviews every month, and is great for promoting businesses and giving consumers a voice.
15. Whitepages – A website similar to Yellow Pages, providing crucial information about a multitude of businesses. This includes fraud screening and identity verification, so it’s beneficial for both promotion and securing your reputation.
16. Sitejabber – A platform that helps consumers to avoid being scammed and find secure online businesses. Sitejabber has been referred to as “the Yelp for websites and online businesses”, allowing consumers to write reviews and businesses to respond to them. Also a great promotional platform for your website.
17. Product Hunt – Founded in 2013, Product Hunt has grown to become the platform for promoting new products. Users can submit their ideas, and other users will vote and determine whether the idea deserves funding or not. Great for promoting apps, websites and other tech products.
Social Media Platforms
Although social media platforms have been all the rage for quite some time now, many business owners still don’t understand the full potential these platforms have. Sure, you probably have a few accounts set up to promote your business, but that’s not nearly enough. There’s a whole slew of new (and old) platforms that you can leverage to make your business more renewed in your industry, so join those communities and start a conversation with your potential customers. Here’s a list that you should definitely consider for your website:
18. Facebook – If you haven’t created one already, a Facebook page is the place to start when it comes to the promotion of your website/business. When creating your page, make sure you choose the right category for your business and fill all the information as well as the ‘About’ section to make it more informative.
19. Twitter – If you are doing business in the tech sector, then being present on Twitter is highly recommended. Here you can post news about your company, articles that you’ve published, and keep in touch with industry-relevant influencers.
20. YouTube – Many people don’t consider YouTube to be a place where you can promote your website, but it’s the perfect place to upload both promotional and tutorial videos (especially now that YouTube has replaced regular media as we speak).
21. LinkedIn – Every respectable business needs to have a LinkedIn profile. With 450 million users in membership, this business-oriented social network serves as a platform where people find work, partners and vendors.
22. Instagram – What was once a platform for teenagers has now become one of the most valuable platforms for promotion. Running a profile on Instagram can drive traffic to your website and give your brand a more “humane” feel.
23. Pinterest – This is a great platform for fashion/jewelry/DIY/design-oriented ventures, or basically for any business that produces attractive, original photos or graphics.
24. Reddit – Something between a social media platform and social news aggregator, but don’t let the high volume of links posted on this network fool you - Reddit is one of the toughest crowds on the Internet when it comes to marketing. This community doesn’t allow shameless self-promotion, but they will give you valuable feedback. If you play your cards right, Reddit users can become your most loyal customers.
25. Tumblr – Launched mainly for bloggers, this social network/microblogging platform can also be used for business. The key element of success is to try and make your post more humorous and “aesthetic”. To attract an audience to your website, you need to see what is trending and combine that with your message.
26. TikTok - Formerly known as musical.ly, TikTok is a short video sharing platform where users can incorporate funny videos and music together to tell a short story. Initially used by teenagers, TikTok now has a wide audience of adults who take advantage of the promotion side of the platform.
27. SlideShare – Powered by LinkedIn, SlideShare is the most popular hosting service for slide decks. Most businesses already have a well-designed presentation about their company, so why not upload those slides on SlideShare and reach a much larger audience.
28. AngelList – Although the AngelList was primarily built for matching startups and investors that want to fund them, this platform has become a tech company database over the years. If you are in the entrepreneurship game, you have to create a profile on this platform.
29. Quora – When it comes to Quora, you need to forget about shameless self-promotion. This is a question-and-answer based platform that appreciates experts and penalizes anyone who is there only for promotional purposes. You can create a topic for your company, but you need to give valuable answers to the community.
30. We heart it – This is another image-based social network, and is a good choice for brands that rely on beautiful visuals. Users come to this platform in search of inspiration, so if you plan to utilize it, make sure your images are truly inspirational, and not just your basic advertisements.
31. Dailymotion – If your company already has a few promotional videos, then you should create an account on this network. Dailymotion has a strong community and millions of monthly visits. That being said, you might consider making some funny, engaging or creative video material and make it go viral on this platform.
32. Vimeo – Another video-sharing website that can be used for your business promotion. Vimeo became popular because it was the first platform to support HD videos, and is still being used today.
33. XING – A Hamburg-based social network for professionals and businesses. XING is somewhat of a competitor to LinkedIn, and can be a helpful place to set up your profile.
Content Aggregation and Management
If you have a website for your business but still don’t have a blog, then you should consider starting one as soon as possible. Not only will your blog drive more people to your website, but you can also use those blog posts to promote your site across multiple content aggregation platforms. Remember, your content should always provide value to the readers so that more people will want to share it. Whatever the subject of your articles, here’s a list of places where you can promote it.
34. Flipboard – The founders will say that this is a social magazine, but the bottom line is that Flipboard is a well-designed content curation platform. It looks genuinely good, and it has the feel of an online magazine – attracting many visitors. This is a great opportunity for every business that has a blog, especially if it is a niche one.
35. AllTop – One of the most famous news aggregator websites, AllTop is a great place where you can submit your blog posts and potentially get discovered by millions of people visiting this website.
36. EzineArticles – In short, EzineArticles is a directory where you can syndicate your blog posts. Submission is free and, in return, you get a link to your website and the opportunity to reach larger audience.
37. HubPages – You need to create original content for this platform, but you can promote your website or blog in your ‘about the author’ section. This might be time-consuming, but depending on the industry you do business in, it might attract tons of quality traffic and leads.
38. Medium – This is a well-known online publishing platform that attracts mostly journalists and bloggers, which you can leverage for your business - promoting your blog for example. Create a profile for your company and share your core values, mission and vision with the world.
39. Mix – Previously known as StumbleUpon, Mix is a content sharing site that allows users to share their favorite pieces of content on the internet and collect them. It helps to connect people who share similar interests, and is a great networking tool for businesses and consumers alike.
40. BuzzFeed community – Organized by renowned internet media company Buzzfeed, this community allows users to create content and guest-write articles for the website. Once published, Buzzfeed editors will check your post and even promote it if they take a liking to it.
41. Bloglovin’ – Another content organization platform focused specifically on blogs and blog posts. Bloglovin’ allows users to discover, read and organize their favorite content, so syncing your website’s blog with this platform is bound to bring in more traffic to your website.
Press Releases
When something happens in your company that is newsworthy, publishing a press release is a must. If you plan to distribute your press release for journalists to notice it, then you should keep in mind that it is better to write as if you were a journalist yourself. This basically means to keep boasting to a minimum and stick to the facts and benefits for your users. When your press release is ready, you need to submit it to as many places as possible. That’s where we come in. Here are the platforms that let you post for free:
42. PRLog – An easy-to-use platform where you can submit your press release for free if it is under 500 words. This is more than enough to get your point across and explain to the world what’s new in your company.
43. PR.com – A platform that refers to itself as “a cross between a public relations and advertising entity”. PR.com is a good option for distributing press releases and building a name for your business.
44. 24-7 PressRelease – This platform also offers a free option, but the downside is that your submission might not end up being picked if the editors decide that it doesn’t suit the platform.
45. Open PR – Using their free plan, you are limited to 3 press releases per day, which is more than enough to make a name for yourself.
Photos and Infographics
In a competitive market, where tons of brands compete for user attention, visual content can make a huge difference. Whether you post photos of your employees, creative images or clever infographics, you need to find places where you can share them with a larger audience. That’s why we suggest you check out this list of places that are specialized in promotion of different kinds of visual content.
46. Visual.ly – It’s a great place where you can create and upload infographics. Visually brings together quite a large audience, so besides brand awareness, you can also promote your infographics here.
47. Infographics Archive – An excellent place for infographic dissemination. On this platform, you can share your infographics and also link your website.
48. Infographic bee – This site allows you to submit infographics for review, although using the free plan may result in a longer review time.
49. Infographic journal – A fancier platform for infographics that focuses more on quality than quantity, with a goal to publish the best infographics out there. Definitely worth a try.
50. Fast company – One of the leading brands on the internet with a large audience. Fast company also publishes daily infographics, which you can easily submit by contacting them directly via email. Make sure your infographic is both aesthetically pleasing and informative to increase chances of publication.
Now that you have gone through this list of free platforms and learned how to promote your business online, the only thing that’s left is to put in the work and create a strong presence on the platforms that you find relevant for your website.