Many people feel like the only way they can support a small business is by making a purchase, but this could not be further from the truth! Learn how to support a small business for free with these simple ideas.
It’s true that when you purchase items from a small business you are really helping them. You are helping them provide for their family, putting dinner on their table, and helping them make their dream come true as a business owner.
But what can you do to help small business owners show your support besides making an actual purchase or giving a donation? We are so glad you asked because there are actually tons of ways to do so!
RELATED: Why You Should Support Small Business in 2021
Ways to Support a Small Business for Free
Engagement
Across all social media platforms, engagement is a great way to show your support. Not only do potential customers like seeing active people on profiles, but it also shows that the small business has a community behind them.
Not to mention, when it comes to algorithms, they really favor engagement whether it’s liking a post or just simple comments.
Reviews
These are particularly helpful for new customers, but did you know that when you leave a small business a review on Google it helps to boost their page ranking? Over time with more positive reviews hopefully, they will land on the first page!
If you can give a review on Facebook, this is great too! Most consumers after doing a quick Google search go to Facebook to learn more about small businesses. You guessed it! More positive reviews means better business for those you want to support!
Tagging the Business
Let’s say you have made prior purchases from a small business. Next time you wear the outfit, use the product, or can show how you benefited from their services, tag them on Facebook and Instagram. This will show up on the business’s public feed where they can also share to other platforms.
Tagging them also helps to build social proof, which is what a cold audience needs before they actually make a purchase.
Sharing Posts
When you see a small business posting, be sure to share it! It only takes two seconds, and the impact can be out of this world. Facebook and Instagram give the small business more “juice” when they see posts being shared. This lets them know that whatever the content is, people enjoy seeing it and will show it more often.
Referrals
Obviously, word-of-mouth marketing is still super powerful even with all of the technology we have. When you hear friends and family are in the market for stuff, refer to your favorite small businesses!
In case you didn’t know, many businesses only have referral programs where you can earn money as you share their product. So if you are totally in love with a product or service, do a simple search and see if they have an affiliate program.
Volunteering
While a small business may not need you in their day-to-day operations when it comes to events we are positive they will not turn down free help! This could be running a booth as a festive, conference, or showcase. They may also have you to hand out free goods or flyers.
There are tons of ideas on how you can support small businesses for free! We hope that these helped you and you will go off today and spread the word about your favorite small businesses!
