It is no secret that the horse industry can be a very expensive sport and business to be a part of. However, not every aspect of our industry has to be costly. We have accumulated a list of four free ways to promote your business. This list will help optimise traffic to your business without spending a single penny. Not only do they require zero financial investment but also all of them can be done from behind your phone or computer screen.

1 - LEARN AND USE THE BEST SEO STRATEGIES

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is arguably the most important tool in digital marketing. Google will use algorithms to decide which websites appear first after someone does a search. SEO is the only free way to get the algorithm to put your website further up the page when a relevant search is made.

Luckily there are many resources to help you learn how to use SEO to your advantage (hint: there are many free courses on YouTube). Knowing the audience you want to target is also hugely important in SEO usage. With this knowledge, you can use keywords (i.e., riding lessons, equestrian activewear, magnawave therapy, equestrian business, etc.) that relate to your niche to improve search results and drive traffic to your business.

2 - CREATE A GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE

A Google Business Profile is a great way to promote your business for free. A profile can be created by going to google.com/business. After logging into your google account you will add your business name, location, and category. Your Business Profile will now pop up on google maps (which comes up first on the search page and will increase traffic to your website). This profile will allow consumers to leave reviews, photos, and comments on your business.

A very important thing to note about a Google Business Profile is that you do not have access to manage it unless you create a Google My Business account – which is also free! After creating this account, you can manage and engage with consumer comments/reviews left on the page, creating credibility and a sense of community. Do not forget to use SEOs when creating your profile to optimize your business’s traffic!

3 - START A BLOG FOR YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

Blogs are a fun, easy, and creative way to interact with your target audience. Additionally, it is an amazing way to promote your business. Blogs help grow website traffic, give a sense of community, and can differentiate you from other businesses.

The most important thing about blogs is to stay consistent. Consistency really is key. This will both keep your existing customers coming back for more and also attract new ones to your business. Another very important aspect of blog writing is to keep SEOs in mind when creating a new post. This will allow for complete optimisation. Make sure to be writing about topics that are relevant to your niche, allowing your customers to gain more knowledge about your business.

4 - WORK ON GROWING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ORGANICALLY

As of January, 4.62 billion people around the world were on some sort of social media, including but not limited to Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube. It is time for all equine businesses to take advantage of these free platforms and use them to promote their business.

To build a following and organically increase traffic to your social media, you will need to be consistent with your posting. Social media is a great way to build a connection with a customer and to build credibility. A beautiful photograph or well-executed video could have more of an impact than you think. But first, an important thing to note is to do your research. Find out what is most likely to get likes, reposts, and comments for your respective area. For example, posts including an infographic are more likely to get shares, and sharing reels on Instagram is currently one of the best ways to reach new users on that respective platform. Do not underestimate the power social media could have in promoting your business for free.

We understand that not every equestrian business is currently in the position to financially invest in its marketing and branding, which is why we have compiled this list of free marketing strategies. It is also why we share some of our favourite tips and tricks on our Instagram page, so we can help equine business owners who manage their own marketing channels to make the most out of their resources!