The internet has opened all kinds of opportunities for small businesses to market their products; it truly has leveled the playing field. Gone are the days that you would need deep pockets to spend on marketing. Today, there are all kinds of cheap and affordable ways to promote your product and brand online.

Mark Twain once said, “Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.” The good news is the right kind of marketing doesn’t have to be expensive when it comes to the internet. As you make an effort to promote your business in a low cost way, you can adopt many strategies, from the simple to the complicated.

But remember, just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s easy and doesn’t require time and effort. You can be cheap when it comes to your budget, but you cannot be when it comes to putting in the time and hard work required.

Here are ten cheap ways to market your business on the internet:
1. Start your own blog – A blog is a great way to connect with potential customers. But remember one of the keys to successful blogging is to provide value such as information, tips, tools, resources, reviews, etc.

2. Get listed with major directories – Getting listed with major online directories such as Google Places, YellowPages, Whitepages and Superpages allows your business to be found more easily in the search engines.

3. Publish videos online – Platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion offer a free way to distribute videos, but in order to success put up videos that are relevant to your company.

4. Start microblogging – A simple yet powerful way to get a message across using brief text updates. Companies such as Twitter, Pownce and Tumblr provide free microblogging platforms.

5. Join an online community – Many online communities cater to specific niches that may be related to your industry. Join a community relevant to your niche and be an active participant.

6. Join industry groups – Research professional organizations or associations in your line of work to connect with professionals and potential clients.

7. Contribute to popular sites – Submitting value added content to popular sites relevant to your niche is a powerful way to attract business and generate traffic.

8. Start an affiliate program – Getting people who will generate leads for your company in return for a commission on sales is a great way to increase sales.

9. Leverage social media – It’s free, easy to get started and offers a huge network of potential customers for your business. Identify the social networks that fit your business best and start sharing value.

10. Start a customer newsletter – This helps build a community with your customers that offers timely information about your business, news, tips, special promotions and a seamless way to stay in touch.
These ten, low cost marketing strategies will help you reach customers, build relationships, and keep your brand front and center. Remember, effective marketing isn’t always about how much money you spend; it’s about the time and effort you put into it.

The reach and marketability that used to only be available to major brands with big marketing budgets are now within the reach of even the smallest business. Start taking advantage of all the ways to market your business online today so you can grow a profitable and successful businesseven on the smallest of budgets.