Search Results

Since its founding in 2006, Wix has been on a mission to help any creator or business build their dreams online. We’re proud to say that our platform is now home to 263 million users (and counting) worldwide and offers the richest, most abundant set of features that it has ever had.  Below, we’ll give you a glimpse at why people choose our platform. Keep reading to explore our latest and greatest Wix website features—or, check out our tools up close and sign up for Wix  for free today.  Learn more about website design  with Wix.  What is Wix?  Wix is a free website builder  that’s designed to be versatile and easy to use, no matter your familiarity with what web design is or coding. With Wix, anyone can create a state-of-the-art website.  More importantly, anyone can grow their business on Wix. The platform serves as one platform to manage and grow your business—whether you’re focused on eCommerce, fitness, hospitality or any other space.  Wix website features at a glance  While Wix has too many features to possibly list in one article, here are some of the key features worth checking out. For a full list, explore our Wix features  page.  AI-powered website builder Design features Business solutions Marketing tools SEO features Learn more: Why use Wix? Feature Details AI website builder Yes Drag-and-drop editor Yes Website templates 2,000+ Design features Mobile site editor Custom themes and fonts Custom interactions Scroll effects Photo Studio AI image generator AI text creator And more Marketing features AI email design and management AI social media management Loyalty programs Coupons and discounts Branding tools AI blogging tools Analytics And more Ecommerce features Inventory management AI product recommendations AI product descriptions POS Online payments Dropshipping Print on demand Multichannel integrations International commerce And more Other business solutions Online bookings Subscription plan management Custom forms Online courses Membership plan management Automated tax And more Monthly cost Free forever Monthly plans with advanced business solutions starting at $17/month Customer support 24/7 callback support (EN; other languages available) Live chat (EN): Monday through Friday, 2 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET (other languages available) Online ticket submission AI-powered website builder Wix’s bread and butter has always been in website building. While Wix debuted as a drag-and-drop builder and still proudly offers this advantage, our website builder has expanded far beyond basic web design capabilities.  Wix’s AI website builder , for one, simplifies how to create a website , making it as easy as having a conversation. The AI will ask about your business goals before designing a custom website right in front of your eyes. The true pièce de résistance: the builder will present a site, complete with all the content and business apps you need to hit the ground running.  “I think the biggest game-changer is the fact that you can easily create a stunning website [but] you don’t need to understand layout, design or anything to get a great working website right from the start.” - Wix’s Head of Product Yaara Asaf Alternatively, Wix offers more than 2,000 website templates , which you can customize in the Wix Editor. There’s also Wix Studio , a solution specifically designed for agencies and enterprises. Wix Studio shares the same foundation as Wix, but has additional web design, collaboration and coding capabilities for larger teams.  Design features  One of the greatest perks of Wix involves the flexibility of its easy-to-use web design tools; speed doesn’t come at the cost of versatility.  You’ve got a Media Manager, where you can explore stock photos or organize your own media. You’ve got a Photo Studio, where you can edit your images, apply filters or even use AI to generate bespoke images on the spot. You’ve got a Video Maker that can generate videos in a few seconds.  Beyond this, you can fiddle with the layout and various elements of your websites. Customize everything from your navigation menu to CTA buttons. Add interactive elements, photo galleries, custom forms, social feeds and more—all using Wix’s out-of-the-box features.  You can perfectly align the fonts and theme of your website with your usual branding. Not to mention, you can customize your mobile site via the Mobile Editor, ensuring that only the most essential elements are shown on smaller screens.  Read also: How to design a website with AI or 7 things you can do in 30 seconds using Wix’s AI image tools Business solutions  These days, a website is no longer just a visual representation of your business. A website is an extension of your business. It’s also a springboard for growth, enabling you to open up a new revenue stream or pursue other goals, both big and small.  To that end, Wix provides a slew of built-in capabilities spanning:  Ecommerce: Custom checkout experience, online payment processing , multichannel integrations, AI product descriptions, AI site-chat, loyalty programs, inventory management, print on demand, dropshipping, POS , Wix Owners app and more (learn about Wix’s eCommerce website builder )     Events: Registration forms, table charts/seating maps, ticket tiers, invitations, email confirmations, guest list management, event analytics and more Restaurants: Commission-free online ordering, table reservation, digital menu management, POS integration, loyalty programs, scheduled orders, restaurant analytics and more Service business: Online scheduling, calendar management, class bookings, video conferencing, booking reminders, custom booking forms, staff availability management, membership plays, automated invoices and more Blog: Monetization options, subscription plan management, comment management, multi-contributor management, SEO tools, AI blogging tools, blog analytics and more Portfolio: AI portfolio creator, custom contact forms, online scheduling, online payments and more Photography: Customizable gallery, Lightroom plugin, AI image editing tools, online scheduling, print on demand and more Fitness: Membership plans, online scheduling, custom booking forms, digital health wavers, Wix Fit app for clients, staff availability management, coupons, gift cards and more Hotel: Front desk management, centralized property management, unlimited reservations, external booking channels, advanced room pricing, custom tax rates, coupons, email confirmation, room types and more Programs and courses: Program customization, AI-powered content creation, participant rewards, quizzes, surveys, membership plans, participant management, program analytics and more  In addition to these built-in options, the Wix App Market  flaunts more than 800 pre-vetted apps that integrate with Wix.  “One of the reasons why I love Wix and chose Wix for my website: it’s a whole business tool. You can handle everything on there for your whole business—it’s crazy. The thing that I loved about it over all of the other platforms out there is that you’re able to customize everything on your website so that it’s really yours." - Angus Willows, founder of Kangaroo Marketing tools  Half the challenge of launching a new website or starting a new business is drumming up attention. Wix’s suite of marketing tools simplifies this process; you can manage both paid and organic campaigns in one place, avoiding the headache of switching back and forth between multiple platforms. This also allows you to sync your website analytics with your active campaigns. Wix’s marketing suite includes: AI-powered email marketing  AI-powered social media marketing   AI-powered Google Ads  AI-powered blogging tools Facebook and Instagram ads  Google My Business integration  Store coupons and discounts Loyalty programs  Logo maker  Analytics SEO features  SEO is both an art and a science. While AI is shaking things up, there are still fundamental SEO best practices worth following to make sure your website is seen by the 88% of consumers who still turn to search engines for answers to their questions (compared to 12% who use AI chatbots, and 31% who use social media, according to a study by HubSpot ).   Wix comes with beginner-friendly SEO features  that are built-in and semi-automated. You have control over basic, yet essential elements—such as your URL, meta tags, redirects and more.  Related reading: SEO website design guide But Wix also provides an SEO assistant, checklists, preset settings and AI-generated meta tags to make your life easier. All your images are instantly compressed and converted to WebP faster page load times. You can additionally connect your site to your Google Business Profile, plus your preferred tools (like Google Analytics, Semrush and others).  “Wix users can see their page in the search results immediately after they created it. There’s no waiting. There’s no wondering, ‘Am I on search or not?’ Within seconds, they’re on Google.” - Mariya Moeva, product manager at Google Who is Wix best for?  While Wix makes it possible to create nearly any type of website, the most successful users are actively looking to build, manage or grow a business. They come seeking a platform that can grow with their business and support them in other ways outside of just providing a good-looking site.  Top users include:  Entrepreneurs across industries Freelancers and consultants  Service-oriented businesses Ecommerce businesses  Bloggers and content creators  Educators  Event planners and producers Non-profit organizations Why choose Wix? Beyond having a large range of features, Wix offers the following advantages.  It’s user-friendly : You don’t need to be an experienced coder or web designer to get a fully functional website off the ground. Wix is designed to be a do-it-yourself platform; even the most advanced tools for customization and business management are easy to figure out on your own. It’s budget-friendly: You can enjoy Wix’s basic features for free for as long as you’d like. Its paid plans start at $17 per month and allow you to remove Wix branding from your site, plus take advantage of more advanced tools. You can opt for a monthly, yearly or multi-year plan.  It’s versatile :   Wix is highly customizable. Unlike other website builders with limited templates and controls, Wix is built to give you as much control over your website as possible, without overcomplicating the experience. Easily personalize your desktop and mobile sites to your brand. It’s robust:  Take advantage of a big range of built-in features for managing and marketing your business. Read: you don’t need to hunt for additional apps—with separate interfaces, costs and limitations—to get started. Create your website and your business control center all from one platform.  It’s scalable:  Enjoy enterprise-grade scalability. Our platform grows with your business, allowing you to expand your workspace at any time and only pay for what you need. It’s secure and reliable:  Rest assured that website reliability  is top-of-mind for Wix, which flaunts 99.98% uptime and two layers of DDoS protection. You don’t have to take care of maintenance yourself; the Wix infrastructure is monitored and fully managed 24/7. You’ve got a community: Learn from millions of other Wix users through Wix Groups, Wix partners and other online groups. Or, help yourself to the Wix Help Center  or Wix support channels if you have questions while using the platform. Get started with Wix today.  Wix FAQs  What are the free features of Wix? You can use Wix’s AI or classic website builder, entirely for free. Anyone can access our 2,000+ website templates, plus publish their site (though free sites will have Wix branding as well as a default domain name).  See also: our free branding tools   Should you choose to start selling through Wix or take advantage of other advanced features, paid plans start at $17 per month.  How much does Wix cost? Wix plans include: Free ($0/month) Light ($17/month) Core ($29/month) Business ($36/month) Business Elite ($159/month) These plans cater to different business types and sizes. See a full breakdown of features on our plans page . What services does Wix provide? Wix is primarily known as a website builder. However, its capabilities expand far beyond this to include support for managing your business. These capabilities include: Marketing (including tools for email, social media, blogging, etc.) Ecommerce (including payment processing, inventory management, etc.) Online bookings (for restaurants, service-based businesses, event-based businesses and others) Branding (including a logo maker, business name generator and more) Third-party integrations (with industry-leading apps)  Is Wix suitable for big websites? Yes, the Wix infrastructure is built to be scalable. Meaning, if your business takes off tomorrow and you see an influx of traffic, you can rest easy knowing that your website won’t crash. You can also capitalize on opportunities like this in an instant; Wix’s business solutions and plans are flexible. You’ve even got Wix Studio  (a solution specifically for agencies and enterprises) at your disposal.  Editor’s note: All pricing and other information are current as of May 15, 2025.

Bring your inspiration to life with a Wix website →   There’s nothing more exciting than coming up with an idea than building it into the next big thing. When you create a website , the possibilities are almost limitless. To help you decide the best site for you, we’ve put together a list of 53 website ideas that’ll put you on the road to success. To increase your chances of making a profit from your website, make sure you create high-quality content that people will be drawn to and promote it through social media, SEO and other channels. Use effective monetization strategies, from advertising and affiliate marketing  to selling products and services that will help you pivot from creating a website to starting a business.   Need inspiration for your website? With Wix, building a standout site is easier than ever. Choose from hundreds of customizable templates and use Wix’s easy drag-and-drop website builder  tools to make your vision come to life. Turn your ideas into reality and see just how simple it is to create a unique, professional website. TL;DR: great website ideas If you're ready to launch a website but aren’t sure where to start, this roundup is here to spark inspiration. We’ve pulled together website ideas across industries and interests, from online stores and service-based businesses to personal brands and passion projects. Each idea includes practical guidance to help you take the next step. You’ll walk away with clear examples of what’s working right now, plus tips to match your goals, audience and skills. No matter your niche, you’ll find a starting point that makes sense for you—and the tools to bring it to life. How we chose these website ideas Criteria Why it matters Market demand Ideas align with growing industries or user needs. Monetization potential Concepts support business growth or revenue opportunities. Ease of setup Each idea can be launched with accessible tools and skills. Creative flexibility Allows for unique branding and content expression. Long-term value Ideas are adaptable and relevant over time, not just short-term trends. 9 profitable website ideas Whether your aim is to establish a professional online presence, display your portfolio or share your interests, these website ideas can help to inspire you and make you money. (See also some of the best AI website examples .) Blog eLearning website eCommerce website Portfolio website Resume website Nonprofit website Event website Business website Personal website 01. Blog A blog can be a valuable feature within most types of websites, but starting a blog website can open up a wealth of opportunities. People use blogs to connect with others, showcase their writing chops or share their expertise. Eventually, some even figure out how to monetize a blog and make writing their full-time job. These blog templates are helpful plug-and-play options, but you can also use them to spark your own website design ideas. "Running a successful blog is a marathon, not a sprint. Take time to build a solid foundation for your content strategy through audience research and competitor analysis. Understanding your niche will allow you to craft content that is equally valuable to readers and search engines." Judit Ruiz Ricart, Blogs Strategy Expert at Wix The most common way to turn your blog into a money-making venture is to advertise. Work with ad networks to display ads on your site so that when a visitor clicks on an ad, you earn a commission. You can also earn money from referring visitors to other websites in a strategy called affiliate marketing. Learn more: How to make money from a website At the same time use keyword research to plan blog posts that can get you ranking on search engines, generate traffic and increase your visibility to readers. 02. eLearning website If you’re an expert in a particular area, consider creating an eLearning website so that you can teach others about it. This type of website can include a series of videos on any topic of your choice. Draw in viewers by offering some videos for free, then charge for access to longer, more in-depth content. Creating these tutorials can be an effective way to make money online. You can start your eLearning site with one of these professional online education website templates . The most common way to make money from an eLearning website is by selling courses, either by creating your own or selling courses created by others. You can also charge a monthly or annual fee to access premium content or features on your website. Want to build on this? Develop courses that people can enjoy on the go from a mobile app. Learn more: What is the purpose of a website? Check out this online language school template . 03. eCommerce website Whether you want to sell your handmade items or you want to give dropshipping a try, an eCommerce website would be the best website for you. Starting an online store and your own online marketplace can be a relatively painless process if you have the right tools at your disposal. Wix has hundreds of online store themes for building an eCommerce website , each of which has all the necessary features to get people shopping with you—such as secure payment processing and multichannel selling capabilities—built right in so that you don’t need to do any of your own coding. → Browse all  eCommerce website templates The most common way to make a profit on your eCommerce website is to sell products. You can either sell products you own or products that you dropship from other retailers, clothing is often a popular choice. Another popular electronic business idea is a subscription business - where customers sign up and pay to receive products on a monthly, or other time conditioned schedule. You can also earn a commission for referring visitors to other eCommerce websites. See Izzy Wheels for a great example of a profitable eCommerce website. 04. Portfolio website An online portfolio website is a great way to showcase your visual work, particularly if you’re an artist, photographer, writer, fashion model, photojournalist or interior designer . A beautiful online portfolio will help you gain professional opportunities ( architecture portfolios or fashion portfolios for example), and it can even help you develop a fan base. When you create an online portfolio, take inspiration from the best portfolio websites and consider linking from the site to your social media profiles and from your social media profiles to the site. The goal of a portfolio website is to offer your services, whether it’s in graphic design, photography or writing. You can also make money by offering relevant products on your website. If you are a photographer, you can feature mugs with your photos displayed on them, for example. Learn more: How to make an architecture portfolio Architecture portfolio examples How to make a cleaning website 05. Resume website A CV or resume website serves a similar function as a portfolio website, as it allows you to put your experience and expertise on display. You can think of a resume website as an in-depth business card that tells the public who you are, what you do, and why they should pay attention to you when it comes to new recruitment and employment opportunities. This type of website is valuable for professionals in every field, as it boosts your credibility among potential clients, business partners and employers. If you’re wondering how to make a resume website that embodies your personality and profession, check out these resumes and CVs website templates for some smart website design ideas. If you are a freelancer or consultant, you can use your resume website to sell your services. You can also use it to showcase your work and attract potential clients. Try this creative CV template on for size. 06. Nonprofit website A nonprofit website can help you raise awareness about a cause, attract volunteers, and gather donations. Creating a nonprofit website is doable for any organization in the field, even those that lack a professional web designer. Check out this list of the best nonprofit website templates for some website design ideas. When it comes to making money for your nonprofit, the most important way is to rely on donations. After that, you can sell merchandise with your nonprofit's logo or branding. This is a good way to raise awareness for your cause and generate revenue. Check out Housing Hope to see an inspiring example of a nonprofit website. 07. Event website From company meetups and music festivals to neighborhood block parties and retirement celebrations, a promotional event website will help you provide guests with all the information they need. With Wix Events , you’ll be able to manage your event calendar, update event details and sell tickets. Browse these designer-made event website templates and select one that you think will excite your guests the most. If you are hosting an event, you can sell tickets to visitors. This is the most common way to make money from an event website. You can also sell sponsorships to businesses that want to be associated with your event and display ads. Get creative with this music festival template . 08. Business website Every business needs a strong business website , regardless of its industry or niche. If you’re a business owner, create a website for business with an online presence that mirrors the look and feel of your brand with relevant content and a coordinated visual style. Take a look at these business website templates for some profitable website ideas. Consulting websites are also a great fit for professionals looking to extend their reach online. Monetizing your business website depends on what you are trying to promote. This can range from selling products and services to affiliate marketing and sponsorships. Scroll through ADME | Social Media Agency for a buzzworthy example among the business websites out there. 09. Personal website Out of all the website ideas, this one is truly for anyone. No matter our hobbies, professions or goals, all of us can benefit from a personal website. Use your site to tell your personal story, showcase your latest projects or simply build your presence on the web. If you want to make money from your personal website, it will depend on your skills and audience. You can offer services based on your talents through your personal website. You can also create and sell digital products, such as eBooks, online courses, or templates. If you have a large and engaged audience, you can leverage that audience to make money through promoting affiliate products, getting sponsorships or charging for access to premium content, such as exclusive articles, videos, or webinars. Browse Simply Tabitha for a lovely example of a personal website. 44 good website topics that’ll spark some ideas Once you know what type of website you want to make, you need to decide what the focus is going to be. Here are 44 website ideas to inspire you. 01. Fashion website If you’ve got a passion for fashion, consider building your blog around it. A model portfolio , as seen in these model portfolio examples can showcase your professional work and help garner clients. If you’re more of a hobbyist, fashion blogging might be more up your alley. You can use a fashion blog to highlight your personal style and help readers curate their own closet. These customizable fashion and style website templates can help you get started. Get to know Lissa Brandon to get some style points for a fashion website. Learn how to make a fashion website . 02. Beauty website If your friends are always asking you about your skincare routine or how you drew your siren eyeliner so perfectly, consider creating a beauty website. You can create tutorials using Wix’s video maker or upload videos you’ve already made. This selection of makeup and cosmetics website templates offers an array of stylish website design ideas to fuel your inspiration. You can also use your website as a review site for beauty products and techniques. Give your website a makeover with this beauty salon template . 03. Finance website When it comes to websites that make money, websites that teach budgeting techniques and economical lifestyle tips are hugely popular these days. If you’re a personal finance guru, create a content-rich website with blog posts, video tutorials and eBooks to teach followers your strategies. To share a fresh perspective and create a buzz in a crowded field, offer finance management advice to specific audiences, such as college students or entrepreneurs. Try out this financial coach template . 04. Fitness website If you’re a fitness professional, a fitness website can help you reach customers, grow your business and make money. The best fitness websites often include video tutorials, a blog that is chock-full of expert tips and an online booking system for classes or personal training. At the end of the day, effective business websites should help you manage your bookings and schedule, communicate with clients, handle payments and, of course, inspire your clients to be their best selves. Run through The Fighters Club , which sets a powerful example for other fitness websites and personal trainers. 05. Counseling website If you’re a counselor or therapist, you can create a website that both highlights your expertise and makes it easier for prospective clients to find you. Include a bookings feature to make it simple for clients to set up appointments online and easy for you to manage your schedule. Since counseling is a highly sensitive experience and prospective clients will approach it carefully, it’s also a good idea to include testimonials that establish your credibility. Sift through Neighbors Counseling to get ideas for a counseling website. 06. Self-help website Self-help websites can help people build confidence, nurture relationships, develop healthy coping skills or achieve their goals. A key feature of this type of website is a blog with recommendations and suggestions. If writing isn’t your forte, you can set up online bookings for personal consultations, create informative videos and point people to useful resources. See Kidz Can Cope , which is a great example of a self-help website. 07. Health website If you have a medical background, consider creating a health website. Your website can include a blog that provides evidence-based explainers, lifestyle tips, or nutritious recipes. For added value, you can even incorporate a podcast or vlog that guides your audience along their health journey. Check out City Dietitians for a helpful example of a health website. 08. Music website Creating a music portfolio website can help musicians promote their music, keep fans engaged and serve as a portfolio for those looking for gigs. There are plenty of music website templates available to get you started and provide you with website design ideas. To give people access to your songs, consider setting up Wix Music . Head to Pearland Band Club to see an exciting example of a music website. 09. Photography website When you’re just starting out as a photographer, it’s crucial that you create a photography portfolio website that best showcases your work. Your site will need to feature high-resolution images that load quickly and are fun to scroll through. Your work should be the star, so flashy graphic design isn’t necessary and might even be distracting. These photography portfolio templates will give you an idea of what works well. A photography site where you also offer images for sale, can be a great way to generate passive income from photos you've already taken. View facunruiz for a beautiful example of a photography website. 10. Wedding website The first thing people want to do when they get engaged is to tell their loved ones. A wedding website can help you share the exciting news and keep guests informed of your upcoming celebrations. It can serve as a useful platform for sending invites, managing your wedding calendar, sharing your gift registry, and collecting RSVPs. After the big day, the site can serve as an online photo album for your guests can enjoy. If you’re looking for website design ideas, check out these gorgeous wedding website examples and wedding website templates . Meet Emily and Ari for a stunning example of how to make a wedding website . 11. Artist website Portfolio websites are a great way to showcase your artwork. Feeling intimidated? These illustration portfolio websites show how simple it is to share art with the world. Experiment with website design to create one that resonates with your style. Gaze at Soupie Studios for a gorgeous example of an artist website. 12. Poetry website Artists who prefer the written word can use a website to attract readers and show off their favorite poems. Consider coupling your work with interesting illustrations or images to add visual appeal. Read Jimmy Santiago Baca for a solid example of a poetry website. 13. Law firm website A law firm website is essential for reaching clients and establishing the firm’s credibility. Using a law website template , any firm can create an impressively designed professional site within a relatively short amount of time. Like what you see? Try out this law firm template . 14. Restaurant website For a restaurateur, a restaurant website is just as essential as tasty food and a pleasant ambience. This type of website can help you attract customers by displaying your menu alongside mouthwatering food photography. Don’t forget to include your location and contact details so that customers can easily get in touch with you. Consider including the story of your business as well as reservation and online ordering systems. Browse Flatbush Counter for a delicious example of a restaurant website. 15. Food website Maybe you aren’t a restaurant owner or professional chef, but you love to cook at home. Or maybe you just love to eat and document your culinary excursions. Either way, you can create a website dedicated to food. Try creating a food blog to share recipes and delicious discoveries with your reader. Be sure to spice it up with gorgeous, mouthwatering food photography. Sample this chocolate shop template . 16. Meditation website Share your tips for achieving inner peace by creating a meditation website. This website could include a blog with important insights, advice and motivation. If you ‌garner a large following, you can even try offering your own meditation classes. Putter around Haven Inspired , a positive example of a meditation website. Subscribe to the Wix blog  for a weekly dose of fresh web design tips and trends. 17. Humor website While some website ideas are quite serious, others are just plain fun. Try creating a website dedicated to entertainment. You could compile a collection of funny GIFs, memes or tweets that you group by theme. Anyone who loves a good laugh can create this type of website, regardless of their area of expertise. 18. Quizzes website For a light, entertaining website, try putting together a quizzes website. Personality quizzes, in particular, are widely popular among young audiences. To build up your site’s content, you can encourage users to create and post quizzes of their own. 19. Statistics website Far from being monotonous, statistics websites can take advantage of a wide range of content formats. Focus on writing blog posts that contain infographics or charts. These websites can generate a high amount of traffic because the information is so valuable to writers and bloggers; just be sure to vet and cite your sources in order to maintain credibility. 20. Quotes website Create a website that compiles quotes from figures in history, literature, science and entertainment. A good website with quotes can be an excellent resource for bloggers, influencers and social media marketers. Try grouping your quotes by theme so that users can find those that are most relevant quickly and easily. 21. Freelancing website For those who work solo, a freelance website is essential for obtaining clients. Your site should include information about your services and a portfolio of your best work. Add a social bar to your website and share a link to your site on all your social media profiles. This works well regardless of the type of freelancing skills you offer, whether its as a virtual assistant, writer or babysitter or dog walker. Check out this UX designer site template . 22. Life hacks website Everyone loves to learn new ways of getting stuff done. Life hacks of all sorts—productivity hacks, cooking hacks, Instagram hacks, you name it—are popular and easily shareable on social media. Keep your content lighthearted and consider repurposing some of your blog content into videos. 23. Buying guide website These days, nearly every consumer researches and compares products online before buying. Create a buying guide website that provides recommendations with photographs of the products, their pros and cons and links to where you can buy them. 24. Design website Whether you specialize in branding, animation or another field within the realm of design, having a website serves as a valuable portfolio of your work and boosts your online presence. A website can also help you build brand awareness, particularly if you choose a web design that reflects the look and feel of your brand. If you’re not sure how to get started, browse these website design templates for inspiration. Pop over to Bilge Nur Saltik for an exciting example of a design website. 25. Film website Are you a filmmaker or TV producer? If so, this website idea is for you. Create a website centered on your film content, and place a favorite clip on your homepage to capture the attention of your site visitors. To improve your video content, check out Wixel’s online video maker and stay up-to-date with the latest video trends. View Matt Laroche for a glossy example of a film website. 26. Theater website If you manage a theater, you should definitely have a theater website. Not only is such a website important for attracting showgoers, but it also offers potential customers access to your calendar so that they know which shows are coming up. You can also use your website to take bookings and payments online, making it easier than ever for customers to purchase tickets. See this acting studio template up close. 27. Dance website Whether you manage a dance company or are a dancer yourself, consider creating a dance website. For dancers, this can act as a resume you can use to put your work on display and supplement your auditions. For dance companies, a website is a great place to display your performance calendar, sell tickets online and provide more details about your organization. Move through Studio 19 , an inspiring example of a dance website. 28. Memorial website Creating a memorial website can be a beautiful and meaningful way to honor someone’s memory. Such a website can serve as an online photo album where you can share pictures and touching anecdotes about your loved one. This will allow close friends and family members to pay their respects to your loved one from wherever they are in the world. 29. Community website For neighborhoods and small towns, having an online community website is a helpful way for residents to stay up-to-date with local happenings. Include features such as a forum where residents can post questions and comments. Add a blog and newsletter to share neighborhood stories and provide a more personal look at the community. Get started with a community website template that'll make everyone want to join. 30. Education website Whether it's a kindergarten, university, middle school or high school, having a school website is a good idea. It can play an important role in keeping students and their parents up-to-date with vacations, sports events, school dances, fundraisers and more. If you're an educator teaching online, consider creating a dedicated website for your class. Check out these education website templates for creative website design ideas. Test out this daycare site template . 31. Animals website Some website ideas are loved by everyone, irrespective of personality or age. A cute animals website is one such idea. Whether you opt for photos of dogs, cats, sloths or pandas, you’re sure to melt the hearts of users—and drive traffic to your website as a result. If you’d prefer to get a little more scientific, you can also create a wildlife website where you document and display photographs of local critters. Take a peek at this environmental NGO template . 32. Sports team website You don’t need to be in the NBA to have a website for your team. A sports website is an asset to any team, whether it’s a school team, a Little League team or a neighborhood sports club. Be sure to include a calendar with the time and location of your upcoming games. As a bonus, try incorporating some sports photography. 33. Tourism website If you’re a professional tour guide, you can’t go without a tourism website. This kind of website should include a calendar, bookings feature and a bit of information about your background as a guide. To draw in even more customers, sync your site with your Instagram feed to show users just how much fun people have on your tours. To start yours, check out these designer-made tourism website templates . Visit CharacTours for a playful example of a tourism website. 34. Travel website Turn your past vacations into a productive—and even profitable—endeavor by creating a travel website. Including travel photography and blog posts about your travels is a great way to document your favorite moments and share them with family and friends. If your travel website is successful, you can even become a digital nomad, harnessing your travel expertise to make money from your site. Get a closeup of this travel photographer template . 35. Real estate website For real estate agents, having a website is a must. To get started creating a real estate website , choose one of these real estate website templates and customize it according to your needs. Be sure to pair your listings with impactful photographs to attract new customers. Take a tour of this real estate firm template . 36. How-to website Create a website with detailed how-to posts that delve deeply into a specific subject area. Choose a theme that many readers will benefit from in order to increase the number of visitors to your site. Play around with different formats, such as how-to videos, infographics, eBooks and blog posts. This can be a creative way to make money, too. Read Dream Green , a lovely example of a how-to website. 37. Influencer website If you’re a social media influencer, your social media pages aren’t enough to solidify your online presence; you also need your own website. Your website can serve as the bridge between your various profiles, allowing users to navigate seamlessly between your Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter. It should also be a one-stop shop for businesses and brands that want to hire you for some influencer marketing. Your media kit, contact information and a collection of your greatest hits should all be easy to access. Follow Dani DMC for a cool example of an influencer website.x 38. Reviews website Learn how to make a website dedicated to reviewing certain items or products. You can critique tech gadgets, movies, pet toys or anything else that interests you. You can monetize the site by implementing affiliate marketing. 39. Digital marketing website Digital marketing blogs are hugely popular these days, so why not create one yourself? They’re a great platform discussing things like SEO, content marketing and social media marketing to help your readers boost their online presence. For added value, try creating a podcast, vlog or weekly email newsletter. 40. Entrepreneurship website Whether you’re a business owner, consultant or something in between, you can create an entrepreneurship website with a blog as its main feature. Just like digital marketing blogs, this type of blog can be a rich source of knowledge for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. You can write articles about how to become an entrepreneur, how to manage time and more. 41. Leadership website Entrepreneurship and leadership blogs are similar website ideas, but with one key difference. While the former caters specifically to business owners and entrepreneurs, leadership blogs speak to leaders in every field, from business to activism. If you’re creating a leadership blog, use an inspirational tone and provide clear, actionable advice. Potential blog topic ideas are team motivation tips and motivational podcasts. Get a good look at this motivational speaker template . 42. Startup website A startup website is essential for getting the word out about your new business. Use your homepage to represent your company’s forward thinking and make sure that you’re not overloading the site with too much copy. Explore V-labs , a clean example of startup websites. 43. Membership website If you’re ready to monetize your content, look into setting up a membership website . These types of websites host gated content so that only people who sign up can access it. Free memberships are useful for customer retention until they’re interested enough for a paid membership. Visit Word Tonic for a quintessential example of a community website. 44. LGBTQ website Create an LGBTQ website that serves as a valuable resource and a supportive platform for the queer community and their allies. Offer informative articles on topics like LGBTQ history, rights and activism, coming out stories and LGBTQ-friendly businesses and organizations. Maintain an inclusive and empowering tone, providing clear guidance and actionable advice. Additionally, consider featuring motivational podcasts and stories that highlight the experiences and achievements of LGBTQ individuals in different fields. By fostering a sense of community and offering valuable content, your LGBTQ website can become a go-to destination for individuals seeking information, support, and connection. Check out some of the best LGBTQ websites for inspiration. 45. DIY Crafts Website Websites that sell homemade goods open up a world of possibilities for those with a knack for creating handmade items. You can feature step-by-step tutorials, share innovative craft ideas, and offer unique DIY kits for purchase. With the growing interest in personalized and handmade products, a DIY crafts website can attract a wide audience of hobbyists, craft enthusiasts, and individuals seeking one-of-a-kind gifts or home decor items. By providing engaging content, inspiring projects, and offering quality craft supplies or kits through your website, you can monetize your passion for crafting and build a thriving online business. The DIY crafts niche offers various avenues for revenue generation. You can monetize your website through advertising partnerships with relevant brands or by participating in affiliate programs, earning a commission from sales made through your referral links. Another option is to sell your crafts online directly through your website, either as individual products or as part of craft kits. You can also explore collaborations with other crafters or artists, offering their creations on your platform and earning a percentage of the sales. By nurturing a community of craft enthusiasts through your website and actively engaging with your audience, you can establish yourself as an authority in the DIY crafts space and create a sustainable income stream while doing what you love. What kind of websites are in high demand? The demand for different types of websites varies depending on current market trends and user needs. However, some types of websites tend to be more popular and in demand than others. Here are some examples of website ideas that are currently in high demand: eCommerce websites ( between 2019 and 2013 the number of ecommerce sites in the world grew from 9.2 - 26.5 million. Dropshipping websites (out of an estimated 24 million live ecommerce sites globally, the vast majority are believed to be dropshipping websites) Print on demand websites (there are approx. 228,000 of these websites live in 2024) Business websites (around 71% of businesses have a website , making this type essential in most industries) Personal blogs (there are at least 600 million blogs live globally, out of 1.9 billion websites total) Portfolio websites Educational websites News websites (in the US in 2023 , up to 93% of adults got some news online, fueling huge demand for news sites) Health and wellness websites Social media websites (with around 5.16 billion active social media users globally in 2024 these are hugely popular sites) Gaming websites (these can take many forms - live streaming sites, gaming sites for playing or for selling game related merch) In addition to these specific types of websites, there is also a growing demand for websites that are: Mobile-friendly: Websites that are designed to look good and function properly on smartphones and other mobile devices are essential in today's mobile-first world. Accessible: Websites that are accessible to people with disabilities are becoming increasingly important as businesses and organizations strive to be more inclusive. "An accessible website benefits not only people with disabilities, but all people. Websites with good contrast for example are not only more welcoming and usable for people with low vision but also Improves the experience of a user using the smartphone while walking outside on a sunny day," says Nir Horesh, Head of at SEO & Accessibility at Wix.com Secure: Websites that protect user data and privacy are essential in today's online world. What beginners need to know about starting a website idea Starting a website can be a huge endeavor but you’ll love the journey if the website concerns your passions. First, think about what you hope to achieve with your website. Whether it's starting a side hustle, sharing your story or indulging in a hobby, your goal will determine what type of website you should start. Next, consider your skills, interests and expertise to determine your website’s content. Once you’ve come up with a website idea, it’s time to figure out which website builder best suits your needs. The builder you choose should not only give you the freedom to design the website to fit your branding, but it should also have the tools you need to establish your online presence. For example, Wix has tools for SEO, email marketing, selling products, booking services, and social media marketing, among others. Relying on one software provider for all your digital business needs will streamline your work and reduce expenses. Once you’ve gathered ideas and inspiration, it’s time to create your own professional website. To help you get started, browse through these designer-made website templates. They’re ready for you to adapt and customize, no matter which type of website you’re creating. Using a template will allow you to pay attention to the important details, such as choosing your domain name , selecting an appropriate website color scheme and creating a logo for your brand. What to consider before deciding on a website idea? When choosing a website idea its worth thinking about the following in the context of your new website to be: Target audience :Who are you building the website for? Identify their demographics, interests and needs to ensure your site provides value. This will be the strongest deciding factor driving your website idea. Market demand :Is there a real need for your idea? Research trends, competitors and user pain points to validate demand. Unique value proposition (UVP) :What makes your site different or better than others? Highlight what sets you apart to attract and retain users. Setting yourself apart will start with the idea you choose to make sure it does. Technical feasibility :Do you have the resources and skills to build and maintain the site? Consider development, design and hosting requirements. Different website ideas might require different levels of website functionality and design. Monetization potential :How will the site sustain itself financially? Explore ads, subscriptions, e-commerce or donations as revenue models. Some website ideas are naturally easier to monetize than others, others might happen faster or take longer. Scalability :Can the website grow as user traffic and content increase? Plan for future expansion. Website ideas FAQ What are the best website ideas for beginners? As a beginner, it's advisable to start with a website that aligns with your interests, skills, and goals. This can end up being your most profitable business option. Consider the following options: eCommerce website: Set up an online store to sell products directly to customers. Blog: Share your thoughts, experiences, or expertise on a specific topic through regular blog posts. This allows you to build a loyal audience and potentially earn money through advertisements, sponsored content or affiliate marketing. Portfolio website: Showcase your work and skills as a photographer, designer, writer, or any other creative profession. This type of website helps you establish an online presence and attract clients or employers. Affiliate website: Create a website focused on a specific niche or industry and monetize it through affiliate marketing. You can promote products or services related to your niche and earn a commission for every referral or sale generated through your website. What are some good website ideas for students? Study buddy matching: A platform where students can find compatible study partners based on their courses, interests, and schedules. It could include features like chat rooms, study group creation and virtual study sessions. Education resources swap : A website for students to exchange textbooks, notes, and study materials. Users can list items they no longer need and browse for items they require, fostering a sustainable and cost-effective way to access educational resources. Skill share hub : An online marketplace for students to offer and seek tutoring services in various subjects. It could include profiles with ratings and reviews, scheduling tools and video conferencing capabilities for virtual tutoring sessions. Campus events central : A centralized platform for students to discover and RSVP to campus events, including club meetings, guest lectures, workshops and social gatherings. Users could customize their preferences and receive personalized event recommendations. Student discount directory : A comprehensive database of discounts and deals specifically curated for students, covering everything from textbooks and software to entertainment and dining options. Users could search by location and category to find the best deals near them. What's some fun website ideas? Random adventure generator : A website that generates spontaneous and fun activity ideas based on user preferences and location. It could suggest things like local hidden gems, quirky challenges or themed scavenger hunts to inspire unique experiences. Virtual escape room hub : An online platform offering a variety of virtual escape room experiences for individuals or groups to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes. Users could choose from different themes and difficulty levels and compete against friends or strangers. DIY Creativity corner : A website dedicated to DIY projects and crafts, providing step-by-step tutorials, inspiration and a community forum for users to share their creations and ideas. It could cover various categories like home decor, fashion and upcycling. Online karaoke lounge : A virtual space where users can sing their hearts out to their favorite songs, either solo or in duets/groups. The website could offer a vast library of karaoke tracks, customizable avatars and features like live chat and competitions. Fantasy Sports Simulation : A website that allows users to create and manage their own fantasy sports leagues but with a twist—it simulates games and seasons based on statistical algorithms rather than real-life events. Users can draft players, make trades, and compete against friends or AI opponents. What are some super unique website ideas? Looking for some unique website ideas that no one ever could even dream of? We've got some to pique your interest. Dream-to-art converter : Users describe their dreams, and AI generates surreal artwork based on their descriptions. Time capsule emails : Users send emails to themselves or others to be delivered years later. Reverse marketplace : Buyers post what they want, and sellers bid to fulfill it. AI doppelgänger : Users train an AI chatbot to mimic their personality for future conversations. Mystery box auctions : Users bid on surprise boxes with hidden themed items that they open online.

Marketing is constantly evolving, driven by new technologies and creative strategies. Today, businesses have more types of marketing than ever to promote their products or services. Whether you’re deciding to create a website of your own to building a social media following, there’s a marketing method suited to your needs. With that in mind, this list highlights all the different marketing types available to you. Here, you’ll read about 40 common promotional strategies and how they grow your business. As you scroll, note any methods you’d like to try. Then, think about the types you want to prioritize and develop a plan to integrate them into your existing marketing strategy. Start building your online presence with Wix . What is marketing? "Think audience-first. Not competitor-first. Not even brand-first. It’s not about you—it's about them." - Allison Ko, editor in chief at Wix Think of marketing as the heartbeat of any business – the engine that drives growth and connects products or services with the people who need them. At its core, marketing is all about understanding your customers – what they want, what they need and how your offering can make their lives better. It's about creating value, building relationships and telling your story in a way that resonates with your audience. But marketing isn't just about advertising or sales pitches. It's a holistic approach that encompasses everything from market research and product development to pricing strategies and branding. It's about making connections – connecting your brand with the right people, at the right time, in the right way. It's about sparking interest, driving engagement and turning prospects into loyal customers. Types of marketing Digital marketing Outbound marketing Inbound marketing Content marketing Social media marketing Search engine marketing Organic marketing Advertising Video marketing Influencer marketing Affiliate marketing Outreach marketing Email marketing Guerilla marketing Word of mouth marketing Referral marketing Acquisition marketing Retention marketing Brand marketing Behavioral marketing Nostalgia marketing Neuromarketing Emotional marketing Public relations Mobile marketing Relationship marketing Voice marketing Partnership marketing User-generated marketing Seasonal marketing Stealth marketing B2C marketing B2B marketing Telemarketing Cause marketing Event marketing Global marketing Conversational marketing Product marketing Account-based marketing Local marketing 01. Digital marketing Digital marketing doesn’t refer to any one internet marketing strategy—rather, it’s a broad term encompassing strategic marketing that uses digital technology. Though digital marketing is only as old as smartphones and the internet, today, nearly every business and marketing professional uses at least one digital mass marketing tactic to target customers in new and interesting ways. As you continue reading, you’ll notice that most marketing types covered in this article are digital. These include: Content marketing Social media marketing Search engine marketing Mobile marketing Email marketing Online advertising 02. Outbound marketing Outbound marketing is a type of marketing that involves chasing after customers rather than organically attracting them. This method was especially common before digital marketing became a common practice, as it involves primarily using cold calls, print ads and TV commercials to attract customers. Still, outbound marketing remains a common digital marketing practice today. For instance, email blasts, or mass email campaigns sent to a vast subscriber list continue to be a popular promotional tactic. Outbound marketing often faces criticism because it pushes your message to the general public, including people who may not be interested in your product or service. That said, outbound marketing can be used strategically if you carefully consider your company’s goals, target audience and KPIs. Related reading: Lessons from 16 years of marketing mastery (feat. Wix CMO Omer Shai) 03. Inbound marketing Inbound marketing is an umbrella term that encompasses nearly all marketing types. So, what makes a particular marketing strategy inbound? That’s determined less by the specific method and more by the overarching technique. As an inbound marketer, your job is to help consumers make informed decisions. Instead of running after customers, you’ll offer helpful resources and tips that ultimately reveal why your product solves their problems. You can provide valuable blog content, make yourself available via email and live chat, and continue to offer support even after making a sale. Inbound marketing employs a very different strategy from its outbound counterpart, as discussed above. Over the past few years, it’s become the more popular of the two among modern-day marketers, since its nuanced approach leaves consumers happy and builds lifetime loyalty. One of the most common inbound marketing methods is content marketing, which you’ll read more about below. 04. Content marketing You’ve probably noticed the increasing amount of company blogs as you browse the web. In fact, many Google search results actually come from business-run blogs. But why do so many companies create a blog ( with a blog maker ) for their business? For that matter, what does blogging even have to do with small business marketing ? Blogging is crucial for content marketing —one of the most effective marketing strategies out there. Arguably the most important inbound marketing type, content marketing is an essential part of any business’s toolkit. As a whole, content marketing involves creating and distributing content often through multi-channel marketing approaches. This not only includes writing blog posts, but also posting on social media, writing in-depth e-books, sharing data-rich infographics, creating video content and even starting a podcast . Whatever content you choose, the goal is to provide valuable information to your target audience that drives engagement, provides knowledge and support, and ultimately stimulates interest in your product or service. 05. Social media marketing Some experts argue that social media marketing is a branch of content marketing, while others maintain it’s a world of its own. Whichever category you place it in, social media marketing is one of the most crucial types of marketing. In fact, 50% of consumers are more interested in a brand when they see Instagram ads for it. This valuable marketing strategy involves promoting your brand via social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn or YouTube. Many companies use a combination of these different platforms as part of their social media marketing strategy. Your choice of platforms largely depends on where your target audience is most active and how you want to represent your business. For example, restaurant social media marketing is particularly effective on Instagram because the platform is based on visuals. Posting pictures and videos of tasty-looking food is an extremely effective way for restaurants to market their products. 06. Search engine marketing Search engine marketing , also known as SEM, includes all marketing that uses Google and other search engines as the primary tool for displaying promotional material. The goal of SEM your business pages to appear on search engine results pages (SERPs). When a page from your website—let’s say, a landing page or blog post—shows up in search engine results in response to a user’s search query, the user is exposed to your business. Ideally, they’ll click the result and navigate to your site. Search engine marketing can be divided into two main types: search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click advertising (PPC). The main difference between the two is that SEO is organic (not paid), while PPC involves purchasing ads. To start doing SEO , you’ll need to learn about the different ingredients that make websites rank in search engines. This includes technical aspects, like the structure and page speed of your website, as well as the implementation of keywords. Content marketing and SEO are deeply intertwined, since the more keyword-rich your blog and website content, the better your chances of ranking on the SERP. The other type of search engine marketing, PPC, can be done in parallel with your SEO efforts. PPC ads are the sponsored content you see at the top of search results pages. If you’re interested in paying for sponsored results on Google, try Google Ads . This is one of the most popular, reliable choices for PPC marketers. 07. Organic marketing You’ve already seen this term mentioned in our discussion of search engine optimization. This, together with content and social media marketing, comprises a powerful type of marketing known as organic marketing. Organic marketing is any non-paid marketing that aims to naturally ( organically ) attract people to your business. It involves implementing the best practices to get search engines and social media platforms to display your posts in a prominent position. This contrasts from promoting your business “artificially” via paid links or boosted posts. This method is the cornerstone of inbound marketing since it’s based on the principle that creating engaging social media content and strong, SEO-driven website copy will bring exposure to your business and magnetically drive customers toward your brand. In general, audiences consider organic marketing less intrusive than advertising, since it focuses on nurturing prospective customers and drawing them to your business over time. 08. Advertising That brings us to the next type of promotional strategy: advertising. Advertising is a branch of marketing that uses ad campaigns to present your brand, product, service or idea to the world. There are many ways to advertise, including online methods, such as PPC ads and social media ads, as well as more traditional methods like TV, radio, billboard ads and QR codes . As with social media marketing, choosing the right advertising platforms means accounting for your target audience’s demographics and interests, as well as how to present your messaging. Instagram ads, for example, tend to reach younger users but will be largely unseen by older audiences who are less engaged with the platform. Facebook Ads by Wix allows you to run AI-driven campaigns directly from your website dashboard to reach the most likely-to-convert audiences. 09. Video marketing As you’ve seen, marketing content assumes a wide range of formats—from blog articles to social media posts to podcasts. Video is another popular content marketing format. Incorporating fun and engaging videos into your marketing assets can be a great way to creatively display your brand—and it gives you ample time and space to convey your message. You can use video marketing not only to promote your product, but also to provide potential customers with actionable tips and insights about your industry. Think of it as a watchable blog post that helps people trust and engage with your business. There are several places for displaying video content, including YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, as well as your website. Try out this video maker to get started. Discover the latest trends in video marketing with these video marketings statistics . 10. Influencer marketing The global influencer marketing market size has more than doubled since 2019. In 2021, the market was valued at a record $13.8 billion U.S. dollars. Influencer marketing involves using Instagram and other social platforms to partner with influencers—people who already have dedicated, engaged followers. These people are considered experts in their field, and their followers will take their recommendations to heart. That means that when an influencer backs your product, it gains instant credibility in their followers’ eyes. The result? More exposure for your brand and new customers. Typically, influencers require compensation in exchange for promoting your brand, since many rely on sponsored content for income. In this case, you’ll sponsor one of their social media posts. A very popular influencer (with 100,000+ followers) will be in higher demand and is likely to charge more than a micro-influencer (with 10,000 to 100,000 followers) or nano-influencer (with 100 to 10,000 followers). Often, nano-influencers accept free products and swag rather than payment, especially if they’re just starting. Do your research to find out which partnerships will align with your market and budget. 11. Affiliate marketing In addition to paying influencers for sponsored posts, you can pay them for sharing affiliate content. This is a practice known as affiliate marketing . Affiliate marketing involves two players: the merchant and the affiliate. The affiliate promotes the merchant’s product to their audience and earns a percentage of the sale in exchange. So, how does this work? As the merchant, you’ll connect with affiliates, either reaching out to them directly or using an affiliate network. Once they agree to partner with you, you’ll provide them with a unique link to your online store . Then, the affiliate will promote your link, perhaps including it in a blog post, Instagram Story or YouTube video. When a customer clicks on the link to make a purchase, the affiliate will earn a commission from the sale. Affiliate marketing can bring your business wider exposure. By partnering with affiliates who already have a large audience on their social media platforms or blog, you can reach new customers. 12. Outreach marketing What do affiliate marketing and influencer marketing have in common? They both involve partnering with people outside your business to promote your product or service. This is the guiding principle of outreach marketing. An effective outreach strategy involves using email outreach to build relationships with people who can influence consumer opinions about your brand. These include social media influencers, bloggers, journalists and even other businesses. The goal of connecting with these people is getting your brand mentioned on a well-known site or social media channel. This will strengthen your brand’s authority in your niche while building brand awareness and helping you gain exposure. It’s also a great way to network with influential people who may benefit your business down the line. Many companies also use outreach marketing to build backlinks or links from external websites to their own site. Having a high number of backlinks from credible, authoritative sources helps SEO and can ultimately bring more traffic to your website . That said, don’t start link-building without first doing careful research, as search engines can penalize you for malpractice. 13. Email marketing 81% of small business marketers rely on email as their primary acquisition channel, while 80% use it for customer retention. Email marketing involves sending emails to prospects and customers with the goal of making sales or driving them further down the marketing funnel. Because it reaches customers directly, it tends to generate high returns. For every $1 spent on email marketing, the average ROI is $36. Depending on your goals, you can send all sorts of emails to your audience, including informational newsletters , new product releases, sales announcements and abandoned shopping cart reminders. It's a great way to put personalized marketing to work. Just keep in mind that everyone you email must have subscribed to receive your messages for you to remain legally compliant. To start getting subscribers, add lead capture forms to your website with fields for visitors’ names and email addresses. Make sure your forms are eye-catching and include compelling copy that encourages people to join your mailing list. 14. Guerilla marketing As we mentioned earlier, most promotional techniques we discuss in this article constitute different forms of digital marketing. Guerilla marketing, however, is a rare type of modern marketing that involves taking your tactics offline. Guerilla marketing uses novel, unconventional methods to boost sales, build hype around your go-to-market strategy , and generate awareness around your brand. While sometimes aided by technology such as social media or mobile devices, it generally involves a small group of people using bold methods to promote a brand in a high-traffic physical location. This means anything from branding a public space with street art to creating immersive pop-up experiences in physical locations. Guerilla marketing can be achieved on a low budget, but it does require high energy and prompt, tightly-organized execution. If you’re up for the challenge, this fun and original method can generate buzz around your brand. Take a look at these guerilla marketing examples for ideas. 15. Word of mouth marketing Ever heard the phrase that happy customers are your biggest advocates? This is the main idea behind word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM), which gets satisfied customers to spread the word about your product or service. This is important for two reasons: First, a successful WOMM strategy means your brand has obtained loyal, committed customers. And since these people will recommend your product to their friends, it also means more potential buyers. After all, people place more weight on the recommendations of a trusted friend than those of a biased seller. There’s no tried-and-true approach to guaranteeing an effective WOMM strategy, but the most essential ingredient is consumer happiness. Offer top-notch customer service and do your best to genuinely address your customers’ needs, from the way you design your products to the values you practice as a brand. Enchant your customers and the recommendations will follow. 16. Referral marketing A referral marketing strategy takes advantage of word of mouth. This practice involves building a referral program, which incentivizes customers to recommend your products to others. Typically, these programs offer both the customer and their friend discounts when the customer convinces that friend to buy. For instance, the Airbnb Referral Program allows members to earn promotional coupon credits (“travel credits”) toward future homes/experiences bookings by referring friends to become new Airbnb users. 17. Acquisition marketing Acquisition marketing, as its name implies, is marketing with the sole purpose of acquiring new clients. This contrasts from retention marketing and brand marketing, which you’ll read more about below. Examples of acquisition marketing include SEO, top-of-the-funnel blog content, landing pages, and social media or Google ads. Anything that aims directly to obtain new customers or capture leads is considered acquisition marketing. The goal of acquisition marketers is to create assets that compel their target audience to click. Offering freemium products and free trials, optimizing your website’s conversion rate, and including strategic CTAs in your content are all powerful techniques for acquiring new customers. 18. Retention marketing A strong marketing strategy requires implementing both retention and acquisition tactics within the sales funnel. However, retention marketing practices have distinct goals and KPIs. While acquisition marketing focuses on acquiring new customers, retention marketing aims to bring back previous customers and hold on to existing ones. Studies have shown that this is a powerful practice with a high ROI. Acquiring new customers is between 5 and 25 times more expensive than retaining existing ones, and on top of that, increasing retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by up to 95%. An effective retention marketing strategy requires you to over-deliver on your promises to customers. Find ways to make your business exceed their expectations from the start, such as by thanking them with a handwritten note. Go above and beyond when engaging with them, whether by sending out customer feedback surveys or taking extra steps to address their pain points. 19. Brand marketing Unlike acquisition and retention marketing, brand marketing isn’t focused on making sales. Instead, its primary goal is to shape how the public perceives your brand. In other words, brand marketing promotes your identity, not your products. This involves creating a logo and coming up with a cohesive brand language, colors and website design. It also requires putting together a compelling brand story, as well as a mission statement that highlights your values as a business. For these efforts to be effective, your brand needs to deeply resonate with your target audiences’ interests, values and needs. Start by researching your audience, and then shape a brand that speaks to them directly. 20. Behavioral marketing Behavioral marketing uses consumer behavior to decide how to target an audience with relevant material. This involves finely segmenting audiences based on their behavior online. To get behavioral data, you can analyze the user flow on your site. This offers important insights about a particular user’s interests and readiness to purchase. Based on this information, marketers can create specific promotional campaigns tailored to different audiences. As you might expect, marketing automation plays a vital role here, with certain behaviors triggering specific campaigns. A particular action on your website, for instance, might show that user a relevant Facebook ad or send them an automated email recommending related products. 21. Nostalgia marketing Nostalgia marketing evokes the power of nostalgia to create warm, happy feelings around your brand. This involves infusing your promotional materials with familiar concepts that evoke fond memories, and it’s a great way to build trust in a new company. Think about the retro appeal of an 8-bit-era video game or a glass Coca-Cola bottle with its timeless red logo . These appeal to our love for nostalgia and our yearning for a pure and simple past. To tap into this strategy, try launching a nostalgia-driven social media campaign that incorporates old-school references and invokes childhood memories among your target audience. Just make sure your messaging stays consistent with your brand’s story, values and product. 22. Neuromarketing Another important type of marketing is neuromarketing . This field of marketing applies neuropsychology to market research. Neuromarketers analyze brain imaging and scanning to measure physiological and neural responses to marketing stimuli. They can tell, for instance, if a customer is genuinely happy with a particular product, even if they don’t verbally express it. Not only is this a fascinating way to learn more about human behavior; it also helps guide organizations in creating marketing materials that truly work. All types of marketing consider psychology, but neuromarketing is founded in real, hard science. Guided by neural research, marketing professionals can develop a more informed approach to crafting marketing assets, designing products and developing a brand. 23. Emotional marketing Emotional marketing encompasses any marketing effort that primarily uses emotion to get people to purchase or otherwise engage with a brand. To be effective, emotional marketing needs to concentrate on a single feeling, whether it’s happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, disgust or something in between. Consider Dove’s Real Beauty campaign, which evokes optimism, acceptance and self-love to promote its products. Studies show that feeling plays a bigger role than thinking in consumer behavior. Why? Because most people prefer to follow their heart when making a decision. So, in your marketing campaigns, don’t just focus on the advantages of your product; focus instead on how you want people to feel when using it. 24. Public relations Also known as PR, public relations is a subset of marketing that involves managing the way the media represents your business. The process involves using press releases—official statements about a newsworthy item or event—to encourage the media to publish content about your business. For instance, you may urge the press to publish stories on your business’s launch, the latest funding round, a recent award, a groundbreaking new product, or a large charitable contribution. The goal is to shape the public’s perception of your brand and highlight your company as an industry leader. This, in turn, helps stimulate demand for your product or service. While it can be combined with other marketing efforts, PR is a full-time job. Many businesses have a dedicated PR team to help the company get good press. 25. Mobile marketing A core part of any digital strategy, mobile marketing has rapidly gained traction since the advent of the smartphone. This technique refers to any marketing or advertising activity that uses mobile devices as its main promotional platform. If you own a smartphone, there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with this strategy. Push notifications, ASO marketing , SMS messages (SMS marketing), in-app marketing and QR codes are all commonly used methods for promoting a product or brand. Read also: 12 common ASO mistakes Mobile marketing takes advantage of the fact that people carry their mobile devices everywhere. It also makes use of people’s tendency to casually browse the web through their mobile phones and uses this data to target potential customers with well-timed messages. For example, a phone’s location services enable businesses to target users based on their physical location. "With over 5M available apps in the app stores, you need to make sure your app will be easy to find. Optimizing your app’s textual assets in the app stores regularly will ensure you won’t miss out on new opportunities and increase your app’s visibility over time." - Roni Bass, ASO Expert at Wix 26. Relationship marketing Relationship marketing is a type of marketing that seeks to build long-term customer relationships rather than focus on short-term sales or transactions. The goal of relationship marketing is to foster a loyal, dependable customer base who advocates for your brand. This marketing practice prioritizes customer retention over acquisition. It involves providing high-quality customer service and responding to the questions and needs of your customers, whether that’s by engaging with them on social media or using live chat on your website. Importantly, building strong relationships with customers doesn’t just mean providing them with good service until they make a purchase. You must continue to delight customers long after they make their first purchase, such as by offering a loyalty program with special perks, complementary product recommendations or product care tips and guides. Thoughtful acts like these can cultivate a community around your brand and build a lifelong relationship with your fans. 27. Voice marketing Voice marketing is a relatively new type of marketing that applies SEO practices to voice search. This allows businesses to capture searches from people who are speaking, rather than typing. While voice search has been around for several years, it’s become increasingly common with the popularity of smart speakers like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, as well as smartphone assistants like Siri. There are numerous ways voice search differs from typed phrases; for instance, people searching with voice may use longer phrases or even full sentences. If someone browses on their computer and has a hankering for a burger, they may simply type “burger restaurant” into Google. On the other hand, if they’re busy driving, they might ask Siri, “Where can I get a burger?” Google accommodates this semantic variation by continuously improving the natural language processing (NLP) capabilities of its search engine. To stay on top of this ever-evolving world of SEO, familiarize yourself with voice marketing and adapt your site to voice search. One way to do so is to write blog post titles in the form of a question. 28. Partnership marketing Partnership marketing is when two or more businesses combine their promotional efforts for mutual benefit. By collaborating, you’ll expand your reach to another business’s audience, while they expand their reach to yours. This can generate brand awareness, get new customers, and help grow relationships with companies that share your values. To exemplify, Wix’s Partner program is built for agencies to support their clients and get rewarded for each site they build on Wix. To try this approach, start researching businesses with similar target audiences. Ideally, they should offer products that complement your own to encourage customers to purchase both. And of course, you’ll want to make sure they don’t directly or indirectly compete with your business. Partnership marketing options include hosting a joint webinar, conducting a research study together, or collaborating on a special product release. For instance, if you run a small business selling charcuterie boards, consider partnering with a local winery and marketing your products together. 29. User-generated marketing While partnership marketing harnesses the power of other businesses, user-generated marketing taps into your audience. Any strategy that allows consumers to participate in a marketing campaign is considered user-generated marketing. The most common user-generated marketing strategy is getting users to use your product and share the experience via social media. On Instagram, this typically involves using a branded hashtag to organize all posts in one place or tagging the brand in a TikTok, Story or Reel . The primary advantage of sharing user-generated content is to drive engagement and spread brand awareness. On top of that, content that shows real users enjoying your products helps persuade other consumers to try them out, too. 30. Seasonal marketing Seasonal marketing, also known as holiday marketing , is the promotion of products and services at certain times throughout the year. This might involve having one marketing campaign for Valentine’s Day, a different one for Christmas, and yet another for Pride month. While every business can benefit from this type of marketing, it’s especially crucial for seasonal businesses. A florist or jewelry business, for instance, will want to invest heavily in marketing for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. 31. Stealth marketing You’re probably already familiar with product placement, which involves subtly promoting a product by featuring it in a movie, TV show, or another form of media. This type of marketing is known as stealth marketing , also referred to as undercover marketing. As a whole, this marketing strategy involves promoting a product to consumers without them knowing they’re being marketed to. Aside from product placement, stealth marketing can happen in online forums where marketers talk about a product to generate buzz. The goal of stealth marketing isn’t to immediately generate sales, but rather to steadily build interest in a product or brand. This technique also makes audiences more responsive to direct advertising, as it primes them with a positive brand impression. 32. B2C Business-to-consumer ( B2C ) marketing targets an individual consumer’s buying power. Most businesses focus on B2C marketing—especially those selling consumer-packaged goods (CPG). That’s because B2C marketing provides a broad audience and short sales cycles which allow for quick purchasing decisions. Consumers often make the purchase for themselves, meaning they do not need approval from many stakeholders. However, consumer needs constantly shift, meaning this fast-paced market can change overnight. B2C businesses, then, must make an effort to stay up-to-date with marketing trends and consumer behavior insights. Common B2C marketing tactics include influencer marketing, social media contests and customer loyalty programs 33. B2B B2B marketing stands for business-to-business marketing. In this marketing type, one business sells services to another business. While B2B marketing still targets a singular person, it’s usually based on their role, company, or industry. B2B sales cycles are long, as businesses require more research and stakeholder approval before buying goods or services than consumers do. B2B marketing commonly starts with marketers getting marketing qualified leads (MQLs) into their sales funnel and using sales development to make calls and conduct product demos. Most B2B marketing is done digitally or through industry-specific conferences. Many B2B marketers use LinkedIn’s job title database to target a professional audience. Check out these other lead-generation strategies for ideas. 34. Telemarketing Telemarketing promotes a product or service over the telephone. Companies can call prospective or current customers and inform them of special deals or new product offerings. For example, a financial service company can use telemarketing to promote a new credit card. Telemarketing provides a more interactive and personal sales service, creates immediate rapport with customers, and allows the chance to clearly answer technical questions. While your company may use a call center, businesses more frequently use automated or "robocalls," for this tactic. Due to its intrusive, solicitous nature, many customers do not like telemarketing. If you choose to proceed with it, ensure that you only call those who have opted in to avoid brand damage. The same goes for direct mail marketing . 35. Cause marketing Cause marketing shows your business's corporate social responsibility to a non-profit or other world-bettering initiatives. Through cause marketing, you will build a better relationship with your community and those who support your values. This can translate to long-term business growth through increased brand loyalty and a defined competitive advantage. A popular initiative in this space is sustainable marketing , where companies exhibit their eco-friendly practices. To begin, pledge a fixed amount of sales to a cause or partner with a local organization to support an initiative. 36. Event marketing Businesses can use event marketing to build lasting relationships and create memorable experiences for their target audiences. Events can range from thought leadership-based conferences or online events to product-forward workshops. Find out how to promote an event in 9 actionable steps. Positive event experiences can lead to more new business through meaningful one-on-one customer engagement and education. 74% of consumers say that branded event experiences make them more likely to buy promoted products. Before launching the event, identify which memory you want attendees to walk away with. The most impactful results are the feelings you leave with people. Tip: Utilize a professional event website and Wix Events to collect RSVPs, plan seating and more. 37. Global marketing As online businesses attract increasingly global audiences, many turn to localization marketing, optimizing messages and products to fit cultural and geographic specificities. Global marketing shows you understand the different cultures within your target audience and allows you to tailor your message and product to fit their needs. One method is to localize wording and images or even create products better suited for certain cultures. To exemplify, Wix launched a marketing campaign wholly customized to its German-speaking audiences that uses humor and local context called "We know what you're thinking." To gain respect for your company and avoid tokenization, an excellent way to approach localization is to partner with members of the community or culture that you want to reach. 38. Conversational marketing Conversational marketing allows brands to more easily converse with their customers . Today, consumers expect to find the answers they need instantaneously. Conversational marketing solutions provide quick customer service methods. In fact, around 73% of customers find live chat the most acceptable form of communication with a company. Not only will visitors have their issues or questions resolved, but this inbound marketing method can turn these dialogues into leads that improve your sales funnel and bring back satisfied customers. Businesses can utilize conversational marketing by adding live chat to a website or by opening communication on their social media channel, WhatsApp and other messengers. Here’s more on why a business needs live chat on its website. 39. Product marketing Product marketing is not just beautiful pictures of your product—it drives the demand and usage of it. Product marketing ensures product-market fit and helps better understand customer problems. It uses market research, sales, and customer success data to inform messaging. This type of marketing helps you hone in on the perfect customer via segmentation, targeting, and personas. Product marketing can also allow you to understand better what competitors are doing and the alternatives that your audience is considering. With all these insights, your company can best tweak messaging and the product itself to improve sales. This marketing has clear key performance indicators ( KPIs ) that help measure the effectiveness of efforts across a company's entire product line. For example, software-as-a-service ( SaaS ) companies commonly set goals around the number of trial and demo signups, lead-to-consumer rate and revenue. 40. Account-based marketing Account-based marketing (ABM), also known as key account marketing, has marketing and sales creating personalized messages, campaigns, and buying experiences to target a specific account or company. Businesses often use ABM as an acquisition marketing method to generate new leads. ABM is popular among B2B businesses with a niche audience, like medical companies that want to target exact hospitals. There is typically a minimum number of accounts you must provide for ABM to succeed. Many advertising solutions let you upload a mass sheet with the targeted companies so that you only pay for ads served to them. 41. Local marketing Local marketing is most popular among brick-and-mortar business owners, but it has its place in just about any business model. Tailoring a business's branding and advertising to target consumers in a specific area is a great way of showing them that you are attuned to their identity, wants and needs. If your business is native to the area, local marketing will show consumers that you care about contributing to the local economy which can help build trust.

Whether you've just learned how to create a website using a website builder to start a business or want to promote an existing one, advertising can help you succeed. With countless opportunities through traditional and digital advertising, you can reach new audiences, drive sales and build brand awareness effectively. To help you sort through all the advertising methods that exist, we've broken down the most prominent types of advertising. Once you get the lay of the land, you'll be best equipped to choose the best type of advertising method and embark on your journey of growing your business. What is advertising today? Advertising is a marketing strategy that businesses use to promote their brand, products and/or services. Each type of advertising will have similar goals—whether turning potential buyers into actual customers, sharing information with new audiences, or building brand awareness—ultimately, advertising helps grow your business. Marketing vs. advertising While there are many similarities between marketing vs. advertising (and many use the term interchangeably), advertising is just one part of your marketing strategy . Marketing is a strategic part of building a business that includes all sorts of promotions, including organic and paid advertising, while advertising, no matter what type, means that you’re paying to get exposure to your brand. As your small business grows, you will need to develop different advertising campaigns to achieve specific business goals and landmarks within your marketing strategy. Advertising can be broken down into two main categories: traditional advertising and digital. Learn more: Small business marketing Traditional advertising Traditional advertising refers to types of advertisements typically done offline. Newspaper ads, billboards and radio advertising are all advertisement examples that represent traditional marketing methods. Businesses still use these traditional advertising platforms to sell products or attract people to their brands. Digital or new media advertising Technology’s evolution has changed the marketing world—and many businesses do most of their advertising online. From SMS text messages to social media campaigns, digital advertising refers to marketing across online platforms and digital communication channels. Digital marketing has become an ubiquitous part of online browsing, where almost every daily internet touchpoint offers an advertising opportunity. Small business owners find digital ads especially attractive, as they tend to be more cost effective and often use advanced analytics to measure results. One of the main types is SEM, or search engine marketing. Digital advertising, according to Statista was expected to reach over US$500 billion in 2021, increasing to an incredible expected US$876 billion by 2026. Proof of how companies the world over have embraced digital advertising as a large part of their advertising strategies. 10 Types of advertising Online search advertising Social media advertising Print Direct mail Broadcast, video and TV advertising Out-of-home (OOH) outdoor advertising Cell phone mobile advertising Product placement Consumer-generated Radio and podcast advertising 01. Online search advertising American adults spend an average of 3.5 hours of their day online. This high amount of internet usage helps explain why more and more businesses are turning to online advertising . After all, the goal of relevant advertising is to get in front of your audience where they spend most of their time. Additionally, marketers treasure the ability to track the immediate reach and results of their online campaigns. Since many tools and analytics are integrated into digital ads, you can know in real-time where your sales are coming from and make quick optimizations to boost performance. Due to the strength of this type of advertising, you can use many digital methods to promote yourself online: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising allows you to show up in front of your audience in a non-abrupt way while on search engines. In PPC campaigns, you select a series of keywords to bid on so that your ad will be at the top of the search results for words that describe your business or products. You can even bid on competitor brand names so you can give yourself a chance to be considered as another option. After all, 90% of searchers haven’t made their mind up about a brand before starting their search . These types of advertisements show up in text format, so make sure to write compelling ad copy since you can’t rely on images to draw users' attention. Moreover, many advertisers send their paid online traffic to landing pages exclusively dedicated to the promotion in order to increase customer conversion. Lastly, PPC ads are designed so that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, so it's a great way to learn how to advertise on Google . You can choose how much you are willing to pay for that cost per click (CPC). Therefore, this is an excellent online advertising method for campaigns with defined sales goals, CPL and ROI benchmarks. Display banners Have you ever read an article online and noticed a square or rectangular image appear on the edges of the page or between paragraphs? This type of advertising is known as display banners and is usually composed of rich images or videos that showcase a promoted offering with layered text and a CTA. Banner ads are charged on a CPM (cost per a thousand impressions) or CPC, depending on the platform you’re running ads on. Since the click-through rate (CTR) isn’t as high on display banners as PPC ads, the former is often used to build brand awareness and help you stay top of mind with your audience. Native ads What differentiates native ads from other types of advertising methods is that, as their name suggests, we often don't notice they are ads. Native advertising campaigns are disguised by matching the format and style of the organic content on the page, making them nearly indistinguishable. Their camouflage ability has made this ad format quite popular. Native ads will account for a whopping 74% of total US display ad revenue by the end of 2021 . Marketers love them because they are a sneaky way to get in front of your target audience in a not-so-obvious way. For instance, if you look closely at a content piece that is at the bottom or between articles on sites that serve ads, you’ll notice a small font reading "sponsored stories" or "promoted by." Since native ads are often live on content publishing platforms or video-based channels like YouTube, they can be a great way to drive traffic to a blog post, a tutorial video or other types of longer-form educational content. 02. Social media advertising Social media marketing and advertising are unlike most promotion outlets because it allows you to engage with your audience in an authentic way. Not only can you personalize your ads to fit your target audience parameters but also interact with people who’ve engaged with the promotion, it's contextual advertising at its finest. Besides, the usage of social media is growing by the day. Now, there are several leading platforms to choose to advertise on, depending on your target audience and goals. By 2021 , global social media marketing spend topped US$180 billion. The majority of this was spent on mobile advertising. Total spend is expected. to increase to over US$ 350 billion by 2026. LinkedIn advertising Known for B2B advertising, LinkedIn lets you tap into their professional database of over 690 million users and reach your audience through Sponsored Content, Sponsored Messaging, text ads and dynamic ads. What is special about this channel is that people are already in a professional mindset, making them more likely to be open to interacting with new opportunities that can help grow their business. Be aware that LinkedIn’s CPCs are higher than other social media platforms. However, for B2B businesses that have a high-value price tag per sale, it can still pay off their ad spend with a positive ROI. Facebook advertising Facebook ads have a reach of 1.6 billion people and lets you customize your campaigns based on specific objectives and countless audiences. You can choose to advertise on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network or across them all. Most of their ads are on a PPC model with relatively low bids, and there is no minimum spend which can be beneficial for smaller businesses. Instagram advertising Instagram lets you easily turn existing posts into ads. You can show your promoted content in Stories, Reels, and your audience's feed. A tip to know when making content is that how-to tutorials are the most popular form of Instagram video content . Then choose where you want to send visitors to—whether it's to your online store , Instagram profile or elsewhere. Since Facebook owns Instagram, you can choose to run your ads from within the Instagram app or through the Facebook ads manager. Twitter advertising Twitter offers many ad formats, with the most popular ones being standard promoted posts that show up in your audience's newsfeed amongst organic tweets. Another common ad format is Follower Ads, which can help you to increase your visibility and promote your account. Follower Ads on Twitter can do so by showing your business’s Twitter account in the Who To Follow section as a recommendation. This will help you get noticed by new audiences who otherwise might not have heard of you. Pinterest advertising Pinterest advertising allows you to create Pins that will be served to your audience’s feed. The goal is that they will find them relevant, click on them and pin them again for later. Their ad format is very visual, which can be a great benefit for retail brands. The beauty of this type of advertising is that you often do not notice that the Pins are promoted, which creates a very favorable experience for the end-user. Additionally, 78% of Pinterest users find branded content useful , so feel confident in showing up to their searches. TikToK advertising TikTok is not just for fun dance videos, they also tailor to businesses with their short-form video ads. The latest social media platform shows high engagement rates, giving you access to passionate users. Furthermore, you can segment your target users into verticals to reach the most relevant audience. Remember, the key to TikTok ads is to tell your brand story in a unique way. Try to jump on trending songs and sounds to include in your video ad to fit the tone and style of this type of advertising. Subscribe to the Wix blog  for a weekly dose of fresh marketing tips and trends. 03. Print One of the first and longest-standing types of advertising methods is print . This promotion method allows you to advertise your brand in physical printed newspapers, magazines and brochures. Even though types of digital advertising are taking a fair share of the print market, there is still a desire for holding and reading physical content that consumers love. Newspaper and magazines Whether it's in the New York Times or Vogue fashion magazine, you can show promotions for your business on either a full dedicated page or place a smaller ad on a page with several other business promotions. In print, you pay per size of your advertisement and where it is located in the magazine or newspaper. For example, the back cover of a magazine will be more expensive and more effective since many more people will see it. Likewise, full-page ads will be significantly more costly than smaller formats. You should choose the types of magazines that your audience is most likely to read, as some publications are very clearly geared towards specific demographics. Brochures and flyers If you're looking to get into the hands of as many people, just as you might be with a business card , highlight your products and services benefits in the printed content you can easily hand out. Then go and distribute these advertising assets in stores, at events, or even outside on high foot traffic streets. 04. Direct mail We know snail mail has its shortcomings in terms of speed. Nevertheless, we never stop checking our mail and sometimes enjoy it too. In fact, 55% of people look forward to finding out what mail they received . In comparison to email marketing, 80% of traditional mail is opened while 80% of emails are disregarded . Marketers use direct mail to send customers coupons, promotions and news about their business. Many also include their business website so users can go online for more information about the offer. An easy way to get readers online is by generating a QR code that, when scanned, immediately leads the user to the destination of a promotion. Wondering where to begin? You can start finding addresses for direct mail advertising from your existing customer user base retrieved from your CRM . In addition, you can approach direct mail companies that sell this type of information. 05. Broadcast, video and TV advertising Lights, camera, action. Get your video script ready and start filming because video content is an extremely effective and engaging type of advertising. In fact, 61% of marketers plan to increase their video spending in 2021 as this type of advertising is where the future is heading. Videos can advertise your business via a broadcast, an infomercial, a television advertising commercial or via streaming platforms. On the one hand, TV advertising is ideal for reaching a larger, more general market area since it can reach thousands, if not millions, of people at once. On the other hand, it is hard to know the reach and direct ROI, and sales impact TV ads have, as tracking is not so straightforward as online advertising. Also, TV ads can be expensive as they are sold by the second length and can change by price depending on the time it airs, the program it airs on and even if it's a local or national TV channel. Regardless of where you choose to promote your video ads (Youtube is always a good place to start), make sure the quality of your video is high and that you provide details about the value or problem your product solves. It really has become simple to make online video campaigns with marketing tools such as a free online video maker . Once done, you can repurpose your created video for several different types of advertising, including social media. 06. Out-of-home (OOH) outdoor advertising Have you ever been to Times Square in New York City? There, you can get a 360-degree view of outdoor ads all around you in the format of flashing billboards, busses passing by with promotions for restaurants and Broadway plays and signs catching your eye wherever you look. But NYC is not the only place where outdoor advertising is such a success. Most cities and towns around the world utilize the outdoors as an advertising space, with 71% of consumers often looking at the messages on vehicles and roadside billboards . When it comes to costs, outdoor advertising can be quite expensive, especially in very popular high traffic areas. By 2023 spend on out of home advertising is expected to top US$39 billion, proving this traditional form of advertising is still an effective way to reach people. Billboards Billboards enable your campaign to show up on huge poster signs in places such as the side highways or sports stadiums. Ultimately, anywhere that has a lot of people passing by is an excellent place for this type of advertising. What makes these billboards so appealing is that they can be enormous and eye-catching, especially when integrating digital media into the outdoor spaces. Transportation Millions of people commute each day using different modes of transportation. Many advertisers take advantage of these commutes by showing OOH ads on buses, taxis, bicycles, airports and flight seats. Street advertising Street advertising is done on sidewalks, crosswalks or in places people walk or sit on. Guerrilla marketing is often incorporated into street advertising, in which natural elements of our street environment are used to promote a business. Take for example the ad where McDonald’s turned a stripped crosswalk into their world-known french fries. Other ideas could be painting benches with your brand colors or incorporating your product in the space in a creative way. As you can see, these ads are very imaginative, so try to be unique and out of the box with this type of advertising. 07. Cell phone mobile advertising Did you know Americans check their phones 96 times a day, which averages to once every 10 minutes ? This constant use helps explain why marketers like to use mobile advertising as one of their marketing outlets. Cell phone advertising allows you to push notification ads via SMS to your target customers. You can send a promotion or offer and typically includes a URL to a landing page or website to take action. This type of advertising is also popular because it comes at a low cost and has an extensive reach. The average open rate for text message marketing campaigns is 98% . 08. Product placement In case you have not noticed this before, most TV shows and movies have products strategically placed in them for promotion. This means you, as a business, can pay money to have a specific character drink your branded coffee or wear your t-shirt design. But it is not just physical products that fall under this type of advertising, you can also just have your business name or brand mentioned in the plot. Product placement advertising leads consumers to make an unconscious connection between the scene of a movie and a brand, like associating the powerful 007 James Bond with the luxury Aston Martin sports car he drives. It’s proven that 52% of North Americans trusted product placement ads and 49% took action after seeing such an ad . If you choose product placement advertising, be intentional with where and how you wish to place your products and ensure it matches your brand image. 09. Consumer-generated Consumer-generated advertising is one of the newest types of advertising that has taken the marketing world by storm. Ads based on user-generated content are very trusted by audiences and receive 4 times higher click-through rates than other types of advertisements. In this online marketing strategy, brands pay people to create content for them and promote the content on their behalf. The content users create can be anything from videos and blog entries to social posts, tutorials and more. You'll find opportunities to work with influencers, micro-influencers, affiliate marketers and brand ambassadors within this advertising world. Reaching the audience of the creator who produced the content is a big added perk, as it gives you automatic relevant reach. Saving time is also a benefit of consumer-generated ads, as businesses don’t need to spend time creating and promoting the assets. You should also know that payment methods for your consumer-generated content are not limited to money. Sometimes you can compensate creators with free products, experiences and discounts. 10. Radio and podcast advertising In today's fast-paced world, radio and podcast advertising has become a prevalent way to consume information on the go, especially through podcasts and the radio. With this in mind, you can take advantage of the many listeners out there that you can reach with ads, with high peaks of tuning in during commuting hours. When it comes to targeting, you can narrow in and advertise to a niche group of listeners that will find your promotion most interesting and relevant. To do this, focus on a specific radio channel or podcast type that aligns with your services. Users might find your sponsored message very helpful as 54% of podcast consumers say that they are more likely to consider the brands they hear advertised on podcasts . Lastly, you don't have to rely on large, existing radio stations or podcasts to cover you. You can start your own podcast for free with one of these podcast website templates . This medium will enable you to highlight your expertise and tell your unique brand story. Common advertising techniques to start with Once you've chosen the types of advertising you want to start with to promote your business, you'll need to think about which advertising techniques to deploy within your strategy. There are many techniques to choose from, each of which can influence how well your target audience responds to your advertising strategy and campaigns but we've put together a list of the most popular to get you started with your preferred type. Appealing to emotion : imagine a TV ad for a car. The car is filled with a family heading off an adventurous road trip, all of them laughing and excited for the fun ahead. This creates positive emotions towards the card and the brand. The bandwagon effect : this technique is all about creating demand and hype for a product, because someone else has it. Imagine a social media ad for a new phone, crowds of people all using the same device, to create that 'I must have' impulse in consumers. Typography : this technique works best for large brands, with easily recognizable font based logos. Cocoa Cola for example uses their well known typography and logo as center stage in a lot of their advertising. Color psychology: this is all about using colors to evoke emotions in your target audience that encourage them to take action. Red, for example, is known to trigger hunger when used in fast food commercials either online, or in print. Color psychology and appealing to a target audiences emotion are often used together in advertising. Testimonials: as a form of social proof testimonials can be powerful when used within all types of advertising. People respond well to positive reviews or accounts of users they can relate to, using a product or service and sharing their experiences with it. Types of advertising FAQ What are 5 types of online advertising? Social media marketing Native advertising Mobile advertising Search advertising (both paid and organic) Email marketing/advertising What type of advertising is most effective? It all depends on your product and service as well as your budget. But for small businesses some of the most effective are — word of mouth marketing (free advertising), online advertising (paid search, paid social media), traditional advertising (if you have a big budget and broad audience, includes TV and radio), email marketing/advertising. What types of advertising are most profitable? According to this 2023 study , they are: Display advertising Video advertising Native advertising Web interstitial advertising (the message users get before an expected page) Interactive advertising What are the 8 main ad types? Video ads Shopping ads App ads Bumper ads Discovery ads Dynamic ads Social ads Search ads What are the key differences between traditional and digital advertising? Tradtional and digital advertising couldn't be more different from each other in terms of style and execution. Traditional advertising relies on offline channels like TV, radio, newspapers and billboards —offering broad audience reach but limited ROI and other KPI tracking. Digital advertising uses online platforms like social media, search engines and websites for precise audience targeting, real-time analytics and often cost-effective campaigns. methods.

Visual content is an inseparable part of social media. People engage with visuals on a whole different level than what they do with text. How different? We process visuals 60,000 times faster than text! That’s why visual content is so important for social media marketing. When you promote your business, your art or your project, using visual content will deliver significantly better results. But how do you create images for social media posts if you don’t have much experience with graphic design? The answer, as always, is online. Just as Wix offers an intuitive online platform to create a website , there are multiple services you can use to create various types of graphics posts for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – and more. These neat apps and tools are available online for free, and you don’t need to be a design wizard to work wonders with them. We handpicked ten of our favorite online tools that simplify the process of creating various types of graphics such as images, gift certificates , vouchers, gifs and memes for social media. Use these excellent tools to design and publish superb social content and boost your social media presence, while making it easier to monetize your platform (such as making money on TikTok ). Without further ado, check out the 10 best (& free) tools to create stunning social media graphics : 01. Wix Social Posts: Design attention-grabbing content There are many visual editing tools available online, but this free tool’s huge advantage is that it was created specifically for designing social media posts. The main goal of Social Posts is to support small biz owners in creating professional, eye-catching visuals quickly and easily. As a Wix user, you can choose from a variety of templates and customize it to fit your brand’s identity . Social media posts are a great way to engage with your followers across multiple platforms as well as announce special sales and events. Plus, every social media post is an opportunity to drive traffic to your website . With a large pool of visuals, colors, patterns, fonts and stickers to choose from, you can create unique posts to draw your followers’ attention right away. To create a Social Post: Go to Wix.com (If you’re not a user already, it will only take a few seconds to sign up. Plus, it’s free!) Open your site’s dashboard Click ‘Marketing Tools’ on the left Select 'Social Posts’ Hover over and click on a template to edit or click ‘Create Post’ After you’re done creating, share your beautiful creation on all your social media platforms 02. Giphy: Make your own fun GIFs GIFs are one of the most enjoyable aspects of using social media. They can say so much with so little and they are extremely contagious. This is what makes GIFs such a great visual element for social media and a proven way to boost engagement. Giphy is your one-stop-shop for all things GIF. You can either browse through its amazing library of content, which is fully available for use, or you can create your very own GIFs and make some viral content. 03. Gravit: Beautify your feed Gravit is a favorite in the open source graphic design community. Basically, you can use it to design almost anything, from mobile apps, through professional presentations, to Facebook cover photos . Its powerful platform makes it very popular with professional designers, but it is not limited to users with design experience only. The regular version is intuitive to learn and work with, but if you like to keep things super simple. 05. Befunky: Create stunning and helpful infographics If you’re a fan of knowledge visualization, you will love Befunky ’s infographic building tool. It offers a great variety of templates to work with and plenty of customization options, including stock images that you can use for free. With so much freedom and an easy-to-use editor, you can create professional infographics that are useful, persuasive and sharp. Learn how to design social media graphics and get infographic ideas to elevate your content today. 06. Biteable, Wixel Video Maker, and Pexels: Utilize free stock images and videos Small business owners, artists and freelancers usually can’t afford grand photoshoots and video productions. Luckily, stock images and videos give even people on a small budget access to great visual content. The problem with stock visuals is that they often look unreal and unrelatable. That’s why we recommend Pexels and Biteable for your stock visual needs. Pexels offers fantastic images, while Biteable and Wixel Video Maker 's specialty is superb video clips. 07. Flipagram: Combine visuals into a fun slideshow Flipagram is all about creating stories: Moving, entertaining or inspiring stories. This app connects to your mobile photo library or to your social media albums, combining your photos and videos into one great slideshow that tells your story just how you want it to be told. You can also add music from a large audio gallery, or even upload your own sounds. 08. Recite: Nail the quote visuals Words of wisdom are big on social media. They’re uplifting, motivating and very shareable. But no matter how inspirational the quotes are, they need to look great too. Recite is a wonderful tool that lets you design a social quote post with gorgeous backgrounds, smart font choice and colors that stand out on the feed. All you need to do is type in the words, choose a template and publish it. 09. Draw. io: Create brilliant diagrams Numbers and stats are not visually appetizing, but a sleek diagram can communicate information in a clear and pleasing manner. Draw.io is an online diagram creator that helps you depict data with engaging visuals like charts, graphs, maps or tables. Your social media followers are unlikely to read complex text that details all that information, but if you present it in the form of a diagram you have far better chances of it getting noticed. 10. Lumen5: Visualize your text as videos Video content is an engagement powerhouse. With online tools like Lumen5 , creating great videos is accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. But Lumen5 is not just any video editing gizmo. It actually converts text into gorgeous marketing videos. Using AI (artificial intelligence) technology, Lumen5 scans your text and transforms your words into moving pictures. All you need to do is enter a URL that includes your texts (like a blog post, or an online article), and Lumen5 will do the rest.

TikTok is more than just a place where Gen Z dances to viral soundbites. TikTok’s high engagement rates appeal to businesses who want to grow audiences with new types of social media content . Create a website for your business and promote the URL in your TikTok account bio to direct engaged viewers to your portfolio, product pages, affiliate links, and more. In this post, we’ll look at top tips and ideas for businesses to gain traction on TikTok. Why you should use TikTok for business But before we get into some tips, let’s set the stage for how opening a TikTok account can benefit your business. Tip: If you’re unfamiliar with the social media network, learn more about it from the What Is TikTok guide. TikTok has a high engagement rate Regular users as well as influencers see significantly higher social media engagement rates on TikTok compared to similar networks like Instagram. For example, Justin Bieber’s dance challenge garnered a 3% engagement rate on Instagram, while the same post on TikTok got him 49%. There isn’t as much competition yet While TikTok became wildly popular over the past few years, the platform is still growing as many brands haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet. Businesses who catch onto TikTok marketing early can win big. Low competition means you can connect with a larger segment of your target audience. Not only that, but low competition also leads to lower paid ad spend, making it an even more appealing ad platform for your business. TikTok increases brand awareness and reach Authentic content is king on TikTok. While many influencers and brands on Instagram go for highly-polished photos and videos to capture attention, users like TikTok’s spontaneous and genuine content. These posts especially attract Gen Z, who often prefer to consume more relaxed and easy-going media (for more details on the best time to post on TikTok , check out our guide). Brands who deliver this on TikTok can help improve their brand awareness and reach younger audience members. Tip: For even more brand awareness and engagement, use a link in bio tool like Hopp in order to link to other social media profiles and brand assets from your Tiktok bio through one URL. How to use TikTok for business We’ve covered the why, now let’s look at the how : You must know how to optimize your TikTok content to meet your business goals. Consider these suggestions and test what works best with your brand’s target audience. Tip: Take your account to the next level and learn how to make money on TikTok 01. Find your niche Without a niche, you risk your content getting lost in between the viral dance trends and informational videos. By focusing on one within your industry, you can get creative within certain restraints. Your niche should, of course, be related to your business or products, and the more specific, the better. TikTok user, @iamnicorojas makes videos in the marketing and branding niche that garner thousands and even millions of views. Just remember to consistently highlight your brand’s main points in every post to keep your brand memorable in users’ minds. 02. Leverage user-generated content Many businesses don’t know where to get started on TikTok, but you can easily kick off your account by repurposing and sharing user-generated content. User-generated content (UGC) is any post another user creates that mentions or shows your brand or products. You can ask your audience to share videos of themselves with your products on TikTok and then repost those videos on your own account to engage with your audience right away and generate original content with little to no budget. What’s more, their posted videos will help you reach new users. Often, bigger brands, such as Adidas, accompany these posts with branded hashtags. If you search for a popular brand on TikTok, you'll see user-generated content that the brand's customers have created with its products. Furthermore, since this organic content doesn’t appear as promotional, it tends to effectively catch eyes and captivate audiences. 03. Create a branded hashtag challenge Using a unique hashtag, you can dare your audience to create and share original videos either as a viral trend or for a prize. With many people creating videos, you'll expose many new users to your brand in a positive, organic way. When Pringles joined TikTok, the brand created a branded hashtag challenge # playwithpringles to inspire users to get creative with a Pringles can. The campaign went viral in Europe and led to over one billion views and 343,000 user-generated content entries. 04. Incorporate trending sounds Song clips have a tendency to go viral in TikTok videos. While individual users and influencers often use them, brands can get in on the fun, too. First, it’ll show your audience that your brand stays on top of trending conversations. Second, the TikTok algorithm will likely show your video to more users. Even if you don’t base your video around the trending sound clip and it simply plays in the background, it can still show up for other users when they search for that sound on. 05. Be authentic We already mentioned that TikTok users value authentic content, so they won’t identify with polished videos that seem more like commercials. No one looks for perfection on TikTok, they want entertaining and relatable personalities. Make sure your brand fits that tone, too. If you run a business selling products, try showing the behind-the-scenes of your business to come across as authentic and relatable. Videos as simple as showing you packing orders, answering audience questions, explaining your products, and introducing yourself or your employees can have a big impact in humanizing your brand and attracting new audiences. Small business owner @safetyxxfirst makes keychains with items meant to keep women safe. She often appears in her TikTok videos to answer followers’ questions. These videos help put a face to the brand and the personality that shines through helps sell products. 06. Dabble with paid ads If your social media marketing strategy includes paid ads, extend your budget to TikTok, too. Paid ads can effectively reach even more viewers, promote a certain product or simply create more brand awareness. Choose from these different paid ads on TikTok: In-feed ads: These minute-or-less ads show up in a user’s feed as they scroll through videos. TopView ads: Users see an auto-play video with sound and a CTA when they open the TikTok app. Branded hashtag challenge ads: Brands pay to have users see their hashtag challenge on TikTok’s Discover Page. Brand takeovers: These full-page ads also appear when users open TikTok and a static image, GIF, or short video up to 5 seconds long pops-up, promoting a brand takeover. Branded effects: Brands create filters, stickers, or video effects that other TikTok users can apply to their videos. 07. Partner up with influencers Collaborate with influencers on promotional content to expand your reach. There's a lot of potential if you use influencer marketing correctly, so don't overlook this tactic. To begin, make a list of influencers who fall into your niche. Don’t deviate too far from your industry or brand personality or you’ll risk alienating your audience or seeming inauthentic. Reach out to let them know you’re interested in hiring them, and let them know your budget. Once you find a collaborator, base your scope of work on what deliverables you both agree on. It can be anything from the influencer posting about how they use your products, adding links to their page or videos to sending more clicks to your website. You can even request for them to post a review of a highlighted item from your product line. 08. Check out your competitors Follow hashtags in your niche as well as competitors in your industry to see how other businesses use TikTok. Watch their videos to understand how your audience might interact with specific video edits and effects. For example, you see similar brand videos that often feature text overlays and reactions, your videos should emulate this as well. While dermatology advice may seem out of place on TikTok, it has become a hugely popular niche on the platform with users like @dermdoctor getting millions of views on their videos. A popular format is reaction videos where a doctor comments on another TikTok video, and for businesses entering this, it makes sense to replicate this video editing format and tap into this existing audience. 9. Experiment with different video types TikTok offers users many creative video options, so take the time to learn the platform and get comfortable with using different effects. Don't limit yourself to a single video feature or risk your viewers seeing you as a one-trick pony. Your business could use these different types of videos: Team introductions: Show your users a day in the life of your employees. The grand tour: Give your followers a quick tour of your offices or workspace. Case studies: Share examples of what you’ve done for clients in the past. Before and after: Highlight a change before and after using your product or services. Tell a story: Share your brand’s origins or an inspirational customer journey. Product demos: Demonstrate how your product works in a short TikTok video. Tip: You can even use a video maker to get creative TikTok footage. Just change up the videos you post so that it doesn’t get too repetitive. There’s no limit on what you can post. From cute office pets to time-lapses of your processes, TikTok affords brands the space to get creative while uniquely engaging users. Tip: At Wix, we use TikTok content to engage with our audience. Here you can find a Wix branding expert sharing tips and insights about logo color psychology. While the video has an educational and playful approach, we also use it to introduce our Wix Logo Maker tool.

Social media marketing allows you to build an organic presence and communicate with your audience differently than traditional online advertising. While ads can sometimes turn off a consumer from a brand, organic social allows meaningful interaction through relevant conversations, thought leadership and educational content. Global internet users spend an average of two hours and 27 minutes per day on social media. This number is growing as new social channels such as TikTok increase in popularity. And as more consumers spend time online consuming content, brands and businesses can increase their reach and interactions to get in front of those users. Additionally, you can use social media marketing as a free way to drive traffic after you create a website and further nurture leads. Let’s dive into how to develop a strong social media marketing strategy that elevates your brand and drives growth can become an integral part of your digital marketing efforts. Social media marketing In this guide we will cover the following: What is social media marketing? Benefits of social media marketing Social media marketing platforms How to create a social media marketing strategy Analyzing and measuring results Social media marketing resources Start building your online presence with Wix . What is social media marketing? Social media marketing is a type of marketing that uses social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for branding and promoting products or services. Social media marketing can help achieve different objectives and target specific audiences, depending on the social platform. Benefits of social media marketing 77% of U.S. small businesses use social media for sales, marketing and customer service. The benefits of this marketing strategy are vast, from branding and lead generation, to customer support and sales. Social media marketing should be a core content outlet for any business. Today, users expect companies to be present on social media and even offer customer service on those channels, reports McKinsey. “Poor service is no longer resolved in private through traditional call centers and email channels but laid bare on social media with far-reaching reputational consequences—and opportunities—for companies,” explains Avinash Chandra Das, an associate partner at McKinsey. Here are other benefits of social media marketing to consider as you begin implementing your strategy. Increase trustworthiness Today, having a web presence produces trust for both businesses and individuals. You should use social media in conjunction with your business website to establish a credible online presence. Rafael Tercarolli, principal at Hootsuite, explains , “The content you put out on your handles says a lot about your brand and sets the tone for further interaction.” By posting anything from user-generated content (UGC) to behind-the-scenes footage of your company, your audience will better understand what you stand for. It is much easier to achieve social proof with a strong following and quality content. If you get a verified blue badge on your accounts, you can build trust even more quickly. Boost brand awareness Building trust, fostering relationships and proving authority all lead to elevating your brand in the social media world. If you have an excellent social media marketing strategy in place, your brand will likely be better perceived and even known or discovered by new audiences. In fact, 83% of people surveyed say Instagram helps them discover new products or services. To continually work on your social media branding, you should also aim to post content that goes beyond self-promotion. While you can announce the occasional sale or product launch, the majority of your content should focus on sharing industry news, giving shout-outs to customers and unique tips and tricks. Learn more: Small business marketing , What is Brat? Drive leads and conversions With social commerce’s rise, many small business owners now sell products through social media, either directly or indirectly. According to the LinkedIn Social Selling Index, "78% of social sellers make more sales than their counterparts who aren't using social media." Looking ahead, social selling is predicted to increase as web3 and the Metaverse change how brands drive new business. Tips on how to drive more sales on social: Drive traffic to your website by adding a link in your bio ( Hopp by Wix is a great tool that helps create fast-loading bio pages with ease. It is highly customizable, its unique search feature ensures that your followers can access your links quickly.) Host live videos, such as YouTube Live Run contests Open an Instagram Shop with shoppable posts (if you sell a physical product). This is one of the most common ways to make money on Instagram . Use user-generated content Work with influencers - look into influencer marketing as a tactic in its own right Regularly perform a social media audit to make sure your strategy is on-point Promote your business on LinkedIn with a LinkedIn company page and content Social media marketing drawbacks As a digital marketing strategy, social media marketing is incredibly impactful. However as with any marketing strategy, it can have its limitations and drawbacks. Some of the main ones include: Potential limited organic reach , something that is controlled by the platform, and often means users have to use paid promotion to really see impact. Algorithm changes, which on some platforms can happen quite regularly and without warning. One of these changes can mean what worked before no longer does, and you entire social media marketing strategy needs to be pivoted. Saturation, of both ads and contents. Everyone is trying to stand out on social media, everyone is creating realms of content - standing out amongst all of this, is not easy. Time and resources it takes to manage social media accounts. For social media to work for a business the account needs to be well managed, and the data tracked. Content needs to be created, schedule and published regularly. Comments, shares and engagements need to be tracked. Negative exposure can be a huge issue on social media. As public platforms, users can leave comments about a brand that may not always be positive. These need to be handled quickly in order to prevent negative connotations around a business. You'll need to get on top of your buzz monitoring , social listening and online reputation management to tackle any negative engagement and comments. Privacy issues are a real concern, as social media platforms and businesses are able to collect a large amount of user data, all of which can be at risk during a security breach. Learn more: Website vs social media Social media marketing platforms Below are the most popular channels to consider building your social media presence , ranked by number of users. Guided by audience insights and real Wix user examples, you can best decide which platforms to focus on first. Facebook Users: 2.91 billion Audience demographic: Millennials aged 35-44 . This audience might not be as tech-savvy as those on newer platforms, which is important to keep in mind when writing the content for the posts. On Facebook, it's good to focus on top-of-funnel professional and educational content. Business example: Through Jimmy's Eyes celebrates Pride by tagging products from their shop to show support and display the artist’s craft. Tip: Use Facebook Ads by Wix to generate leads and traffic to your site and have a look at our roundup of the best Facebook ad examples for inspiration. YouTube Users : 2.56 billion Audience demographic: Males aged 25-34 are YouTube's biggest advertising audience. This video based platform allows you to create video playlists and upload videos about your business. You can livestream events and upload customer testimonials and tutorials to help users learn to use your product better. Business example: Ste Bradbury Design takes the educational route on YouTube and creates helpful design tutorials that create authority and trust from his audience. A fan even commented on the video below, “What I like most about this tutorial: 1: Fast explaining. 2: Effective Steps. 3: straight to the point. Keep it up man.” This is a strong sign of social media engagement, something any business should strive for. Here's more on how to start a successful YouTube channel for your business Instagram Users: 1.48 billion Audience demographic: 71% of IG users are below 35 years old. Visuals play a major role on the platform, so keep this in mind when you choose to post. You should pay attention to your feed and how images look on the grid. The platform has tools such as Reels, Stories, photo posts, live-streaming and more. Note that you can use a link shortener to add a link to a story that directs to your landing page or website, as regular posts do not have a clickable link option. Business example: Zelie for She , who is revolutionizing the plus size fashion industry, created an engaging Instagram marketing Reel showing her clothing line to a trending tune. This is also a good strategy because other people can see it when searching for the tune, similar to a hashtag. Also, because she is wearing the product herself (instead of hiring famous models) and uses a DIY-feeling production, it comes across as more relatable and that she is "showing" and not "selling.” TikTok Users: 1 billion Audience demographic: Roughly 43% of TikTok's global audience is between 18 and 24 years old , which is great for targeting Gen Z consumers. This platform uses short format videos and is great for reposting UGC, behind-the-scenes footage, and educational content. Entertainment is the most popular category on TikTok by hashtag views, so feel free to also show your business's humorous side on the platform. The primary audience consuming content on the platform finds it very important to show your brand values and build trust, so create videos to help achieve that. Business example: Wix uses TikTok for business content to engage with its audiences by sharing tips and insights about topics related to its products. To help users to understand logo color psychology, Wix created this educational and playful TikTok that also introduces the Logo Maker tool while defining the meaning of popular colors. LinkedIn Users : 830 million Audience demographic: The overall audience on LinkedIn is a professional one and is geared towards business owners. It is most popular with users 46-55 years old , as many people later in their careers with more experience use the platform. As a social media marketing channel, it is very good for B2B marketing . LinkedIn is still more text-based than other platforms, so posting things like company news, quotes and engaging debates can be an excellent way to start. Thought leadership content is also a great fit for this channel. Business example: Wix's dropshipping partner, Printful , showed its brand authenticity on LinkedIn by sharing employee photos with an anecdote about the importance of working from abroad. This strategy effectively puts a face behind the business and shows its company values. Snapchat Users: 557 million Audience demographic: 39% of Snapchat's advertising audience is between the ages of 18 and 24 . This platform is the precursor to Instagram Stories. While commonly used for connecting with friends, Snapchat designed a way to let users engage with brands using the Discover section. Like TikTok, this platform is about being authentic and not picture-perfect. Unlike TikTok that is video-based only, Snapchat is also a photo and video messaging app. Business example: E.l.f. Cosmetics reached millennials and Gen Z Snapchat users by producing an eye level campaign that speaks to its audience, “be extra without paying extra.” Pinterest Users: 444 million Audience demographic: According to Statista, 38% of Pinterest users are between the ages of 50 and 64. Although the platform is historically popular among Millennials, the demographics of Pinterest are shifting towards an older audience. Great for visuals and inspiration, Pinterest marketing can help you reach many DIY creators, and B2C (business to consumer) users looking for fashion, decor and other forms of guidance and tips. Business example: Culinary nutrition consultant Mikaela Reuben pins many of her recipes to Pinterest, such as this post on how to shred kale . By showing her expertise in an engaging manner, it's likely more people will repin, leading more people to discover her nutrition services. Twitter Users: 436 million Audience demographic: Pew Research Center explains a minority of Twitter users produce the vast majority of tweets. Among U.S. adults who use Twitter, the top 25% of users by tweet volume produce 97% of all tweets, while the bottom 75% of users produce just 3%, according to an analysis conducted over a three-month period in 2021. The general voice is casual, eye-level, not condescending, yet sophisticated, professional, and sharp. Content is mainly around SMB, marketing, blogging, branding, and entrepreneurship. Tweets are 280 characters long, so you must stay short and to the point. Here are more tips on how to use Twitter . Twitter marketing is centered around relevancy, so trendjacking (using trending topics, events or memes to connect with your audience) can be a very useful strategy on the platform. Business example: Izzy Wheels tweeted about a new partnership with Disney, incorporating a high-quality image (learn more about social media image sizes ) that shows the collaboration of their brands. They even pinned the tweet to the top, helping make it visible to everyone landing on their feed in the hopes of gaining more traction. How do social media algorithms work The way in which social media algorithms work is complicated, and something the platforms keep a well guarded secret. There are also differences between how algorithms work on different platforms—Instagram and LinkedIn's algorithm follow similar principles but would also have key differences in how they collect and process information to run. In the world of social media algorithms there are two main types: passive and aggressive. The aim of each is to influence which content a user see. Passive algorithms work based on a user's past activity and engagement history on a specific social platform. They determine which content to show a user based on the types of content they have engaged with in the past, the accounts they choose to follow, and the amount of time they spend on the platform and when. Active algorithms however rely on user input to decide which content to show them. If a user likes a post, or shares it, this indicates that they liked the content and should be shown more like this. Most social media platforms use a combination of both types of algorithms to display content to users and to refine what they see. How to create a social media marketing strategy Now that we’ve covered the value of using social media for your business and an overview of the most popular channels, now it’s time to strategize how to use them most effectively. Here are the 5 ways to create a social media strategy: Research and understand your audience Choose which social platforms you’ll focus on Determine your KPIs Create relevant, original, engaging content Use a social media content calendar and scheduler 01. Research and understand your audience You can have the perfect social media campaign, but if it's not getting in front of the correct audience, it will simply get no social media engagement. One of the first steps to a good social media strategy is understanding where your audience spends time on social media and which content they enjoy consuming. This ensures your message will best resonate and your post will succeed. You need to align your content, voice and strategy to both the platform and your audience on that platform. By seeing what your audience truly needs and cares about, your brand and product offerings will be much more enticing. Marketing guru Seth Godin says , “Don’t find customers for your product. Find products for your customers.” Use this advice when aligning your services with different social audiences. How to research your audience on social media: Create personas to identify unique segments Check relevant hashtags and see who is using them Look at competitor accounts, followers and tags See which other accounts or interests your target audience follows Research trending sounds and topics in your niche 02. Choose which social platforms you’ll focus on Refer to the social media platforms we examined earlier and identify where your audience is most active. To start building your social media presence, experiment with several channels and then double down on the ones that work best for you. Also, remember to use different channels to reach different audiences with unique content. For example, when Wix promotes its blog posts on social media, it chooses some articles for LinkedIn and others for Instagram to meet the audience’s interests and goals. An article about business growth makes a strong fit for LinkedIn, where users constantly are looking for ways to improve in the business world. When posting on Instagram, where many of Wix’s followers and designers, Wix shares articles such as web design trends to keep its audience informed and up to date. 03. Determine your KPIs "We don't have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it?" says Erik Qualman, marketing author. So how do we know if we do social media well? The answer is metrics and KPIs (key performance indicators). Without defining what success is and which key performance metrics you'll measure, it will be hard for you to benchmark your growth and impact. Every good social media marketing strategy should keep in mind the commonly-used metrics to measure the effectiveness of social: Clicks : How many people clicked on the post Reach/Impressions: How many people saw the content Engagement : What percent of people who saw the post interacted with it Comments : How many people left a comment. How many comments were quality comments? Saves : How many saved the post to review it again later Shares/reposts : How many felt inclined to share or retweet Followers: How many people followed your account (see how to grow social media followers ) Video views: How many watched your video Profile visits : How any people visited your profile after seeing your content in their feed Mentions/tags: How many people mention or tag you in their posts Choose which of these are most important to you and your goals. If your primary goal is to get traffic to your website, then link clicks can be your main KPI. If you hope to elevate your brand perception on social, then quality comments and shares can be a better metric to measure success. 04. Create relevant, original, engaging content Good content is king on social media. Try to create content that is tailored to your audience's needs, questions and desires—while staying aligned with your brand identity and values. One promising approach is to focus on a post to educate, entertain or inspire. If it can do one or all of these three, chances are that your content can be valuable to your audience. Wix user Carmen Christine made a TikTok video that explains to people what her business does (creates unique headbands). She uses her own point of view and then layers on user-generated content of satisfied customers. This is a simple way to showcase your product but add an inspirational element to the story. Use these social media marketing content ideas for inspiration (mentioned in full with examples in the linked article): Share your blog posts and other great content Develop how-tos, tutorials, and tips Announce big company news Publish industry headlines Show off data with infographics Create engaging videos (check out Video Maker tools to help you) Take advantage of trending topics Leverage user-generated content Show your personality with memes and GIFs Post an interesting quote Conduct an interview Let your audience meet your employees Put a spotlight on your customers Give your customers a look behind the scenes Create previews of upcoming offerings Do an unboxing video for your product Run contests and giveaways Host and promote your live events Team up with another brand Share influencer content 05. Use a social media content calendar and scheduler To help keep your posting on track and organized, use a calendar to plan out your content for the month. The Wix Social Media Graphics Tool has a scheduler built-in or you can sign up for external companies that help make this process easy. Learn more: How to design social media graphics . According to Marissa Nicole Brower , social media manager at Wix: "The frequency of posting on social media can vary based on platform and your audience's preferences, but it's essential to maintain a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged without overwhelming them." Analyzing and measuring results We highly recommend you regularly review your social media performance to look for meaningful shifts, trends and audience insights. Revisit the KPIs determined in step 3 of your strategy and see how you're stacking up against your ideal goals. You can use a combination of your website analytics and social media analytics for results. If you feel you are not at the performance level you’re hoping for, try testing different types of content and re-visiting competitor sites. Another idea is to do a focus group to ask people in your target audience what they enjoy consuming on social media. The future of social media marketing Social media platforms and how they are used both by users and for marketing purposes change fast. An effective social media marketing strategy understands this and is able to adapt to these changes as they happen. While no one can predict the exact future of social media marketing, here are a few potential developments to keep your eye on: The use of AI for all aspects of social media marketing - content creation, scheduling, and understanding how users consume and search for content. Increased emphasis on transparency around how users data is collected and used, and potential new curbs on this. More and more video content, specifically short form. The continued growth of social commerce, and greater integrations between social media and eCommerce platforms to sell. The potential rise of new social media platforms to target users on. Social media marketing resources Social media is changing every day. New formats, trends and tools surface regularly and to be a true social strategy expert, it’s good to continue learning and staying up to date. Here are some ways and resources to do that: YouTube: Simply search for social media marketing tutorials or webinar Earn a digital marketing certificate: See examples below Digital Marketing Nanodegree with Udacity Hootsuite Academy Marketing Leadership with Twitter Flight School Social Media Marketing on LinkedIn Learning Social Media Certification with Boot Camp Digital Blueprint Certification with Facebook Social media marketing books: See examples below The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Content Marketing, Podcasting, Social Media, AI, Live Video, and Newsjacking to Reach Buyers Directly by David Meerman Scott Crushing It: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence – And How You Can, To o by Gary Vaynerchuk Social Media Strategy: Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations in the Consumer Revolution by Keith Quesenberry Social media marketing podcasts: See examples below The GaryVee Audio Experience Social Pros Podcast Savvy Social Podcast Wix Learn LinkedIn Learning

In the ever-changing competitive landscape of modern business, small businesses face a unique set of challenges when it comes to standing out and reaching their target audience. While limited budgets and resources may seem like barriers to effective marketing, they also present opportunities for creativity and innovation. This article will outline the fundamentals of small business marketing—what it is and how it differs from other types of marketing, providing valuable examples and setting out an actionable plan to help you get started. Including tips and ideas for marketing small businesses online and offline and why your marketing mix should be diverse, including both digital and traditional marketing strategies . Create a website  to build your online presence and foster your small business network.  What is small business marketing? Small business marketing is the tailored process of promoting products or services by businesses with fewer resources, making use of unique strategies to target audiences effectively. All small business marketing is based on the basic structure of the 4 Ps of marketing : product, price, place and promotion. Small businesses have less marketing muscle, yet more agility compared to bigger companies. While traditional corporate marketing often involves substantial budgets and extensive market research, small business marketing thrives on innovation and experimentation. Rather than adhering to rigid marketing plans, small businesses are free to test new ideas and adjust their strategies based on real-time feedback.  "The benefit that small companies have is that they can move much, much faster and they can build a direct relationship with their customers," Kevin Indig, an advisor to some of the fastest-growing companies, said in a discussion with us about growth marketing . Small business marketing also prioritizes personalized engagement over mass appeal. While large corporations aim to reach broad audiences using above-the-line advertising channels, like television commercials and billboards, small businesses focus on building intimate connections with their target customers. Below-the-line tactics, such as social media engagement, search engine marketing  and community outreach, help small businesses deliver tailored messages that resonate with their customer base, fostering loyalty and trust. 15 small business marketing types and ideas Small business marketing encompasses a variety of strategies—both on and offline, all aimed at effectively reaching and engaging with target audiences to drive business growth. Social media marketing Paid advertising, targeted advertising, PPC (Google Ads) Email marketing Affiliate marketing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Content marketing Video marketing Online public relations and press releases Networking through trade events, professional networks and local marketing Print advertising and print marketing Loyalty programs and discount coupons, promotional marketing Community marketing: events, workshops, tutorials and donations Word of mouth and referral marketing Direct mail marketing Guerilla marketing 01. Social media marketing  Social media has become a pivotal platform for small businesses seeking to expand their reach and brand presence. As more social platforms and trends evolve, social media marketing remains a critical component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. This is because 55% of customers worldwide  discover brands via social media and regularly use it to research a brand when deciding whether to make a purchase. Social media marketing  strategically identifies, engages and captivates a target audience. Get the most out of your small business social media marketing by: Defining goals and key metrics (engagement rates, click-throughs and follower growth) Choosing the most appropriate platforms (those preferred by your target audience and that support the content you intend to share) Posting share-worthy content and optimizing it for social media search Planning your content using a social media calendar , ensuring posts are staggered, consistent and aligned with relevant dates or events Small businesses can also take advantage of influencer marketing when promoting their offers on social media. Smaller creators with more engaged audiences often yield higher levels of trust and authenticity. These micro-influencers are ideal partners for small businesses seeking to establish genuine relationships with their target demographics.  Another strong social media strategy is to use user-generated content (UGC). You can encourage customers to create and share content featuring your products or services on their social channels. Repurpose user-generated content for your marketing materials to save on content creation costs while leveraging authentic testimonials. Want more small business marketing statistics that can help inform business decisions? Check out Vistaprint and Wix's Small Business Marketing Report . 02. Paid advertising, targeted advertising, PPC (Google Ads) Paid advertising, including targeted ads and PPC campaigns, helps small businesses reach their potential customers more efficiently. Also, platforms like Google Ads are more cost-effective, as you only pay when someone clicks your ad. Paid advertising best practice: Start with clear goals, for example, increasing website visits or sales. Target your ads to specific demographics to reach the right audience. Monitor your campaigns regularly and adjust them based on what's proving most effective. Learn more about how to create a landing page.   03. Email marketing Email marketing  is a trusty classic that continues to prove its indispensability, particularly for small businesses. Email marketing offers small businesses a cost-effective, targeted and measurable way to engage with their audience, build relationships and drive results.  Email marketing tips: Use segmentation  to categorize subscribers based on their preferences, behaviors or demographics. Personalize email campaigns. Go beyond addressing recipients by their first name—craft content that speaks directly to their interests and needs. Tip:  Use email marketing tools  to create well-designed and personalized email campaigns. Use a business email address  for a cohesive and professional look.  04. Affiliate marketing Affiliate marketing  involves partnering with affiliates who promote products or services in exchange for a sales commission, allowing small businesses to expand their reach without upfront costs. Start by identifying reputable affiliates with audiences that align with your target market and provide them with compelling promotional materials and incentives. Regularly communicate with your affiliates to nurture the relationship and optimize performance. 05. Search engine optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization (SEO) is the silent hero of the digital world. According to a study by Backlinko , the first ten websites on Google's search results snag 86% of all organic clicks. Optimizing your website and content for search engines increases brand visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find you when they’re searching for the products or services your company offers. While there are plenty of SEO features  to help small businesses boost their websites, the fundamental thinking behind any successful SEO strategy is: Search engines love fresh, relevant content:  Regular updates signal to Google that the site is active and up-to-date, boosting its ranking and making it easier for customers to find your small business. Most searches start with a question and your blog can provide the answers : By creating content that addresses the needs and queries of your audience, you position your business as a helpful resource, increasing website ranking and building brand credibility. 06. Content marketing At a time when so many brands are vying for attention, content marketing  helps small businesses to engage audiences with stories they want to hear. Unlike traditional advertising, which often involves a significant upfront investment and escalating costs, effective content marketing allows small businesses to create impactful, engaging material with relatively modest resources. You can start a blog  to deep dive into topics and create infographics to make data more digestible. Try podcasts to give your brand a voice, testimonials to provide potential customers with proof of credibility, or offer interactive content your audience can engage with. Focus on creating evergreen content that stays useful and relevant over time. This could be how-to guides, industry insights or foundational tips that offer lasting value. Consider dopamine colors and evergreen visuals too, like calming color palettes and general banner ideas  that remain appealing. This type of content keeps bringing in organic traffic and engagement long after it’s published, helping you save on ongoing content creation costs. 07. Video marketing Video marketing allows small businesses to convey their brand message in a dynamic and engaging format that captivates audiences. With the widespread popularity of platforms like YouTube and TikTok, videos can reach a vast audience at minimal cost. 87% of marketers  say video directly increased sales and helped generate leads. Use a video maker  to keep videos concise, attention-grabbing and optimized for mobile viewing. Utilize storytelling techniques to forge an emotional connection with viewers and showcase your brand’s USP.  08. Online public relations and press releases Small businesses can generate buzz, increase brand visibility and attract media attention by distributing press releases through online channels. This cost-effective strategy aids businesses to share their news, achievements and product launches directly with target audiences and relevant journalists. Press releases in national media bring small businesses global visibility, while local media strengthens community ties. You can explore various free or low-cost PR tools and services, such as HARO (Help a Reporter Out) or PR distribution platforms like PRLog, to secure media coverage and press mentions without hiring a PR agency. 09. Networking through trade events, professional networks and local marketing  Before the world went digital, small businesses had to get out there, shake hands and become familiar faces in their communities. This approach still holds a ton of value today, with 83% of international brands  crediting graevent marketing for increasing sales. Trade shows, professional networking events and local marketing activities are also great places to distribute business cards . Try adding qr codes  onto relevant merchandise, as these events help get further exposure.  To stand out at events, focus on creating high-impact print materials. Try using attention-grabbing flyer ideas  to promote special offers or tell your brand story. Custom packaging design  is great for giving away product samples in a memorable way, while bold visuals with poster ideas  can help draw people to your booth. You can also offer value by sharing free advice. For example, a graphic designer could host a short workshop teaching how to make a banner for a website, sharing graphic design tips  and techniques. It’s a great way to make your brand unforgettable and show your expertise. 10. Print advertising and print marketing Traditional print advertising  and marketing methods remain effective for small businesses today, here’s why: Tangibility and permanence: A well-designed brochure or business card can stay with a potential customer for weeks, months or even years, reminding them of your brand. Cut through the digital clutter: With an overwhelming amount of digital content, print materials grab attention in a less saturated space. Builds credibility: Print provides a sense of legitimacy. High-quality materials can elevate the perception of your brand, showcasing professionalism. How to make different types of print marketing materials  work for your small business: Brochures:  Great for giving a comprehensive overview of a small business. Keep your content clear, concise and focused. Business cards: Not just for contact information; business cards are representatives of your brand. Focus on clarity, relevance to your brand identity and durability when designing your business cards , ensuring that they effectively represent your brand and leave a positive impression on recipients. Flyers and posters:  Ideal for promotions or events. Make sure they include a clear call to action and distribute them in places your target audience frequents. Catalogs: Perfect for showcasing a range of products. High-quality images and engaging descriptions can transform a simple catalog into a compelling sales tool. For print marketing to contribute towards your overall strategy, they need to reflect your brand's personality and values. Invest in quality design and printing; unique, eye-catching materials can make a lasting impression. Check out this printed Paris City Guide , (which also has a virtual version), created in partnership with Wix, Vistaprint and Paris Commerce. It showcases local small businesses through curated paths throughout the city. Including Wix users and small business owners ClaireJo  and La Frange à l'envers . 11. Loyalty programs and discount coupons, promotional marketing Rewarding customers for their continued support with loyalty programs and discount coupons helps small businesses cultivate long-term relationships and drive sales growth.  Offer personalized rewards, promote exclusivity and leverage digital platforms for easy redemption. Regularly communicate with customers via various channels to keep them informed about upcoming promotions and exclusive offers, fostering strong customer engagement and customer loyalty.  12. Community marketing: events, workshops, tutorials and donations Organizing local events transforms your small business into an active member of the community. Whether a street fair, workshop, giveaway, charity fundraiser or local conference, events are golden opportunities to introduce your small business to potential customers, drawing them into the marketing funnel . They help put a face to your brand while building relationships that no digital ad can match.  Don’t forget about virtual events—everything from webinars to Reels can be effective ways to engage with your audience. If you don’t fancy holding an event, you can still show your community that you actively give back by sponsoring a local team, making a donation towards a local cause or collaborating with other local businesses to raise funds. Or co-host events or workshops with other local or small businesses to share resources and split costs. This allows you to reach a broader audience while sharing the financial burden of hosting. Try finding mutually beneficial partnerships with other small businesses, like exchanging goods or services. For example, a restaurant could offer catering services in exchange for marketing collateral from a local graphic designer. 13. Word of mouth and referral marketing Harnessing the power of satisfied repeat customers to spread positive recommendations can significantly enhance brand credibility and attract new clientele. Encourage customers to refer friends and family by offering incentives or rewards for successful referrals. But remember , the only way to truly maximize the benefits of referral marketing is to ensure that the reviews customers leave are positive. Prioritize delivering exceptional customer experience to increase the likelihood of positive word-of-mouth endorsements. 14. Direct mail marketing Direct mail marketing remains one of the best tools for small businesses to attract new local customers. Highly effective for targeting specific neighborhoods and demographics, it offers a tangible and personalized approach that stands out in a digital world. Experiment with different mail formats to create eye-catching and informative material. Track the effectiveness of your campaigns by including unique codes, UTM links  or URLs for recipients to redeem offers, allowing you to measure ROI and refine your future mailings accordingly.  15. Guerrilla marketing Guerrilla marketing  campaigns are about creating bold, creative and unconventional shareable moments that grab attention beyond your local area in a way traditional marketing can’t. Done right, the campaign can go viral, allowing small businesses to make a big impact without a huge marketing budget. To ensure your guerrilla marketing campaign is a success, you need to: Know your audience: Make sure it resonates with your target audience. What are they likely to find funny, surprising or engaging? Be clear with your message: While creativity is important, don’t let your message get lost in the spectacle. Remember, the goal is to promote your business. Think through the location: Choose a spot where you’ll get maximum visibility and your target audience is likely to be. Small business marketing costs Small business marketing costs can vary widely depending on the industry, demographic, geographic location and specific marketing strategies employed. The exact percentage may vary depending on these factors: Business goals Industry competitiveness (more competitive sectors may require higher marketing expenditures) Target market demographics Competitor strategies (to be used for benchmarking) It's essential for small businesses to carefully budget and prioritize their marketing expenses. By investing strategically in marketing activities that align with their objectives, small businesses can both maximize their return on investment and achieve sustainable growth. Small business marketing examples These small businesses built on Wix use effective marketing tools and ideas to connect with their customers.  CICADA Goods CICADA Goods  who sells paraben-free, vegan candles effectively taps into ethical impulse buying. Understanding the psychology of selling, CICADA uses the feel-good feeling of earthy, clean ingredients and effectively markets her products to the right audience. What’s more, her products and brand perfectly align with the overall concept of ethical and clean products. For example, all CICADA products are hand poured and crafted in small batches in her Tucson-based studio and are packaged in wildflower seed paper—a biodegradable eco-paper made with post-consumer and post-industrial paper waste. The brand also leverages holiday marketing ideas . Owner, Stacey McClure, says she always includes her best-seller Cactus blossom candle, “Memory Number 5” in all her curated holiday boxes. This adds a personal touch and shows she knows her product offering well, but also genuinely cares about her customers. What’s more, she hosts pop-up events like a “Valentines Sip and Shop Event” to gain brand exposure and develop meaningful relationships with shoppers. Sol Cacao  Founded by three brothers, Dominic, Nicholas and Daniel, Sol Cacao  strives to create the finest quality of chocolate. The brothers are involved at every level and have a thorough understanding of each detail—including the manufacturing process, from growing the cacao pods to the actual crafting of the chocolate bars. They are clearly aware of their best selling products and know both their products and their clients. The brand found co-branding opportunities with other small businesses like their collaboration with Russ and Daughters, a New York culinary and cultural icon, by adding their chocolate into baked goods. They also joined DoorDash’s Accelerator for Local Goods with tens of other local businesses to make their product offering more available. Sol Cacao has booths at various exhibitions and pop ups, they also hold workshops and tutorials on the history of cacao and chocolate making. How to get started with small business marketing Embarking on your small business marketing journey can be both exciting and overwhelming. We've outlined practical steps to kick start your efforts and help you navigate this process with confidence. Create a marketing plan A marketing plan  serves as a roadmap for small businesses, guiding marketing efforts and ensuring strategic alignment with overarching business objectives. It provides clear direction and focus, helping to allocate resources efficiently and set measurable objectives. A good marketing plan should also track progress, ensure brand consistency and adapt to market conditions. Use a marketing plan template  to create your marketing plan, making sure to cover these bases: Clear goals: Define specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) objectives, such as increasing brand awareness or driving sales. Strategies:  Outline the tactics and channels you'll use to achieve your goals, such as social media marketing, email campaigns or content creation. Budget and timeline:  Establish a realistic marketing budget and timeline to ensure efficient resource allocation and timely execution. Performance measurement: Define key performance indicators (KPIs)  to track campaign success and evaluate return on investment (ROI) . Research your target audience and know your target market Understanding your target audience  is essential for effective marketing. Here's what to consider: Customer demographics :  Identify the age, gender, income and other relevant characteristics of your target audience. Understanding specifics about the Gen Alpha or Gen Z consumer can help you narrow in on specific tactics or approaches to communicate effectively.  Behavioral insights:  Understanding purchase behavior, preferences and pain points allows small businesses to tailor marketing strategies. Geographic location: Determine potential customers’ location to target markets geographically. For your small business marketing to be successful, stay updated on industry marketing trends , competitor strategies and consumer preferences to adapt your marketing accordingly. Set your marketing KPIs Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you to achieve your business objectives, for instance: Website traffic :  Total visits to your website, showing online brand interest and awareness. Conversion rate : Percentage of website visitors completing a desired action, indicating website effectiveness. Customer acquisition cost (CAC) :  Average cost to acquire a new customer, revealing marketing efficiency. Customer lifetime value (CLV) : Total revenue from a customer, assessing customer value. Social media engagement:  Likes, shares, comments and followers on social media, measuring audience interaction. Email open and click-through rates: Percentage of email recipients opening and clicking links, gauging email campaign success. Customer retention rate:  Percentage of returning customers, showing loyalty and satisfaction levels. Return on Investment (ROI): Ratio of marketing campaign net profit to cost, revealing its profitability. Lead generation rate: Number of leads generated, indicating success in attracting potential customers using lead generation strategies . Brand awareness metrics: Measures of brand recognition, such as mentions and search volume, indicating brand visibility. Ensure your KPIs are realistic and achievable, avoiding broad or vague metrics. For example, instead of simply saying,   “ Drive traffic to your website ,” use a more specific, attainable and time-bound KPI, like increasing website traffic by 20% in the next quarter through targeted SEO and content marketing.  Build your brand identity Build a cohesive brand identity  that makes your small business memorable and differentiates you from other businesses, helping you to stand out in the crowd of competitors.  Clearly define your brand's essence by articulating its core values, mission and unique selling proposition . Understanding what sets your business apart and what it stands for is crucial for creating a strong foundation that resonates with your audience. Invest in creating cohesive, memorable and visually appealing brand assets, including   logos, color schemes and typography that reflect your brand's personality. Consistency in design across all platforms helps reinforce brand recognition and credibility. Develop a tone of voice that is distinctive of your brand that speaks to your intended audience. Whether it's friendly and conversational, authoritative and professional, or quirky and humorous, your tone of voice humanizes your brand and creates a deeper connection with your customers. Authentic engagement   with your audience is also vital for building a strong brand identity. Develop compelling storytelling narratives that resonate with your audience's emotions and values. Actively engage with your social media followers, respond to inquiries promptly and foster a sense of community through user-generated content and interactive campaigns. Tip:  Use a logo maker  to design a strong logo that can be used across all branding collateral, both on and offline.  Read more on what is a color code  and how to make sure it aligns with your brand identity. Create a website Having an online presence is a prerequisite for good business today. Think of a website as your digital storefront, a place where potential customers can visit, regardless of your business offering.  A well-designed website instills trust and credibility in your brand. It gives the impression that your business is established and legitimate, which is particularly important for small businesses looking to compete with larger competitors. And, of course, a website dramatically expands your business hours—your digital doors are always open for browsing, shopping and impulsive late-night purchases. Learn how to make a website  for your small business. Explore these customizable business website templates  to help get started.  Tip:  Try an AI website builder  to bring your small business marketing ideas to life. Consider partnering with other local or small businesses Collaborate with other local or small businesses to expand your reach, build community connections, offer added value and make your marketing more cost-effective. Your small business network will become an invaluable asset that you can utilize to grow your own brand. Approach businesses that are aligned with or at a similar stage to yours, and maintain and nurture these mutually beneficial relationships over time. Editor's note: VistaPrint is a partner of Wix.

From snail mail to email marketing and from flyers to banner ads - we've experienced a full evolution in marketing and the technology that goes hand in hand with it. Today, a lot of monotonous marketing tasks are simplified and automated. This means that after you create a website , you'll be at a fork to choose from dozens of marketing tools , such as those provided by Wix, to make your business most efficient. Since the list of invaluable digital marketing tools is far from short, in this article, we've gathered the 40 best marketing tools you can use to maximize your digital small business marketing efforts. What are marketing tools? Marketing tools are technologies that companies can leverage to promote their products, goods and services. Most businesses use several different types of technologies for different purposes, such as analytics, improving customer acquisition cost advertising or even social media marketing. It’s essential that you are set up for success when starting or growing your business, and digital marketing software can help you automate and manage many of the time-consuming manual tasks. By doing so, you’re free to focus on the most crucial parts of scaling your business. Best marketing tools Email marketing and lead nurturing tools Social media marketing tool Website analytics and data reporting tools CRM software Website testing Lead capture and conversion business marketing tools Advertising programs Video marketing tools Content creation platforms Communication and collaboration systems Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools Digital asset management Customer service Productivity and project management software Blogging tools Email marketing and lead nurturing tools 01 . Email Marketing by Wix With the assistance of powerful email marketing campaigns, you can connect with your audience in a meaningful way. Email Marketing by Wix allows you to create beautiful mobile-optimized emails based on customizable designer-made templates. You can let users know of your online store discounts, events or add value with personalized automated emails, including the contact's name. To optimize these email campaigns, you will have access to your open and delivery rates, clicks and engagement, so you know exactly which type of content your audience best responds to. A tip to send you off with is to make sure you build trust by using a professional email address with a custom domain name . 02. Mailchimp Mailchimp uses marketing automation to enable you to reach the right person at the right time. By curating a path for each customer, you can have different rules like branching points and delays that deliver relevant messages. The platform recommends automated emails as opposed to bulk emails, reporting a 93% increase in open rates and a 174% increase in click rates when using this type of marketing tool. Mailchimp also provides triggering emails like password recoveries or signup confirmation to assist customers when they need it. Pro tip: Connect your website directly to Mailchimp and streamline your marketing efforts and email campaigns. 03. Marketo Marketo has a full suite of digital marketing solutions aimed to nurture your leads and customers. If your business has a sales team, Marketo is known to increase sales productivity with their inbound and outbound marketing engagements. This platform allows you to give reps a prioritized list of the highest-scoring leads to more effectively and consistently improve their sales performance. Another benefit of Marketo is that they have over 500 integration partners, so you can avoid connectivity challenges and enrich your data environment. Social media marketing tools 04. Buffer Authentic engagement is key for an effective social media marketing strategy . Platforms such as Buffer let you publish, analyze and engage all in one platform. From a single dashboard, you can plan your content for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Their platform allows you to work together with your team to plan, preview and schedule your upcoming campaigns. Using Buffer also lets you reply to comments, prioritize important social media conversations, and even get alerted about negative sentiment reactions, so you are always in the know and on top of your social media game. 05. Hootsuite Hootsuite empowers its users to connect with their audience by keeping an eye on the latest social conversations and trends. They even let you know when you've been mentioned by brand name, even if a social user did not tag your handle in the post, which is great for staying on top of timely mentions and buzz happening around you. The platform’s social analytics easily tell you what is working so you can do more of it. By seeing the data for each post you can create better content in the future that your followers and potential customers will love. 06. Iconosquare If you're all about making data-driven decisions, Iconosquare will give you peace of mind when it comes to your social media marketing. As their new slogan says, “Make your life as a social media marketer way easier.” When promoting content in the form of ads, Iconosquare can integrate with it and provide you with analytics on those paid campaigns. Furthermore, their actionable analytics let you visualize the metrics that are most important to you. Another great aspect of this program is that there is a multi-profile management ability, which lets you manage multiple brands and companies' accounts in one dashboard. This advanced feature is especially valuable for digital marketing agencies and freelancers working with several clients. Iconosquare offers scheduling of posts and videos for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn content via the publishing feature, and the ability to “spy” on your competitors strategies and market with the benchmark competitor tool. Website analytics and data reporting tools 07. Wix Analytics Wix Analytics is one of the most crucial Wix marketing tools available for getting information about your website. Every published Wix website has Wix analytics built into the dashboard. There, you can track your traffic and understand where your visitors come from, which days and time are most popular and see where on your site they spend the most time. An extra benefit of the system is that you can get to know your customers and understand how they are growing over time. Additionally, Wix Analytics offers you personalized suggestions based on your site’s performance, with specific actionable items to boost traffic and engage with visitors. 08. Google Analytics When it comes to analyzing data for your business in one place, Google Analytics has the digital offerings you need. What differentiates this product is that it gives you access to Google's unique insights and machine learning capabilities. Among other things, you’ll be able to set up conversion modeling, run behavior reports and conduct data visualization. Other platforms by Google that can also be great for making marketing decisions are Google Search Console , used for understanding your site's search traffic, and Google Trends , one of the best web analytics tools available in the market. 09. Kissmetrics Marketing analytics is the specialty of Kissmetrics. Their online solutions are split between SAAS businesses and e-commerce companies. What sets Kissmetrics apart is that their data is less focused on sessions and is tied to a real person, allowing you to track a user's full customer journey across devices and discover their drop-off points on your site. If you want to know which features on your site are the most valuable, this software will also permit you to do exactly that. CRM software and digital marketing tools 10. CRM by Wix No digital marketing toolset is complete without a CRM. What is a CRM? You might ask. CRM stands for customer relationship management, which helps you manage your company's relationships with existing customers and potential customers. Wix allows you to capture leads and convert them into customers by streamlining your workflow. You can use it to track leads and set priorities to follow up with so that you never miss a lead or a chance for you to connect with your customers. The goal is to allow you to build lasting relationships, which can be done with live chat, forms, landing pages, inbox, contacts, automations and a lot more. 11. Hubspot CRM The main goal of HubSpot's CRM is to grow and nurture your database. Their different online products offer professional-looking landing pages that the CRM will automatically enrich and track each contact once a lead is submitted. Furthermore, their bulk emails can get personalized from the contact data based on your CRM. Once you review the analytics of how they interacted with the campaign, you can track trends and drive more conversions. 12. Salesforce CRM From pipeline and opportunity management to marketing automation and help-desk solutions, Salesforce aims to offer the CRM solutions every business needs. Their products and offerings vary and can be customized for different business sizes. For example, it’s been reported that their small business solutions can scale customer growth by 27% and boost customer satisfaction by 42% . Salesforce CRM lets you keep track of every interaction, the ones that have already happened or need to happen. The software allows you to filter the contacts in your database to find the ideal prospects and decision-makers within a company. By speaking to the right people, you can get more leads. Learn more: Small business marketing Website testing and auditing tools 13. Optimizely Having a good digital site experience is a top priority for marketers. With this in mind, Optimizely created software that provides the means to run better experiments across both frontend layouts and backend logic. Their digital marketing tool gives you real-time web testing data so you can make confident adoptions to your business website . A reason to run these types of tests is so you can move and experiment with key parts of your site and optimize for the best performance. 14. Visual Website Optimizer (VWO) Visual Website Optimizer is there to empower your online performance with A/B testing experimentation designed for growing your business. They pride themselves on measuring the impact of their tests by aggregating metrics such as leading and lagging indicators that can stop bad experiments early on. Furthermore, VWO's software is friendly for both technical and non-technical marketers, allowing you to launch new experiments in minutes that combine different modes of experimentation. Once you've got some tests under your belt, manage your experiment pipeline in a centralized place. There, all your co-workers can also get access to the status of the tests. 15. Hotjar Several Wix marketing integrations such as Hotjar are available to you as a user. Simply go to the app market to add it to your site. But why do so? With the power of Hotjar, you can easily understand how users experience your website through heatmaps and behavior analytics. Heatmaps allow you to visualize user behavior as they show you where users click, move and scroll on your page. Through these insights, you can see what elements attract attention and where users' attention drops and use this data to run A/B tests and observe behavior changes based on your experiments. Lead capture and conversion business marketing tools 16. Lead Capture by Wix Wix users who use lead capture solutions get up to 20 times more leads . With this Lead Capture tool, you'll gain access to numerous ways to capture leads on your website. You can let visitors reach out to you with the help of a form builder where they can get in touch, subscribe and stay informed. You can also engage visitors and close deals with live chat that lets you communicate with visitors in real-time. By giving instant answers to your visitors, they can more likely turn into customers. Combining Wix's Lead Capture with the landing page builder will let you publish pages such as events, webinars or ad campaigns and ensure they're a success. 17. Unbounce Landing pages are essential marketing tools as they can fine-tune the conversion paths and simplify workflows for marketers. Instead of leaving visitors to wander around your site, they can stay on a page tailored to your promotion or product with no exit path. Unbounce’s goal is to enable you to make the most out of your landing pages. To ensure you're maximizing each landing page's potential, Unbounce has built-in features such as two-step opt-in forms, custom thank you messages, redirects and gated content. Advertising programs 18. AdRoll Is it your priority to find more customers for your online store? Then this next marketing tool is for you. AdRoll uses sophisticated audience targeting to enable you to identify those most likely to become repeat buyers and gets in front of them with your ads. You can get your message to a specific demographic but also target them based on interests and hobbies. But that is just the start. AdRoll also lets you target by context and lookalikes. After you get in front of the right audience and bring leads to your site, the platform has other relationship-building software and features available, including rich analytics and email marketing. 19. Google Keyword Planner Google Keyword Planner allows you to choose the right keywords to get your Google Ads seen by the most relevant customers. To best research and select your terms, this site will discover new queries by suggesting keywords related to your selected phrase, products or services. Their research tool also gives you insights into how often certain words are searched and how the searches have changed over time. Lastly, you can get bid estimates from the Keyword Planner to best determine your advertising budget. 20. Facebook and Instagram Ads by Wix Facebook and Instagram Ads by Wix lets you promote your store products on Facebook and Instagram in just a few simple steps. Wix makes it easy for you to create, run and track results from your Facebook ad campaigns in one place. After you create a Wix account for your eCommerce website , go to your site dashboard and under the marketing tools section, connect your Wix Store directly to your Facebook Business page. Then create your ad, choose your audience, set a budget and hit launch. You can manage your ad campaigns in your website's dashboard and see how your ads are impacting your store's performance and sales. Video marketing tools 21. Wixel Video Maker Did you know that your site is 53x more likely to rank on the first page of Google if it includes a video? Also, landing pages with video can increase your conversion rate up to 80%. But before spending thousands of marketing dollars on video production costs, consider much simpler options such as the Wixel video maker, one of our free business tools . Wixel Video Maker enables you to instantly make a video you can promote anywhere in just 4 easy steps. Whether it's promo videos, product demos, social posts, or something else, a video maker is perfect for telling people what's new, announcing a sale, celebrating a milestone, and sharing exciting updates. 22. Wistia Video marketing software Wistia, makes it easy for you to find, engage and grow your audience. This platform is known for offering a great viewing experience from anywhere as they provide super-fast high-quality videos. They also have video SEO capabilities that aim to make smarter ads for you on search engines and social media to get more views and grow your business. Marketers love Wistia because their videos work with marketing automation integrations and heatmap insights. This means that measuring play rates and rich analytics will allow you to better shape your video marketing strategies . Content creation platforms 23. Wix Social Media Graphics Not all social media posts are created equal, so you need to have well-designed social media visuals to promote your business in a professional way. Because we know how busy you are, we have built a platform where you can create effective social posts - even from your mobile device. Wix Social Media Graphics will step up your visual game by providing you with hundreds of beautiful templates you can freely customize to fit your brand. Choose a background, add your text and use graphics to create a result you're happy with. Learn how to build a smarter approach with an effective AI content strategy . 24. BuzzSumo Marketers rely on BuzzSumo to understand what content works best for their industry and product category. Their platform has four key components: discovery, research, influencers and monitoring. While this software does not fall precisely into content creation, it does relate to content success. They hope to aid you with finding out the information you need to be an amazing content marketer. Wouldn't you agree that getting trending topic ideas, indexing billions of top blog posts, tracking what is happening online and automating your workflow with their API can save you time to produce even better content? We do too. Communication and collaboration systems 25. Zoom Being a rockstar marketer also means you're often collaborating cross-functionally or working with a team of some sort. Therefore a communication service such as Zoom can allow you to connect and express your ideas to get more done together. While Zoom is most known for their HD video and audio collaboration, they also offer chat, phone systems, APIs, video webinars and more. Furthermore, it has built custom solutions and features for different industries such as education, finance, government, and healthcare. 26. Slack The last thing you do with Slack is slack off. Their business solution is a new way to communicate faster than email, and it's even more focused than chat. On Slack, you can bring your whole team together and sort your channels by projects to make sure tasks are always organized, questions are being answered and important marketing decisions are being made together. As if that was not appealing enough, hear this - Slack Connect lets you work on projects with other companies, so you can close deals or build something new together even faster. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools 27. Wix SEO How good is a site that no one can find on search engines? Not very, which is why good SEO is a must-have for every business. At Wix, sites are backed by a solid infrastructure that meets the needs of search engines, giving you a strong SEO foundation to compete in organic search. For instance, Wix SEO gives you a list of customized, actionable items to ensure your site's organic performance is always optimized. Even more so, you have the freedom and flexibility to customize your site's meta tags, URL slugs and canonical tags so you can influence your SEO results. We also want to maximize your productivity, so there are time-saving features such as bulk 301 redirects, instant Google indexing and meta tags you can use across multiple pages. 28. Moz Moz provides SERP tracking technology, including daily rank tracking, to always be up to date on how you're showing up to users and when. Their intelligence metrics is a feature business owners treasure because it keeps them informed and organized. From their all-in-one SEO platform to areas for keyword research, local SEO, enterprise SERP and even an API, you’ll be able to find the specific offering you need to achieve your search engine goals. 29. SEMrush SEMrush's platform does not just guide marketers with SEO, but also includes a long list of digital capabilities for competitor research, content marketing, PPC and social media marketing in the same place. Their strength lies in the fact that they can help you uncover millions of national and local keywords, analyze any domain's backlinks, and even run technical SEO audits. Their product is so popular that over 7 million marketing professionals have already used SEMrush , likely because it combines both data and strategy, any marketer’s dream. Digital asset management 30. Dropbox As marketers and business owners, you have countless digital files, assets and content that you need to store, share and manage. Therefore using software such as Dropbox makes sense for keeping everything organized, such as documents, cloud content and even web shorts. Dropbox centralizes your team's content to improve productivity, deliver completed projects and use advanced features such as electronic signatures so you can sign those external contracts faster. Lastly, Dropbox integrates with apps like Zoom, Slack, Adobe Photoshop, Google Docs and Asana to make your work life even easier. 31. Google Drive Google Drive makes it seamless to store, share and collaborate on files and folders. Their technology is accessible from any mobile device, tablet or computer. What is neat about their collaboration apps is that Docs, Sheets, and Slides all let you work together in real-time with no need to migrate from existing tools. All your work and changes in these platforms are automatically saved, so you never have to worry about losing unsaved work. Furthermore, Google's AI and search technology assists you and your team to find files up to 50% faster. When you search for the files you need, Google finds it at an unmatched speed and even predicts what you're looking for to find the most relevant content on your drive. Customer service tools 32. Wix Live Chat We live in a time and place where we want things instantly, including answers. With the advantages of a real-time communications tool such as Wix Live Chat, you can give site visitors instant service and increase their satisfaction and boost your conversion rates. Another exceptional feature is that, by downloading the Wix App , you can receive a notification when someone arrives to your site so you can be available to them for support. More than that, you can stay on top of all your chats on the go to not miss an opportunity to close more deals in real-time. Furthermore, you’ll be able to manage all conversations in one place, as you can use your live chat inbox to reply to chats from Forms and Facebook Messenger. 33. Zendesk Zendesk aims to make customers happy through a conversational customer service experience that is connected across any channel. Their platform lets you customize your customer experience and connect with their CRM platform called Zendesk Sunshine. The company’s software uses AI-powered automations and dynamic workspaces so your team can work faster, smarter and with more efficiency. But Zendesk’s communication help channels don't just fall under chat, there are also options for tickets, email, phone, help center or communities. Productivity and project management software 34. Trello Trello encourages teams to work better together. Their goal is to enable you to reach new productivity peaks through their boards, lists and task cards. Trello says they don't just support you to manage projects and organize tasks but build team spirit by using goal setting and milestone events. We all know how hard we marketers work, it's nice to have a technology that brings us together and celebrates even our small wins. 35. Asana Hitting deadlines is a walk in the park, thanks to Asana. Their most valuable feature is their ability to set strategic goals and track progress in one place. And because good things take time, there is a timeline feature that lets you build Gantt charts in just a few minutes. To better manage workloads between team members, a feature exists that lets you see how much work team members have across projects. In addition to giving you the full picture of a project, Asana lets you understand people's workload so you can make the best decisions for upcoming task distribution. 36. Monday.com Marketers are visual people, and Monday.com is great for easily visualizing your most important data. Their software identifies bottlenecks in real-time, optimizes campaign spend and showcases the success of your team. The platform makes it easy to communicate in the context of a project, and allows for effortless collaboration with vendors and other teams. Customers have even stated that Monday.com has allowed them to be 30% more efficient at delivering hundreds of campaigns that were seen by millions of customers. Blogging tools 37. Wix Blog Maker Are you using a blog as one of your marketing tools? If you’re not, it would be wise to do so. Businesses have a lot to gain when creating a blog , such as increasing their exposure, building brand awareness and driving new site visitors. In fact, companies with blogs produce 67% more leads per month than those who don't blog . When it comes to Wix's blogging tools, you have free business blog templates and a Wix Blog Name Generator , so you can easily launch with a boom. Built-in features include integrated SEO features to increase your blog's visibility on search engines, and the possibility to add multiple writers and editors so your whole marketing team can contribute their creative ideas. And not to forget, there are even options to schedule blog posts for the future to plan your content calendar in advance. 38. Hubspot Blog Ideas Generator Want more blog topic suggestions? Hubspot's blog ideas generator thinks of ideas for you to blog about so your time can be saved for writing and less for planning. Simply enter 1-5 nouns to get started and press on "give me blog ideas." Once you sort through the suggestions and have a great starting direction of what you will write about, try to relate the topic back to one of your products or services to best use your blog as a marketing acquisition channel. 39. Medium To grow your business, you want to make sure you have a good story to tell and people to hear it. This is why you can set your ideas in motion and post your thoughts on Medium. They have a large audience of 170 million readers that can increase clicks and traffic to your site. Whether it's a standalone piece, a blog or a publication, your work is welcome there. The best part: if you choose, you can get paid for your writing when members read your stories. Also, there is a big creator community through Medium, which can also open great networking and cross-collaboration opportunities for your growing business. Marketing tools FAQ What are marketing tools? Marketing tools are resources that companies can leverage to promote their products, goods and services effectively and track their progress. What are the 4Ps of marketing? The four Ps are product, price, place and promotion. Each ingredient in this marketing mix plays an important role in increasing sales and building a smart strategy for promoting your business. What are digital marketing tools? Digital marketing tools are platforms or software that help businesses promote their products or services online. They include social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, SEO tools like Ahrefs and analytics services like Google Analytics. These tools enable businesses to connect with their target audience, track campaign performance and refine their strategies for better results.

Want a portfolio that builds itself? Try Wix’s AI Website Builder → Standing out among the sea of talented designers on the ‘gram is a challenge. These tips are here to help, with ideas on how to boost your account and bring more eyes to your work. Instagram is about so much more than just creating a beautiful feed. Long gone are the days of mindless selfies. And however much we love bird’s-eye view food porn, cultivating a successful account is not only about the images themselves. While you may not be naturally inclined to marketing, you’ll have to up your skills if you want to build a blossoming community and grow your brand. Today, our beloved Instagram serves as a platform that any creative can highly benefit from – as long as they know how to use it in the right way. This, coupled with sophisticated web design on your graphic design portfolio and mood board , are the tools you need to showcase your creative work and present your brand in a professional light. But it’s not all little red hearts and rainbows - as these best portfolio website examples show. As oozing with talent as your works may be, we all need an extra push in the right direction to get noticed when in the process of becoming a freelance graphic designer. We’re here to help. Other than curating a stunning feed and developing a universal visual language across all aspects of your account, here are 10 steps you can take to boost your online presence on Instagram. Creating a portfolio has never been this easy. With Wix’s AI Website Builder, you can have a fully personalized website up and running in minutes. Just share a few details about your vision, and let Wix’s AI take care of the design, customization and launch. It’s quick, smart and tailored to showcase your work beautifully. Don’t wait–let AI do the heavy lifting while you focus on creating and sharing your best work. Instagram for designers: 10 key tips Optimize your Instagram bio Be social Find creative ways to involve your followers Collaborate with other creatives Add plenty of CTAs Be organized and consistent Use hashtags effectively Share video content on IGTV Drive engagement in your stories Manage your results 01. Optimize your Instagram bio Let’s start from the top. Your bio plays a crucial role in urging people to delve further into your account. This is particularly important if you're doing freelance graphic design and want to build an online presence and attract more clients. Your bio gives them a quick summary of who you are and what you have to offer. That’s why it's (one of the places) where you should be showing off your skills. Make the most of the 150 characters available on your bio. Include your name, relevant hashtags, and an informative and catchy introduction to you or your business. Don’t forget to add a link to your website or design portfolio, along with a CTA (call-to-action) directing visitors to take a look. If you have more than one site, there are various tools that will enable you to add multiple links to your bio. By including links to your site directly from your Instagram bio, you can offer one of the best portfolio websites in your field. See how Amber Magazine’s bio includes all the right info in a clear and succinct way, with a to-the-point CTA leading to their Wix website. Wix user Amber Magazine's Instagram account. 02. Be social This one may sound obvious, but don’t underestimate the power of interacting with your community. This crucial Instagram marketing technique helps you build bonds with your fans and other professionals in your industry, and it will also send positive signals to the Instagram algorithm. In turn, this can improve the performance of your posts. Being social involves replying to comments on your feed, visiting other profiles that you like and chatting to people who follow you or use the same hashtags as you. And when we say chat, we don’t just mean sending a “hands in the air” emoji. Send honest, authentic replies that will foster communication. 03. Find creative ways to involve your followers Encouraging your audience to engage with your content is a great way of bringing more eyes to your work and promoting your personal brand. More engagement around your social posts can also help them get seen by more people. There are a number of ways to involve your audience: Get wordy: Write catchy captions that pique the interest of your audience. You can include questions from time to time, as well as info on your product and a touch of humor if it suits your vibe. This will get your audience more involved and you’ll probably also genuinely enjoy reading the responses. If you’re posting the same content on your Pinterest account, try rewording the description to better fit the platform. Here you can read up on more Pinterest graphic design tips. Sharing is caring: Repost content that inspires or interests you. This shows that you appreciate other people’s work and have an array of sources of inspiration. It’s also super useful if you don’t produce content at a fast enough rate. Just don’t forget to adopt your best etiquette by giving proper credit on social media and asking permission from the accounts you’re reposting from. Give your fans some love: Create a community around your product by featuring your followers or customers. This depends on your type of offering, but find creative ways to involve them in your posts. You could show them enjoying a new hand-printed bag they’ve just purchased from you, or one of your illustrations hanging up on the wall of their home. Create contests and giveaways: If you really want to pamper your followers, consider running raffles or competitions that will prompt them to respond. After all, who doesn’t love winning things? The prize doesn’t have to be anything flashy – it can be a signed copy of one of your works, for example. See how illustrator Noa Snir engages with her followers with a tempting raffle. 04. Collaborate with other designers Life is all about give and take, and the same goes here. Bartering your skills is a great way to work with other creatives, and it can really be a win-win situation. For example, if you’re great at designing business cards, but not so talented in product photography, reach out to a friend who is. You can help each other in the areas you’re less confident about, complementing one another’s skills. Want to take it a step further? Track down popular Instagram accounts that showcase various artists and designers’ works (a.k.a. “hubs”) and try to get featured on them. Brands with many followers often have a dedicated hashtag that you can include in your post to bring their attention to your work. Examples of these include Adobe , Apple and The Design Kids . In other cases (such as Design Milk and Dezeen ), you can reach out to them directly, submitting your work and also standing a chance of getting featured in their design magazine. The result: you’ll gain more exposure – and to the right target audience. 05. Add plenty of CTAs Instagram offers many options for you to add CTAs (a.k.a. calls-to-action) to your profile, and you should take advantage of these promotional opportunities. Other than adding a link to your portfolio website on your bio, include CTAs in your captions. You could invite people to check out your profile, read your latest design blog post, vote for their favorite design, or anything else that will help bring engagement. Have a look at these call-to-action examples to learn how to write clear and persuasive copy. If you have over 10K followers, you’ll be able to use link stickers on your stories, sending your audience directly to a specific webpage. Lastly, if you have a business profile, you’ll also be able to add action buttons to your bio. This means that alongside the Following and Message buttons that visitors will see on your profile, they will also see any action button that you choose. There are a number of different buttons available, such as Contact and Email address. See how Wix users Stolen Goods have done just that, incorporating a Contact button so that visitors can easily reach their eCommerce website . Wix user Stolen Goods' Instagram account. 06. Be organized and consistent Picasso may have said “if you know exactly what you are going to do, what is the point of doing it?” and it’s true – being spontaneous can lead to truly wonderful results. But when it comes to planning your feed, knowing what lies ahead can really ease the process. A good way of doing this is by defining a number of content anchors (or “types” of post), such as behind-the-scenes, the “making of,” general inspirational images and so on. Also consider which special days or events are coming up that you’d like to acknowledge on your page. This selection of different types of content results in a balanced feed that clearly depicts what it is that you do, and what you or your brand are all about. The same consistency you have in your visual language should be applied to your scheduling times. You don’t have to bombard your followers with many posts every day, but also don’t wait too long between posts. If you've hit creative designer block when it comes to your feed, browse a few Instagram design accounts to inspire you. Ceramic studio and Wix user Noni Ceramica has a perfectly balanced feed full of images that make you want to dive into a warm cup of tea. Wix user Noni Ceramica's Instagram account. Illustrator and Wix user Isabelle Feliu has also created a harmonious feed that is balanced in terms of the type of content she shares. She posts her final pieces, as well as products with her illustrations printed on, and prints of her works hung up on the wall. Wix user Isabelle Feliu's Instagram account. 07. Use hashtags effectively Hashtags with many followers are overrated. Using only these big hashtags means that your post could easily get lost in the crowd. That’s why you should combine popular ones (li ke # design and # inspiration) with more obscure or specific ones (like # grainy and # pastelshades), ma king sure to keep them relevant. In addition, in the same way that you’d use local SEO on your website, use local hashtags on your designer Instagram account. See what your local buddies are tagging these days and adopt the same hashtags (for exam ple # DesignNYC) to tap into your local community. When hashtagging, careful not to go overboard. A post with over 20 hashtags could appear spammy and put people off. To avoid this, consider how to visually separate the hashtags from the rest of the caption. You could add gaps or full stops between lines for a cleaner look. 08. Share video content on IGTV Released as an innovative new feature in 2018, IGTV (Instagram TV) offers you the chance to share plenty more video content with your audience. Enabling hour-long videos, this is your chance to get truly creative and offer real value. Use this feature for all types of engaging content that your audience will connect with. You could start a vlog, let them in on your work processes, or even create a webinar in order to share your much-admired skills with your fans. To get more views on your videos, you can promote them on your feed by sharing one-minute previews. These previews will appear as regular posts on your feed, alongside a small IGTV icon in the corner. 09. Drive engagement in your stories Stories offer you a great opportunity to share extra content with your followers. They’re your chance to run wild, showing them that there’s a real person behind the screen. And don’t worry about your stories getting deleted after 24 hours, as you can highlight them to keep them on display on your profile. Give your audience a peek into what you’re eating for lunch or share shots of your work-in-progress. In addition, take advantage of Instagram’s features to keep your viewers engaged. Experiment with polls, questions, quizzes and challenges. You can then share your responses to help build a relationship with your audience and show them that you care. If you’re already in the swing of things, take it to the next level with live streams. Seeing as live videos appear first on your followers’ stories bar, there’s a high chance that people will take a look. Share “how it’s made” videos, interviews with you or other creatives, host a debate, or anything else that could tickle the fancy of your target audience. Art director, motion artist and Wix user Liron Ashkenazi Eldar uses the highlight stories feature to showcase some of her impressive new projects, as well as giving a glimpse into her personal life. Wix user Liron Ashkenazi Eldar's Instagram account. 10. Manage your results Without delving too deep into numbers, tracking the results of your posts can show you what works better for you. As a result, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about what kind of content to share and create. What exactly should you be checking? For those who don’t have business profiles, you can see the number of likes, the types of comments received and your number of followers. However, you can also upgrade to an Instagram business account or creator profile. While these accounts differ in their offerings, they will both give you access to many more metrics, such as the age range, gender and location of your audience. You’ll also be able to see the reach and impressions of your posts, plus the number of users that check out your profile and then click the link on your bio. A creator profile will also provide you with additional tools for growing your business, so it’s worth looking into both options to see which type of account suits you. If you want to invest in paid posts, this data will help give you an understanding of what works well for you, in terms of content and timing. And don’t forget to take your eyes away from the numbers from time to time and just have fun with it. After all, this is all about fulfilling your passion and doing what you love most. Learn how to make a website with our full guide. Why does good design matter on Instagram? Good design plays a crucial role on Instagram for several reasons, influencing user engagement, brand perception and overall success on the platform. Here are key reasons why good design matters on Instagram: First impressions: Instagram is a highly visual platform, and users often form quick judgments based on the aesthetics of an account. A visually appealing and well-designed profile creates a positive first impression and contributes to a strong brand image. User engagement: High-quality and visually appealing content tends to capture users' attention more effectively. Engaging design elements, such as eye-catching graphics, photography and well-crafted captions, encourage users to linger on your posts and engage with your content through likes, comments and shares. Storytelling and communication: Design is a powerful tool for storytelling. Through visuals, colors and layout, you can convey your brand story, values and messages effectively. Well-designed posts communicate your narrative in a compelling and memorable way, enhancing the overall impact of your content. Consistency and brand recognition: Consistency in design establishes a cohesive visual identity for your brand. When users scroll through their Instagram feed, a consistent design style helps them recognize your content instantly. This consistency builds brand awareness and fosters a stronger connection with your audience. Navigating the visual landscape: Instagram is a platform saturated with visual content. Good design helps your posts stand out amidst the sea of images and videos. Unique and thoughtful design choices, such as distinctive color schemes or a consistent visual theme, can make your content more memorable and shareable.

Instagram Reels are not just for new recipes, funny videos and viral dances. Reels can be an invaluable asset to both your social media marketing strategy and overall business growth. Luckily for you, they’re not that difficult to get the hang of. If you haven’t started using Reels yet on your Instagram business account, take this as your sign to begin. Before you start recording, let’s take a closer look at what Reels are, how to create one and what they can do for you. Want more marketing tools at your fingertips? Check out Wix’s website builder . What are Instagram Reels? Unlike Instagram Stories or video posts, Reels have a different set of rules and expectations than other Instagram features. Reels can be up to 90 seconds long and are similar to TikTok videos (you’ll actually often see TikToks re-uploaded to Instagram as Reels). Apart from voiceovers, music or other audio, Reels also often feature text overlays, stickers, filters and more. And, they are popular; a recent survey of 2,000 people found that 74% of Instagram account holders use Reels, with a 57.4% year-over-year increase in usage. While it’s always ideal to have a variety of content in your Instagram marketing strategy, it’s more important than ever for businesses to keep up with the current marketing trends and embrace video content like Reels. How to use Instagram Reels for your business Create educational content Promote customer stories Share behind-the-scenes content Show off your product Create ads on Reels Direct your audience to your website 01. Create educational content Educational content can take many different forms. From posting Reels about where to visit, style an outfit or how to use a product, the purpose is to inform and teach your audience, which can go a long way toward boosting your social media engagement . Posting educational content makes you seem like an authority on the topic, especially if you post multiple videos of the same type. For example, if you’re a bakery and you regularly post Reels of how to bake different types of bread, your audience will think of you as an expert in bread-making. Wix user Kaekoo Shop creates home décor pieces and uploads Instagram Reels showing her audience how to style their home. In this Reel, she shows her followers how to refresh their couch and pillows, which is relevant to her product offerings and helps establish her as an expert when it comes to reliable information about interior decorating. 02. Promote customer stories Whether through user-generated content or by creating videos of your own centered around your clients, your audience also wants to see how others interact with your business. Using Reels to highlight customer testimonials or reviews is a great way to throw in a quick recommendation for your brand in your audience’s Instagram feed. For example, Modsy , a 3D design company, showcases how one of its clients used its business to design her living room. By creating a Reel made up of images, simple text captions, a video of the client, as well as an original voiceover, Modsy gets to show off both its services and a real customer who used them and had a positive experience. Learn more : Best time to post on Instagram 03. Share behind-the-scenes content Being authentic is always a good way to gain more Instagram followers . Authenticity helps your customers view your brand as trustworthy rather than just a company after their business. Part of remaining authentic is sharing more personal aspects of your business, like introducing your employees, showing behind-the-scenes details about what it’s like working in your company or detailing what goes into making your product. You can use Reels to share short snippets of special behind-the-scenes content to give your audience a taste of your brand’s personality and the real people that make your business a success. Coral Gardeners , an environmental conservation company, uses Instagram Reels to go behind the scenes and show their audience how underwater photographers captured a cover shot. While the picture itself is impressive, seeing the real process draws the audience in by showing the story behind the photograph, which is more engaging than just a photo itself. 04. Show off your product Reels are a great way to showcase your products or services. This could be introducing a new product to your audience with a sneak peek, showing an item’s benefits or simply offering a glimpse of the product in action. If you’re a service-based business, then you can show how your brand stands out from the competition by demonstrating how your services work in a quick Reel. You can really get creative here with how you want to show your product using props, audio or video editing skills to really make it pop. Instagram users love food, and Wix user Modern Bread & Bagel , a gluten-free bakery in New York City, has caught on. Whether making Reels showing how to make a recipe, a close-up of a delicious sandwich or using a product to make a dish, Reels are a good way to turn a delicious-looking snack into a “must-have.” Sometimes, your product sells itself, so you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to showcasing it in videos. Modern Bread & Bagel made a relatively simple Reel of one of its sandwiches being made on a grill but paired with some simple text and a trendy audio bit. This simple yet visually appealing Reel managed to reach almost 200,000 views. 05. Create ads on Reels In June 2021, Instagram made it possible for advertisers to create ads on Reels , giving businesses even more opportunities to reach new audiences and make money on Instagram . Reel ads appear in between other Reels, so when a user is scrolling, they’ll see placed ads that they can interact with through call-to-action (CTA) buttons. Like other forms of social media advertisements, you can select your goal for Reel ads, such as creating brand awareness, increasing traffic, getting app installs and more. When creating a Reel ad, it should look very professional and put-together. Printful , a custom print-on-demand and dropshipping company, does a wonderful job aesthetically displaying its spiral notebooks. Since users are likely scrolling past Reels quickly, you want to make your ad stand out and also get straight to the point. 06. Direct your audience to your website Even without using an ad with a CTA button, you can still use this format to ask your audience to take action or direct them elsewhere. A good way to do this is by using one of the Reels ideas we already mentioned, but not giving away all the information. For example, make an educational video about tips, but only give two or three and then direct viewers to where they can find the rest. Show your product in a video, and ask users to go to the link in your Instagram bio to find more information or read an article about it. Learn more: Instagram bio ideas James Lewis , an artist who often shares his work and methods on Instagram Reels, directs his audience where he wants them to go with a simple Reel. By sharing some behind-the-scenes footage of how he created a painting and using a voiceover to inform people about a live workshop he’s hosting, Lewis encourages users to take action outside of Instagram and click-through to places such as his Wix website, jamesllewis.com. How to make an Instagram Reel in 5 easy steps Making good Reels takes a bit of practice, but once you get going, you’ll find that using a simple video maker or some helpful Instagram tools is easy to do. Here is a basic walkthrough on how to get started. Step 1: Open your camera on Instagram When you open your camera on Instagram, select “Reels” from the menu at the bottom of your screen. From here, you have a few options: you can either use videos already in your camera roll or shoot new footage by holding down the record button. The option you choose will dictate some of the edits you have access to later on, so play around with both ways to see what you’re most comfortable with. Step 2: Select your audio Do you want your video to have captions and a song or ambient music in the background? Would you like to be talking to the camera or add a voiceover on top of your video? If you want to choose a song to accompany your Reels, you can even do this before uploading or shooting any video. Otherwise, your Reel’s audio can be you talking to the camera or your own original soundtrack. Step 3: Add features There are a lot of things you can do with your Instagram Reels footage, particularly if you’re recording your video straight from within the app. You can add visual effects, select the timing of each clip to use exactly the footage you want, align different shots together or change the speed to slow down or speed up a clip. There’s an Instagram templates feature for Reels within the creator menu if you prefer some guidance here. Step 4: Add text After adding all the features and effects you want, you can add text to your videos. While this step isn’t necessary, it’s highly recommended to add captions to your Instagram Reels both for those who are hearing impaired and also to make it easier for users who prefer to watch videos without sound. You can also integrate text as part of your Reel by pointing to it when filming, adding titles or steps, or using text to highlight the information you’re talking about in your video. Step 5: Add the final touches When you’re done editing your Reel, you can preview what it will look like and then you’ll be prompted to share it. From here, choose an eye-catching cover photo, add an informative caption that will show up with your post, tag any other relevant accounts and opt to share it in your feed or only in your Reels tab on your account page. We recommend sharing it to your Instagram feed as well since this increases the number of people who will see it. Tips for posting Instagram Reels As you learn the ropes of posting on Instagram Reels, there are a few tips to keep in mind that will help you continue to grow your audience. Stay on top of trends: Whether it’s a viral audio, filter or hashtag, jumping on trends is a great way to get more eyes on your content. Browse other Reels or even TikTok videos for inspiration, as there is often overlap between the two platforms. Post frequently and consistently: Consistency is key with any kind of social media marketing, so you’ll want to create a posting schedule and stick to it. Additionally, it’s important to post somewhat frequently to keep your audience engaged and regularly expose your content to new people. Marketing experts recommend posting between four and seven Reels per week . Encourage audience engagement: Prompt your viewers to share, like and comment by leaving a question in the caption box or asking them outright in your Reel. Higher levels of post engagement will lead to higher chances of visibility. Collaborate with other creators: Content collaborations with other businesses or creators can be a great strategy for cross promotion. You may be able to reach a brand new audience and vice versa by featuring them in a Reel.

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain → Want to grow your business online? A website builder  gets you started, but adding a social media platform  like Instagram to the mix helps you reach your market  and boost engagement . Switching to an Instagram business account makes it easy to connect with your audience and even sell on Instagram . It’s packed with tools to grow your brand, improve visibility and build trust with your followers. This guide will walk you through setting up an Instagram business account and show how it can transform how you connect with your audience. Read Also: How to make money on Instagram How to create an Instagram business account Setting up a business account on Instagram is a quick and easy way to access tools that help your brand grow. Retailers, service providers or local businesses can benefit from features like insights, contact options and ad tools. Before you start, you’ll need to either create a new Instagram account or use an existing one. Keep in mind that you can have up to 5 Instagram accounts without needing to log in and out each time. How to create an Instagram business account from scratch Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to open your profile Tap "Edit Profile" Tap "Switch to Professional Account" then tap "Next" Pick a category for your business and tap "Switch to Professional Account" Select "Business" and hit "Next" Add your contact info or tap "Don’t use my contact info" to skip Want to connect Instagram to your Facebook Business Page? Tap "Login to Facebook" (optional) Finish setup or tap the "X" in the top right to go back to your profile To edit how your business info looks, go to "Edit Profile," tap "Profile Display" under "Public Business Information," and adjust your category label or contact info display. How to switch to a business account Head to your "profile" and tap "Edit Profile". Select "Switch to Professional Account" and tap "Next". Pick a "category" that best matches your business and tap "Switch to Professional Account". Choose "Business" and hit "Next". Add your "contact info" (or skip if you’re not ready). (Optional) Connect to a "Facebook Page" to unlock extra features. Finish the setup or tap "X" to go back to your profile. To adjust how your business info appears, open "Edit Profile" > "Profile Display" and toggle your category or contact info on or off. That’s it—your business account is good to go. How to switch your Instagram creator account to a business account Creator accounts work well for influencers, artists and content creators building a personal brand. They offer tools to manage interactions, check insights and organize your profile for better audience connections. Ready to switch to a business account? Here’s how: Open your "profile" by tapping your profile picture in the bottom right. Tap "More options" (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Select "Creator tools and controls". Tap "Switch account type". Choose "Switch to business account" and confirm with "Switch". To update your business info, head to your profile, tap "Edit profile" and adjust your "Public business information" settings. When you’re done, tap "Done". Pro tip:  With the help of a link in bio tool  such as Hopp by Wix businesses can use their Instagram bio to help drive traffic towards all of their online assets from a designated URL. Get more Instagram bio ideas  or learn more about what Hopp is . 10 benefits of using an Instagram business account The switch from a personal to a business account is quick and easy, but the benefits that come along with it are a lot more long-lasting and will have a noticeable effect on your Instagram marketing strategy. What you’re able to do with your account, the Instagram features you have access to, how you interact with your followers and how you collect data will change for the better with a business account. Here are 10 noticeable benefits of using an Instagram business account: Get taken more seriously Help customers find you Access rich insights Run Instagram Ads Add clickable link stickers in Instagram Stories Implement Instagram Shopping Partner through branded content Save time with the Quick Replies Stay organized with inbox management Schedule posts ahead of time 01. Get taken more seriously As a brand, it’s important to come across as professional online, and that’s easier to do with a personal Instagram account. For instance, new features in your Instagram bio can elevate your professionalism with different fields you otherwise wouldn't have. You can add a clickable address that opens to Google Maps so clients can find you easily. You can also use contact buttons so clients can call or email you directly from your Instagram profile. Your profile page will also display your industry’s category right under your name, so users navigating to your profile can instantly tell it’s a business and what it is you do. When deciding whether to create a business or personal Instagram account, there are several elements to consider. If you’re creating an account for a business or brand, it’s important to design your page in a professional manner that is consistent with the branding of your business. This includes selecting a custom profile picture and cover photo that accurately reflects your company or product. Additionally, you should create a profile bio that speaks to your target audience, as well as include relevant hashtags and keywords in your posts. When choosing a name for your Instagram business account, it's important to consider several factors. Firstly, the name should be easy to remember and spell. It should also be specific enough to differentiate your account from other businesses in your industry. Additionally, it should be reflective of the product or service you offer while remaining unique and creative – making sure to avoid any potential copyright infringement. 02. Help customers find you By adding your industry and business category to your profile, you can become searchable on Instagram and search engines such as Google. If you’re looking for the keyword “photographer” and that is what you listed your business as, potential customers can arrive to your account. Once they arrive at your page, make sure you have a link to your professional website in the bio to help you get more bookings and leads. Another discoverability tip is to add a keyword related to your product or service in your Instagram name. This will even further boost your SEO. An example is John Smith Photography, adding the keyword “photography” at the end is the key. With an Instagram business account, you can also add contact buttons to your profile, which allows users to call, email or get directions to your business directly from your profile. 03. Access rich insights With a business account, you get access to analytics in order to see how your page and posts are performing. This data is a great way to keep track of your growth and gain information on your audience and the success of your content. You can access the analytics of a post by clicking on the ‘insights’ button on any post on your profile. Here, you’ll see information such as your reach, profile visits, replies and how your post was discovered. If you want to view more general analytics of your entire account, head to the menu from your profile in the right-hand corner and click on the ‘insights’ tab. In this section, the data is broken down into how many interactions you get, accounts reached, number of new followers and more. You can see information on how your posts and stories are performing, as well as broken down data on metrics like button taps, interactions, follower demographics and active times and more. 04. Run Instagram Ads One of the biggest selling points of switching over to an Instagram business account is that you'll be able to run ads that people outside your follower's list see. Instagram Ads is definitely one of the Instagram tools you want to utilize if you plan to promote a product or an event or simply want to create more brand awareness. Furthermore, using promoted posts is a great way to reach new audiences, increase engagement and get more followers who are interested in your brand. To start advertising, you can click on any of your existing posts, tap the ‘promote’ button and go through the steps of creating your promoted post. You can set where you want people to go when they click on your post, define your audience and set your budget and the length of your promotion. You can also create Instagram ads on your Facebook Ad Manager account. The process and metrics are similar, but Facebook has some more options to target your ads. Additionally, if you also run ads on Facebook, you can make sure they’re in sync on both platforms and get an overview of all your campaigns in one place. 05. Add clickable link stickers in Instagram Stories You’ve probably seen influencers or brands on Instagram add clickable link stickers to their Instagram stories . Whether it’s to link to an article or webpage of a product, clickable links are another great way to improve engagement and also increase traffic to your free eCommerce website . The clickable link is so important because normally, Instagram only gives you one opportunity to display a link that is in your bio. Links in stories provide additional opportunities to directly take your followers on Instagram to where you want them to go, such as your website. For example, you can display a product in your stories and then add a link for followers to shop for the item. One more important detail to keep in mind is that in order to use links in your stories, you need to have at least 10,000 followers. 06. Implement Instagram Shopping When you switch to a business account, you can make your posts shoppable so that users can browse and purchase directly from a post. This feature is great for eCommerce businesses who sell tangible products, like jewelry, accessories or clothes. With the shopping feature, you can tag products in a post to display a price and link directly to the page where a user can order it on your website. You can tag multiple items in a post as well, and when users navigate to a product's page, they can checkout and complete a purchase without ever exiting the Instagram app. 07. Partner through branded content Aside from an Instagram business account helping you out with your own posts, it also allows others to tag you as a partner in their posts. If you begin working with influencers and they upload posts with your products or promoting your brand, they’ll be able to tag you and mention the post is partnered with or sponsored by your brand. If you don’t want just anyone to have the power to do this, you can restrict who tags you in branded content posts, so you’re assured only your approved partners have this exclusive tagging ability. 08. Save time with the Quick Replies As your account starts to grow, you'll likely get more and more messages from customers with questions. This increase in contact can be tough to manage if you're a small team and you don't want any clients falling through the cracks. With an Instagram business account, you can set up a quick replies feature to make it easier to answer all your direct messages and also save you time. You can set up the quick replies feature in your settings and create shortcodes, which can be just a word, that are linked to template answers to your most common questions. For example, each time someone sends you a DM on Instagram asking about your services, all you’d need to do is type in your shortcode, then click the quick reply icon that pops up, and your entire saved message will be sent so that you don’t need to type out your answer from scratch every time. 09. Stay organized with inbox management Another excellent tool for managing your inbox when your account gets constant and regular DMs is the inbox management feature. With an Instagram business account, instead of just having one inbox for all your messages, your inbox is divided into three sections: primary, general and requests. Primary messages are usually messages Instagram thinks you’ll want to see first. They’re either from people you follow or accounts you interact with frequently. General messages are usually from accounts you don’t follow or don’t interact with as often. You can easily move messages between these two inboxes in order to organize your inbox. Maybe you want to keep certain messages in your primary inbox and move them over to general once they’re dealt with, or leave one inbox for client inquiries and move everything else to the second inbox. 10. Schedule posts ahead of time Once you have an Instagram business account, you can connect it with your Wix website to schedule posts to your Instagram feed. The built-in Wix Social Posts tool allows you to create posts and schedule them for a set time to go live. This will help save time and will enable you to publish at the best times and days, even when you can't be on your device to hit publish. By planning posts ahead, you're able to make your entire social media teams' lives easier and help you stay on top of your social media content calendar. Learn more: Best time to post on Instagram According to Marissa Nicole Brower, social media manager at Wix.com : “A few elements I would recommend to those with the desire to grow their Instagram account, would be to include high-quality visual content, a consistent aesthetic, engaging and witty captions, strategic use of hashtags, regular posting schedule, interacting with followers and comments, and a strong use of features like Reels and Stories to diversify your content and reach a wider audience.” How much does an Instagram business account cost When setting up your Instagram business account, you will be asked to choose from several different plans. For those just starting out, the ‘Starter’ plan is a great option as it provides basic analytics and one profile link along with one call-to-action button. However, if you are looking for more advanced features and want to be able to promote your posts, the ‘Business’ plan is recommended. This plan includes more features such as detailed analytics, advanced scheduling capabilities and Instagram ads. When creating an Instagram business account, there are several different price points to consider. For those just getting started, the ‘Starter’ plan is available for free and includes features such as basic analytics, one profile link and one call-to-action button. However, if you are looking for more advanced features and want to be able to promote your posts, the ‘Business’ plan is recommended. This plan includes advanced analytics and up to 10 profile links for $10 per month. Business vs personal Instagram There are several key differences between an Instagram business and personal account. Personal accounts are used by individuals to share content with their friends, family and other followers. This is different from a business account, which is used primarily by companies and businesses to promote products or services and make sales in some cases, while building relationships with their customers. The accounts also have different features. Business accounts have Instagram business analytics, they can also be used to create and promote ads on the platform, and they can add to their content contact buttons. The analytics data can be very significant for your influencer marketing strategy and advertising efforts, and how to improve them on Instagram. You can convert a personal account to a business account, as we laid out above. But you cannot convert from a business to a personal account. Choosing an Instagram business account name When it comes to finding the right name for your Instagram business account, it's important to follow many of the same guidelines that influence choosing a business name or a domain name. The main thing to remember is that the character limit on your Instagram handle is 30, so you may have to choose or adjust your name accordingly. Lead with your brand, something that accurately reflects your company, what you do and what you stand for. Many organizations use their company or business name as their Instagram handle. Instagram is a great place to be creative, so you can always opt for a unique name that reflects the content you plan to post. Make sure to check your name for misspellings, because once chosen for an Instagram business account it can't be changed. Linking an Instagram business account to Facebook Your Instagram business account can be linked to a Facebook page. Linking the two accounts allows you to manage your Instagram business presence directly from your company Facebook page. This means you'll have the ability to post, respond to comments and view analytics. By linking the two accounts, you'll be able to run Instagram ads through Facebook's ad manager, which provides additional targeting options and insights. To link the two accounts, businesses go to your Facebook page settings, select Instagram and then enter their Instagram account information. Once the accounts are linked, you'll be able to easily switch between them by selecting the account you want to manage in the top right corner of the Facebook page. Instagram for business and the limitations For many businesses, large and small, Instagram is a great way to connect with clients, raise brand awareness and sell products. However, there are some limitations to the platform that businesses planning to use it should be aware of. Instagram business accounts are a great way to share unique, branded content. However, the account itself has limited options for personalization and ways to make it stand out. The algorithm. Instagram's algorithm changes and updates fairly regularly, so what once worked to reach a target audience may not after an algorithm update. You'll have to keep testing and pivoting your Instagram business strategy and the content you create to stay on top. The cost of ads can be high for small businesses especially. Set a budget, and your KPIs or ROI for your ad spend and stick to it. At the same time, as the platform increases in size, organic reach becomes more competitive - meaning you'll need ads to compete with bigger Instagram players, at least at first. Instagram analytics is improving all the time but doesn't necessarily compare to SEO or website analytics tools you may have been using. This makes it harder to pull insights on what's working for you on the platform or not. Combined with limited customer service, even for business users, navigating Instagram for business can be tricky. Create a custom Instagram strategy Switching to an Instagram business account is just one way to optimize your social media. Still, you'll also need a solid social media marketing strategy and clear, consistent content creation process to make the most of its digital distribution influence. Your Instagram approach should be customized to your brand, your audience and your goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind when crafting an Instagram strategy: Define your target audience: Do some market research to understand who your audience is so you can understand what they like and create content that appeals to them, specifically. Are you targeting a shopping audience or one looking for an education? Check out the competition: Take a look at what your competitors are doing on their Instagram business accounts. This doesn’t mean you should copy their strategy. Rather, you can look for gaps in their content so that you know where to focus your efforts or ensure that you stand out enough against your competitors. Create quality content: Your content should be thought-out and high-quality, whether it’s professional videos , images or meaningful captions, make sure each post has a purpose and enhance communication with platform users. Build up your style : Many feeds have a certain aesthetic. Create your own by using similar filters on each photo, using Instagram templates with similar color palettes and generally staying true to your brand’s overall identity. Set a consistent schedule: Post your content regularly and consistently as with any media management plan. The frequency you upload posts and stories is up to you, but whatever amount you decide on, map out a schedule and stick to it. Track your performance: Determine your goal with each post, ad or story and then track how you’re doing over time using the insights tool or a more robust Instagram analytics tool. Your performance will depend on what goal you’ve set, such as increasing your follower count, getting more traffic to your website or converting Instagram followers to paying customers. Remember Instagram often acts like a word-of-mouth marketing tool, and tapping into user-generated content and influencers can really help your brand make an impact on the platform. Instagram business account FAQ Is an Instagram business account free? Yes, an Instagram business account is free. You don’t need to pay to set one up or use its basic features. Instagram does offer paid ads if you want to boost posts or reach more people, but those are totally optional. What is a professional account on Instagram A professional account on Instagram is either a business or creator account, giving you tools to boost engagement and track performance. With features like insights, contact options, and the ability to link to a Facebook page, it helps you manage and grow your audience. Should my Instagram account be personal or business? If you're using Instagram to promote your business or brand, switching to a business account is the way to go. You'll get access to tools like Instagram Insights, ad options, and features like a contact button to make connecting with customers simple. Personal accounts are better for sharing content with friends or family. What does a business account on Instagram do? A business account on Instagram gives you access to a number of features that can help you grow your business, including: Insights: Insights give you data about your followers, their engagement with your content and how people find your account. This data can help you understand your audience and make better decisions about your content strategy. Call to action buttons: You can add call to action buttons to your posts, such as "Book Now" or "Shop Now." This can help you drive traffic to your website or online store. Product tags: You can tag products in your posts, which will allow people to shop directly from your Instagram account. Location tagging: You can tag your posts with locations, which can help people find your business if they are looking for businesses in your area. What are the disadvantages of using Instagram for business? Here are some of the disadvantages of using Instagram for business: Time commitment: Instagram can be a time-consuming platform to manage. You need to post regularly, engage with your followers and keep your content fresh. If you don't have the time to commit to Instagram, it may not be the right platform for your business. Competition: There is a lot of competition on Instagram. There are millions of businesses using the platform, so it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. Algorithm: Instagram's algorithm can be difficult to understand. It determines which posts your followers see, and it can change frequently. This can make it difficult to get your content seen by your target audience. Cost: If you want to run ads on Instagram, it can be expensive. You need to set a budget and track your results carefully to make sure you are getting a return on your investment. Safety: Instagram can be a dangerous platform for businesses. There have been reports of businesses being hacked and their accounts being used to scam people. You need to take steps to protect your account, such as using strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Despite these disadvantages, Instagram can be a powerful tool for businesses. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you can use Instagram to reach a large audience, build relationships with your customers and grow your business. What are the rules for a business account on Instagram? The rules for a business account on Instagram are the same as the rules for a personal account. However, there are a few additional things that businesses should keep in mind, such as: Your profile should be complete and informative. This includes having a clear profile picture, a well-written bio and a link to your website. Your content should be high-quality and engaging. This means posting interesting and visually appealing photos and videos that are relevant to your target audience. You should use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience. Do some research to find hashtags that are popular in your industry and that are relevant to your content. You should interact with your followers. This means responding to comments and questions, and engaging with other businesses in your industry. You should be mindful of Instagram's advertising policies. This means not making false or misleading claims, and not promoting illegal or harmful products or services. How do I know if my Instagram is a business account? To see if your Instagram is a business account, head to your profile and tap the three lines in the top-right corner. Next, tap "Settings" and find the "Account" section. If you see "Switch to personal account" or "Switch to creator account," you’re using a business account. What are the features of an Instagram business account? Instagram business accounts offer tools to help you grow. With Instagram Insights, you can track engagement and performance. Run ads directly from the app, add a contact button to make communication easier, and sell products right from your posts with the shopping feature. You can also promote posts and link your Instagram to a Facebook business page for easier management. How to add your business location on Instagram   Adding your business location is simple. Go to your profile, tap "Edit Profile," and then tap "Business Information." Add your address, and your location will show up on your profile and posts, making it easier for customers to find you.