Marketing for Start-ups.

Marketing your start-up can be costly, but there are plenty of free tools that can help you build and promote your brand without breaking the bank. Here are some of the best free tools to consider when marketing your UK start-up:

1. Google My Business

Google My Business is essential for improving your online visibility, especially for local businesses. It helps your start-up appear in local search results and on Google Maps. By listing your business and gathering customer reviews, you can attract more attention from nearby customers. (www.google.com)

2. WordPress

WordPress offers a free version that’s perfect for building a basic website or blog for your start-up. It’s user-friendly, customisable, and provides a solid platform for content marketing and SEO. (www.wordpress.com/free)

3. Google Analytics

Google Analytics provides in-depth insights into how people interact with your website. This free tool helps you track traffic, user behaviour, and conversions, so you can refine your marketing strategies and improve your website’s performance. (www.marketingplatform.google.com)

4. Canva

Canva is a free graphic design tool that allows you to create professional-looking graphics for social media, websites, and marketing materials. With a range of templates and easy-to-use features, it’s ideal for creating eye-catching visuals, even if you have no design experience. (www.canva.com/website-builder)

5. Mailchimp

Mailchimp offers free email marketing services for businesses with smaller mailing lists (up to 500 subscribers on the free plan). It allows you to design email campaigns, automate marketing processes, and track the performance of your emails. It’s a great tool for building and engaging with your audience. (www.mailchimp.com)

6. Buffer

Buffer is a social media management tool that lets you schedule posts in advance for platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. The free plan allows you to manage up to three social accounts, making it easier to stay active on social media and engage with your audience without constant monitoring. (www.buffer.com)

7. Hootsuite

Similar to Buffer, Hootsuite is another free tool for managing your social media platforms. With Hootsuite, you can schedule posts, monitor social mentions, and track engagement metrics. The free plan covers up to two social accounts and five scheduled posts at a time, enough for small-scale operations. (www.hootsuite.com/social-media-tools)

8. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot offers a free Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that helps you track leads, manage customer data, and improve your sales pipeline. The tool integrates with email, websites, and social media, making it easier to manage your marketing efforts from one platform. (www.hubspot.com)

9. Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool to help you discover keywords that are relevant to your business. It provides insights into search volumes, competition, and keyword performance, helping you optimise your SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) strategies. (www.ads.google.com)

10. Trello

Trello is a project management tool that helps teams collaborate on tasks and manage workflows. It’s especially useful for small teams managing marketing campaigns, as it helps keep track of tasks, deadlines, and content production schedules. (www.trello.com/pricing)

These are just the free tools you can use to effectively manage different aspects of your marketing strategy—whether it's designing visuals, tracking customer interactions, or optimising your website for better search engine rankings. get in touch to chat about how to create and build out your marketing strategy as well as other tools, tips and tricks to use to get the word out.

Marianne Pearson

September 2024