Last Updated on November 8, 2024 by Andrew Shih
More and more people are turning to side hustles, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does this allow you to earn a bit of extra cash on the side, but it’s often a way to turn a skill or passion into a business opportunity, giving you the long-term goal of quitting your job for something you actually enjoy.
There’s also another reason and that’s the fact that it’s never been easier to start a side hustle. Advancements in technology and the tools at your disposal mean you can create a following from all corners of the world from the comfort of your home.
If you’re in the market for some free marketing tips for your side hustle, check out these 5 ways to do just that.
Leverage social media
Social media has become a goldmine for businesses in the 21st century. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons why there has never been a better time to start a business and it allows you to be at the fingertips of potential customers all over the world. And what’s more, the only cost is the time you’re willing to invest.
Whilst there are paid options such as social media ads and working with influencers, most side hustles don’t have the luxury of a marketing budget. With that in mind, growing your social media following organically is crucial. It’s also arguably getting easier as current algorithms are starting to favor content over following, meaning your posts have more chance of finding their way to prospective buyers regardless of whether they follow you or not.
If this is your aim, it’s important to demonstrate your product or service’s benefits to the user. Alternatively, social media can be used to help build a pool of loyal, returning customers. If you can churn out consistent, entertaining, valuable posts then people are likely to follow you to ensure they don’t miss your next content. These are often the people who are considering purchasing from you or already have purchased from you.
As a result, they may be tempted to buy if there’s a flash sale or a new item has dropped. Organic social channels can be a great way to communicate this to them directly.
Giveaways
Sticking with social media, combining your social media marketing efforts with a giveaway can be a great way to expand your reach online. If your side hustle involves selling a product, such as an online homeware business, consider putting together a bundle that can act as the prize for a social media giveaway competition. For a chance to enter the competition, people would simply need to complete a small online task that benefits your business. This is often things like sharing a post or tagging friends in the comment section.
This should bring more eyeballs to your brand which, if you can turn into sales, will cover the cost of giving away items for free and make for a successful marketing campaign. This can be a particularly good option if web traffic is a concern.
Nano influencers
We mentioned influencers above, but the truth is that working with top influencers requires a big marketing budget. Even smaller influencers with a few hundred thousand followers may demand a fee that you can’t afford as a side-hustling entrepreneur.
Instead, seek out what are known as nano influencers. Nano influencers are individuals who have a following between 1,000 and 10,000 on a social media platform. While their audience is considerably smaller than professional influencers, it may still be bigger than your company’s following and still be a worthwhile partnership.
Send these people product samples to review or offer your services for free in exchange for them to give you a shoutout on social media. Gradually, you can work with bigger and bigger influencers as your side-hustle slowly turns into a thriving business.
Optimize your website for SEO
Many people turn their passion into a side hustle, and things like search engine optimization (SEO) are completely new terms that sound rather intimidating. While an SEO agency or freelancer can assist you, it’s likely that you won’t have the budget to cover this. Instead of discounting SEO completely though, there are some simple ways you can optimize your website for SEO.
First, if you are a service-based business serving a local area, consider having different pages for the different areas that you serve. For example, you may be a DIY connoisseur who spends their weekends offering local handyman services. If people find you by searching for a handyman in their area, have a page for each neighborhood that you are able to reach.
To rank above competitors, you’ll also want to build good quality backlinks to your website. This can be done through guest posting opportunities. Try reaching out to online blogs in your niche to see if you can write for them in exchange for a link to your website. Also try to implement keywords into your headings and target long-tail keywords with a content marketing strategy.
Free tools
If you’re looking for cost-saving measures, as most side-hustlers are, then you’ll be glad to know there are many great tools that can improve your business operations. Platforms like Mailchimp and Hootsuite can assist with simple tasks like scheduling emails and social media posts.
In the last few years, free AI tools have become a massive help for small businesses and global organizations. As a small entrepreneur trying to make their side-hustle a success, here are a few ways you can use free AI tools to improve your business.
ChatGPT is great for any copywriting tasks. Whether you’re in need of blog ideas for your website or product descriptions, it can be a great way to speed up tasks that you don’t have time to complete. Try using it for inspiration rather than for task completion as AI-generated content can negatively impact SEO performance.
There are also many platforms that can assist with the creation of images which can help speed up branding or design related tasks. Some of the best free image generators include Canva, Microsoft Create and Pixlr.
Final Thoughts
There are a range of tools at your disposal when it comes to marketing, many of which can help turn your side hustle into a profitable success. The ones that are most valuable to you will depend on your business, your offering, and your audience.
This article only scratches the surface of marketing for a side hustle and you’ll also need to consider how each tactic can be adapted to your specific situation. For example, when it comes to leveraging social media, you’ll also need to determine which platform is best suited to your business. A TikTok giveaway might work better if you’re targeting a young audience with custom T-shirts while a LinkedIn giveaway might work better if you’re making bespoke luxury gifts for new mums.
Finally, consider what your motives are for starting a side hustle in the first place. Most people pursue a side hustle for fun and enjoyment, so consider which of these tactics you will enjoy implementing and don’t feel bad for discounting anything that may cause you unnecessary stress.
