Think you can’t afford to market your company online? Think again! With research showing that more than 40% of online shoppers can now find exactly what they want online for significantly less than at physical stores, it’s simple – take advantage of online marketing.

But it doesn’t come without an investment. According to recent studies conducted by CB Insights, between $1 and $20 billion is spent annually on online advertising. More than $2 billion goes to digital marketing professionals. But that’s just a fraction of the huge amount that goes toward launching websites and updating content. Before you discount the power of online marketing because of costs, consider this: according to Digital Readiness, online budgets will be at $1.04 trillion by 2021. In a world where 20% of online sales are done for no cost, you could be missing a golden opportunity.

Gut Check

Determining what online marketing budget is right for your company’s needs is vital. Small businesses typically spend far less than larger companies, thanks to their little budgets and tight balance sheets. Sometimes it’s best to eschew expensive tactics and focus instead on plainer online marketing methods.

One of the most inexpensive ways to get your company noticed online is the traffic method. Businesses can target keywords that will entice potential customers to come to their sites. If you have a strong brand and want to get customers to your site, use keyword optimization in search engines to optimize pages for organic searches – areas where organic return rates are extremely high.

But this doesn’t mean cutting cost-effective, legitimate advertising outlets that attract affluent readers to your site. According to data from the Social Sciences Research Institute of Simon Fraser University, nearly a third of online retail sales are “bundled” – they are bought together at once as an appealing bundle of items. But traditional advertising budgets, such as television, radio and billboards, may still yield some returns – experts at the market research company Radicati, revealed that the premium print magazine market earned a 22% return on marketing investments.

Websites, which have existed for a while, are now being reimagined and overhauled with social media in mind. Startups can hire small teams, often less than five people, who can work on site redesigns and innovate on consumer interaction.

Add Inbound Marketing To Your Gameplan

Using the “Inbound Marketing” trick of taking out the middleman – the marketing consultants, SEO experts, and otherwise wealth of resources that can sometimes limit your ability to market your business effectively online – your business will get a boost on three main levels: quality, trust, and efficiency.

According to the Quantified Marketing Experiment project, hosted by Wiggly, quality will increase over time as companies become increasingly comfortable. Inbound marketers, on the other hand, are often criticized for their lack of ability to communicate meaningfully.

But, according to social media expert Justin Jolliffe, this isn’t the case. Jolliffe said that because inbound marketers create “content around a brand,” they are able to engage customers and build trust. On social media, it’s easier to build relationships with your audiences, and effective inbound marketers can strengthen a brand’s message.

Approximately 70% of consumers say they trust Inbound Marketing brands in addition to traditional marketing. Because of that, these individuals can help bolster the sale of products by referring new buyers to those companies.

Most importantly, Inbound Marketing allows you to create a highly personal approach – a brand can effectively engage consumers with personalized emails, videos, social media updates, and personal interactions. Inbound marketers emphasize your value, and these relationships can build up even before that click is actually placed into your account.

If You’re Ready To Go Big

Once your marketing budget is in order, you should consider investing in Inbound Marketing. According to the Experian Consumer Insurance 2018 Small Business Small Advertising Report, small businesses with ad budgets ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 saw an average 43% reduction in online search rates after two years of Inbound Marketing. In comparison, businesses with ad budgets below $25,000 experienced increases of 88% and 96%, respectively. So, for most small businesses, it would pay to get serious.

But even if you can’t quite muster that much capital, there are still plenty of ways to utilize Inbound Marketing. Start with the basics: plan social media campaigns that will help you attract leads and connect with consumers. Focus on educating online audiences about the different ways your brand and products can be found online and engage the very best online marketing experts to help educate you on other parts of your digital marketing plan.