Short answer
- The best free advertising for a local business is a complete Google Business Profile with steady reviews.
- Next, claim your free listings on Apple and Bing maps and the directories people use in your industry.
- Then use what you already own: your customer list, your shop window and your neighbours.
- "Free" still costs time. Pick three or four channels and do them consistently.
Free channels, ranked
Ranked by what I've found matters most to local customers deciding who to call, and how much time each one asks of you.
| Channel | Why it's worth it | Time it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Shows you on Google Maps and local searches, with reviews, photos and a call button | 2–3 hours to set up, then minutes a week |
| Google reviews | Often the deciding factor between two businesses | A few seconds per customer, if you have a direct link |
| Apple Business Connect and Bing Places | Many iPhone users find businesses through Apple Maps; Bing powers some other search tools | About an hour each, once |
| Facebook and Instagram profiles | Where people check you look active and real | A post or two a week |
| Industry directories | Yelp for restaurants and some services, booking apps for salons, trade directories for contractors | An hour, once, then replying to reviews |
| Your email list | Brings back people who already like you | One email a month |
| Local partnerships | Other businesses recommend you to their customers | A few conversations |
Check your Google profile against my free Local SEO checker before anything else. It's where most local searches start.
Map listings beyond Google
Most owners set up Google and stop. Two more free listings are worth an hour of your time:
- Apple Business Connect lets you claim your place card on Apple Maps, add photos, hours and a call button. If many of your customers use iPhones, this is where they may see you first.
- Bing Places for Business manages your listing on Bing and Microsoft's maps, and can import your details from Google.
The rule for every listing: use the exact same business name, address and phone number. Small mismatches confuse customers and search engines.
Channels you already own
Your customers
Ask happy customers for a review at the moment they're happiest: when they compliment you, pick up their order, or see the finished job. Make it one tap with a direct link or QR code. Don't offer discounts or freebies in exchange; Google doesn't allow incentivized reviews.
Your customer list
If people have agreed to hear from you, a short email or text about a slow-day offer costs almost nothing to send. Only message people who opted in, and always include a way to unsubscribe.
Your physical space
Window signs, receipts, packaging, the side of your van and the card you hand out are all free advertising space. Put your website and a "review us" QR code on them.
Your neighbours
A barber and a coffee shop next door can recommend each other. A landscaper and a pressure washer can swap referrals. Two non-competing businesses sharing customers is one of the oldest free marketing methods there is.
When "almost free" beats free
Free channels take time, and your time has a value. A few small, one-off costs usually pay for themselves quickly:
- A proper website that all these channels point to. Free website builders work, but a slow or confusing site wastes every free click you earn. Mine are $397 once.
- A professional setup of your Google profile if yours is half finished ($99, or free with a website).
- A small ads test to bring in your first customers and first reviews faster, once the free basics are in place. See Facebook ads cost.
A one-hour-a-week routine
- 10 minutes: reply to every new review, good or bad.
- 15 minutes: add new photos and a post to your Google profile.
- 15 minutes: one social post showing real work, people or products.
- 10 minutes: send review links to this week's happy customers.
- 10 minutes: check your listings are still accurate, especially hours around holidays.
Done every week, this beats most paid marketing that's done in bursts. If you'd rather not do it yourself, my Growth plan covers the Google side for $149 a month.