Throwing open the office doors and declaring yourself ready to do business isn’t going to get your company very far in the world. After all, promotion is everything when growing your enterprise from scratch.
But how exactly can you get the word out about your company? In these modern times, even those companies that operate offline need to have an online presence. Fortunately, several online directories and websites allow you to list your startup or company to help you with promotion.
Even better: many of these sites are free or low-cost. So, even if you have a big ol’ zero allocated toward your advertising budget, you can still advertise your business effectively.
1. Google my business
There are around 8 billion searches performed on Google every day. That can make it difficult for people to find your company even if they’re searching for it. With Google My Business, you can list your physical location and phone number, and then link that to the smartphone app, allowing users to navigate their way right to your front door. It also allows you to link your other social media accounts.
You simply need to register your business in order to set up this powerful tool and take advantage of one of the highest ranked directories available.
2. Crunchbase
Mom-and-pop shops may not benefit much from a profile on Crunchbase. But if your business is in the tech, advertising, e-commerce, media, or consulting spheres, you should jump on the opportunity to build a presence on this dynamic platform.
Take a look at Freeway Insurance’s company profile on the site, for example. Visitors are able to glean important insights about Freeway, including its funding information, its founding date, key members, and its competition.
3. AngelList
AngelList is a perfect platform for listing a company at the beginning stages of funding. It can also be used to find talent, track down a mentor, or find a good incubator to join.
The platform began in 2010 as an attempt to democratize the investment process, with Business Insider calling it the “Match.com for investors and startups.”
While it started out as a list of 25 investors that were known to invest in interesting startups, it’s grown to more than 35,000 recruiting companies, 2 million candidates, and 5 million registered users, making it an invaluable resource for companies looking to spread the word about their business.
4. Product hunt
This is a great option if your business offers a product, whether it’s a tangible item or a smartphone app. Product Hunt has hundreds of thousands of users, making it one of the most valuable sites for sharing and discovering new technology products, applications, websites, and more.
Users of the platform will test products for free and give honest feedback. The site allows companies to submit MVP and beta versions of products, as long they provide thorough information like explainer videos, walkthroughs, blueprints, and other explanations about how to use it.
Successful apps like PDFShift, websites such as Talkspace, and product developers like Modern Fertility, all got their start on Product Hunt.
