It’s genuinely depressing to think about the totality of words we’ve wasted on Google’s pay-to-play model.

Not because we regret the time spent educating our readers, but because we wish this weren’t the reality of digital marketing in 2020.

And we know this is just as depressing for all the small, local service providers out there who feel like they don’t have a fighting chance.

But we’re done with despair. It won’t do anything to combat Google’s nefarious greed.

That’s why, today, we’re showing all you small business owners how to fight back.

In this blog post, we’ve compiled some of our best tips to market yourself online without handing all of your hard-earned money to Google’s coffers.

READ MORE: How Google’s Greed Is Slashing Your Website Traffic

Use Social Media Ads

Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Yelp, or Twitter, your audience’s favorite social platform is the perfect place to advertise your business.

Use Word of Mouth

We know, we know: Nobody likes talking in person anymore!

Thing is, that’s not entirely true. Sure, people consistently prefer texting over talking on the phone, but that doesn’t mean everything has to take place virtually.

With memorable branding (including logos and signage), word-of-mouth, and face-to-face networking in your community, you can supplement your online efforts and really stamp out a place for your business on the local scene.