In the modern business landscape, relying solely on one platform like Facebook for traffic can leave you vulnerable to changing algorithms, rising ad costs, and restrictions. That's why at Nine Six Three, we’re committed to helping businesses explore diverse and effective strategies for driving traffic to their websites and funnels. In this blog, we’ll cover 23 creative ways to get traffic without spending a dime on Facebook ads, based on expert strategies we use in our business consulting services.
By diversifying your traffic sources, you’ll create a more sustainable and resilient business growth model.
1. List Swaps: Grow Your Audience by Partnering
List swaps are a powerful, free method to boost traffic and grow your email list. You find another business with a similar-sized email list, and both parties agree to promote each other’s offer via email. This allows you to reach a wider audience while fostering valuable business relationships.
Example: If you have a list of 5,000 subscribers, you can swap with another business that has a 5,000-subscriber list. Each of you promotes the other's product, increasing exposure without spending on ads.
2. Story Swaps: Leverage Instagram and TikTok
Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat stories offer another free way to drive traffic. You collaborate with an influencer or business in your niche and agree to promote each other’s content in stories. This method doesn’t overwhelm your audience and keeps things fresh.
3. Shout Out Swaps: Get Featured on Social Media
Shout outs involve a simple exchange of social media mentions, where you promote each other’s business. These swaps work well on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, giving your business visibility to an entirely new audience without any costs.
4. Pixel Swaps: Targeting Made Simple
Pixel swaps involve placing a tracking pixel on someone else’s website, enabling you to retarget their visitors with ads later. Though it may involve minimal ad spend on retargeting, it’s still a highly efficient way to reach engaged users.
Paid Traffic Without the Ads
5. Buy Remnant Space in Emails
Many businesses send marketing emails but leave space at the bottom. You can buy this leftover space to promote your business. Often, these “PS” ads are highly effective because they stand out in an otherwise personal message.
6. Sponsored YouTube Descriptions
You can partner with YouTube channel owners who create content for your target audience. By paying for a sponsored link in their video descriptions, you can drive qualified traffic directly to your site without any paid advertising.
7. Podcast Descriptions
Podcasts are booming, and you can capitalize by sponsoring podcast episodes. Instead of placing banner ads, ask podcast hosts to include your link in the episode description for targeted traffic.
8. Nighttime Story Ads
Many influencers stop posting stories late at night, but their audience is still active. You can pay for "story takeovers" where your content is posted overnight, driving traffic when competitors are silent.
SEO Without the SEO Work
9. Banner Ads on SEO-Ranked Pages
Rather than competing for high-ranking positions on Google, partner with businesses whose pages are already ranking for your desired keywords. You can buy banner ad space on their site, directing traffic straight to your funnel.
10. Opt-in Forms on SEO Pages
Take the banner ad concept a step further by placing opt-in forms on SEO-ranked pages. This allows you to grow your email list without the long process of building SEO rankings yourself.
11. Exit Pop-Ups on High-Ranking Pages
You can implement exit pop-ups on high-traffic SEO pages. When visitors leave, the pop-up directs them to your website, providing you with a second chance to capture the traffic.
12. Retargeting Pixels on Top Pages
Just like pixel swaps, placing retargeting pixels on high-ranking SEO pages allows you to follow these visitors across the web and re-engage them later, increasing your reach without excessive ad spending.
Integration Marketing
13. Utilize Thank You Pages
A thank you page is one of the most valuable assets in digital marketing. You can negotiate with businesses to place your offer on their thank you page after a user makes a purchase, allowing you to target a highly qualified audience.
14. Opt-in Forms on Thank You Pages
Instead of promoting an offer on a thank you page, use this space to grow your email list. Your opt-in form will attract highly qualified leads who have just made a purchase from a business similar to yours.
15. Co-Registration Tools
Co-registration tools like SparkLoop help businesses grow their email lists through partnerships. When someone subscribes to one newsletter, they are prompted to opt into your list as well. It’s a simple, low-cost way to expand your reach.
16. Product Bonus Offers
Offering your product or service as a bonus when someone purchases from a complementary business is a smart way to drive traffic. Customers love free extras, and you get exposure to a new audience.
Collaborations
17. YouTube Collabs
YouTube collaborations are an excellent way to drive traffic without spending a fortune. Find another creator in your niche, and together you can create videos that cross-promote each other’s channels.
18. Blog Collabs
Similar to YouTube collabs, blog collaborations allow you to share traffic. You can write a guest post for each other’s blogs, helping both parties to gain exposure to a new audience.
19. Product Collaborations
Create a joint product with another business owner. Both of you can promote the product, sharing the customer list and resulting traffic.
Offline Marketing
20. Direct Mail Campaigns
While most businesses are focused on digital marketing, direct mail is a forgotten gem. You can partner with other businesses to send physical mail to their customer list, bypassing the crowded digital space and landing directly in their mailbox.
21. SMS Campaigns
SMS marketing boasts open rates far higher than email marketing. Partner with businesses to send SMS messages to their customer base, promoting your product or service directly to an engaged audience.
Leveraging Media Appearances
22. Appear on YouTube Shows
Find popular YouTube channels that interview experts or host roundtable discussions. By appearing as a guest, you can promote your business consulting services to a wider audience while establishing your authority in the industry.
23. Appear on Podcasts
Podcasts are an incredible way to promote your business without spending on ads. Reach out to relevant podcasters and offer to be a guest, discussing your expertise and directing listeners to your website or consulting services.
Wrapping Up: Diversifying Your Traffic Strategy
By using these 23 traffic strategies, you can reduce your reliance on Facebook ads while increasing website traffic through a diverse range of tactics. Whether you’re looking to grow your email list, partner with influencers, or leverage SEO tricks, there are plenty of methods that don’t require paying for traditional ads.
At Nine Six Three, we specialise in helping businesses identify the best strategies for their growth. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve measurable business success.
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