Large companies can afford to spend a fortune in online advertising to market their products and services. How can you possibly compete with them when you’re the sole owner of your business and can’t afford to invest in paid advertising for web site promotion?

The best way to compete with large companies is to build a website around a micro niche then promote it using free traffic generating strategies. Let me explain what I mean with an example.

If the large company sells shoes, target a smaller niche such as “mens running shoes.” Make your website standout from the large companies by making it personable e.g. adding a blog so visitors can comment on your posts, write articles about running, create videos offering tips on running, adding social bookmarking icons so visitors can easily share your content with others.

One of the best ways to get free traffic to your website is article marketing. It will only cost you time to write and submit your content to article directories and other online publications.

Here’s the step by step process:

1. Choose a topic you’re passionate about

Create a list of topics to write about by entering your main keyword in Google’s keyword research tool. It will provide a wide range of related keywords people are searching on plus how many monthly searches that keyword receives. Your job is to write articles based on those keywords so your content can be found in the search engines and in article directories where newsletter publishers and site owners are looking for content to publish.

2. Create an attention getting headline

This means you need to write an attractive headline that grabs your reader’s attention. For example instead of writing “How to find comfortable running shoes” you could write “A Startling Fact About How To Save Your Feet When Buying Men’s Running Shoes.” Which headline gets the most attention?

3. Write content that benefits your readers

Your main content should provide at least one good tip your reader can act upon. Alternatively divide your content into several paragraphs each containing one tip. If you write 4 paragraphs (4 tips) of 100 words for each paragraph you’ll easily complete a 400-500 word article.

4. Offer an incentive

The resource box at the end of your article is where you can promote your product or service. Instead of trying to sell to your readers directly by linking to your product, offer a free report or ecourse so you can first capture their email address. This will enable you to stay in touch with them. Most people won’t purchase products on first contact.

5. Promote your content

The key to generating lots of free traffic to your website is to get your content in front of as many people as possible then build a community of followers. Start by submitting your articles to the top article directories because they receive millions of visitors each day. Add the articles to your blog so visitors can interact with them by leaving comments or asking questions. Create Twitter and Facebook accounts so you can notify your followers when you’ve written a new article. Participate in forum conversations and blogs related to your niche.

Build your community by offering a regular newsletter. Develop long term relationships with your subscribers by providing tips, news, product reviews, coupons, sales etc.

Your success will be determined by the frequency and consistency of your content marketing efforts therefore create a plan (e.g. write and publish 3 articles each week) then stick to it.