We all know that promoting a Business using traditional means can be very costly. With the state of the economy as bad as it is, any business that hopes to survive must be willing to use whatever means they can to get their name out there in the least expensive way possible. Well there is an option. Actually there are two options.

Local businesses can utilize the power of two highly used search engines, Google and Bing. Using Google and Bing in order to promote your Local Business does not have to cost you a cent. If you do it right you can even drive more business with these two sources then what you have ever gotten with paid promotions.

The number one method you should be using with Google to promote your business

Sure, Google has all sorts of tools you can use, but most of these tools are more like services than anything else. One such function Google offers your business is the chance to list it on Google Places. Google Places is so powerful because it allows people to leave online reviews for your business. This would go a long way in helping you to build the social capital you need in order to get more people coming through your doors or contacting you about services you offer. Google and even Bing have become two of the go to websites for reviewing local businesses.

You want to focus most of your efforts on Google places though. All you need to do is make sure you put in quality information about your business and you will be okay. You are a business owner so you need to take Google places seriously. Now you do not want to do what some people do and pay people to leave reviews once you are set up. You want every review left to be honest. One thing you could start doing as a business owner is encourage people to leave a review on Google places once you have listed your business there.

In some cases customers for your business might be a little bit resistant to the idea of leaving a review for your business on Google Places. This does not have to be a problem. The thing is those clients or customers who do not like what you offer or feel they have been treated bad will look for a platform to voice their displeasure. If it is not Google Places then it will be a website like Yelp. The people who get what they want and are treated well will expect this and they might not feel inclined to leave a positive review for you in order to build your credibility. This problem is easily solvable.

What you would want to do is offer some kind of incentives to clients and customers. The incentive can be a discount or it can be something for free you would offer them. But you want to give them a reason to leave you a review on Google places. You just want the reviews to be honest as well as helpful. Do not be afraid to offer something for free if you can get clients and customers to do this. It is going to build your local business presence really fast.

Using Bing to promote your local business

Bing is a relatively new search engine and a lot of people still do not consider it to be as useful or as powerful as Google. But the website is owned by Microsoft so you know it is a place you need to be. Bing is constantly taking steps to catch up to their competitor, and this means chances for you to promote your local business. Bing has a local business portal in the U.S. It was created and launched in 2011. If you do not have your business on their yet, then you need to get it on their ASAP. Putting your business on Bing’s local business portal will allow you to create even more credibility for your business.

You are going to be able to create a business profile on Bing that will include all sorts of vital information. You can even add links to your websites, Facebook page and your Twitter URL.  If you really want to take advantage of this platform to help promote your business, then make sure you put keywords in your profile that have been well researched. These are the keywords that are going to help people find your business. Also do not be afraid to use the free deal editor that Bing offers in order to promote your local business by means of giveaways, discounts or coupons.

Will using Google and Bing to create business profiles and build social credibility help your local business? Sure it will if you are willing to invest the time and energy into it to make it work. The people who would be your customers might not even know you exist.

Plus these days it is getting harder and harder to get serious business when you do not have any social capital to back you up. Google Places and the local business portal that Bing offers are just two ways you can start gaining that credibility. It is a perfect way for you to extend your reach without spending a dime to do so.

Plus when you decide to use these two resources you are going to be plugging into two highly trafficked websites. If you do not use these resources then your competition certainly will. Do you want that? Of course you do not. You can find out more detailed information about both of these resources by heading straight over to both of the websites and typing the terms “Google Places” or “Bing local business portal” into the search bars.

Invest the time to learn how both of these resources work so you can create a web presence that is going to help your business flourish.

Riley Bond is a freelance writer who loves to write about search engine optimization, SEO New York, web traffic and online marketing among a wide range of interesting topics.