Making ads
How to Advertise Your Business: 9 Ways, With and Without AI
How to advertise your business: 9 free and paid ways compared, with costs, examples by business type and how AI cuts the time it takes.
Written by Genly's AI team, reviewed by Marlon Bonink
· 5 min read
You are great at what you do, but advertising is not your thing. Your calendar could be fuller, word of mouth is too slow, and every time you think "I should do something with marketing", you do not know where to start. Flyers? Facebook? An ad in the local paper? This guide puts nine ways to advertise your business side by side, with what they cost and who they work for.
Short answer: Start with the three things that bring the most customers per dollar: a complete Google Business Profile with reviews, Facebook and Instagram ads from $5 to $10 a day, and asking existing customers for referrals. The ads themselves can now be made in minutes with AI, based on your own website.
How to advertise a business: start with the customer
Before you pick a channel, answer three questions:
- Who do you want to reach? People in your area, or customers across the country?
- What is your offer? Not "quality and service", but something concrete: an intro price, a free consultation, a new service.
- What should people do? Call, book an appointment, buy from your online store.
Those answers point you to the right channels below. A local salon needs different advertising than an online store that ships nationwide.
9 ways to advertise your business
| Method | Cost (typical) | Time per week | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Google Business Profile | Free | 30 minutes | Every local business |
| 2. Collecting reviews | Free | 15 minutes | Anyone with customers |
| 3. Social media posts | Free | 2 to 4 hours | Businesses with something to show |
| 4. Customer referral program | Cost of the reward | 30 minutes | Services with loyal customers |
| 5. Facebook and Instagram ads | From $5 to $10 a day | 1 to 2 hours | Local businesses and online stores |
| 6. Google Ads (search) | Often $10 to $30 a day | 1 to 2 hours | Services people actively search for |
| 7. Door-to-door flyers | Roughly $100 to $300 per 1,000 homes | One-off | Local services in a fixed area |
| 8. Local paper, radio or signs | A few hundred dollars per campaign | One-off | Awareness in a region |
| 9. AI-made ads | From a monthly subscription | Minutes | Anyone running ads |
Free methods
1. Google Business Profile. When someone searches "hair salon near me" or "plumber in Austin", the map with local businesses comes first. A complete profile with hours, photos, services and a website link is the cheapest advertising there is.
2. Collecting reviews. Businesses with more and fresher reviews rank higher on that map and get chosen more often. Ask every happy customer for a review right after the appointment, with a direct link by text message.
3. Social media posts. Show your work: a result, a finished job, a product in use. Organic reach is limited, but your profile becomes your shop window. People who see your ad often check your profile next.
4. Referral program. Give loyal customers a reason to recommend you, such as $10 off for them and for the friend they bring.
Paid methods
5. Facebook and Instagram ads. Reach exactly the people in your area or target group, even when they are not searching. You can start with a few dollars a day. Read the difference between boosting and real ads in boost post vs. Facebook ads.
6. Google Ads. Your ad appears above search results when someone looks for what you offer. Strong for services with urgent demand, like a plumber or locksmith. Cost per click varies widely by industry, from under a dollar to several dollars.
7. Flyers. Still effective in a fixed neighborhood, especially with a clear offer and an easy way to respond, such as a QR code to your booking page.
8. Paper, radio and signs. Good for awareness in a region but hard to measure. Use a unique promo code so you can see what it brings in.
Advertising with AI: method 9
The hardest part of advertising is not the channel. It is the ad: a strong visual, copy that stands out and enough variations to test. That used to mean a designer or an afternoon in Canva. With AI it works like this:
- Paste your website link.
- The AI picks up your colors, logo, style and offer.
- You get ready-made ads and videos in your brand style, sized for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
For the full workflow and which tools are free, see how to make ads with AI. Genly does this for small businesses, including videos with AI presenters.
Examples by business type
| Business | Best mix | Example ad |
|---|---|---|
| Hair or beauty salon | Business profile, reviews, Instagram ads within 6 miles | "New in town: cut and blow-dry for $45, open Tuesday evenings too" |
| Plumber or HVAC | Google Ads, business profile, Facebook ads | "Boiler broken? A technician in your area today" |
| Online store | Meta video ads, email to past customers | Short video of the product in use with a clear price |
For salons, we go deeper in hair salon advertising ideas.
Frequently asked questions
How much budget do I need to advertise my business?
You can start free with your Google Business Profile, reviews and posts. For paid ads, $5 to $10 a day is enough to test what works. Only raise the budget once an ad clearly brings in customers.
What works best for freelancers and solo businesses?
A strong Google Business Profile, reviews and referrals usually work best, backed by small Facebook and Instagram campaigns in your own area. Pick one offer and repeat it consistently.
Can I make ads myself?
Yes. Today's tools let you make an ad without a designer. AI tools create on-brand ads straight from your website, so all you do is pick the ones you like. See Genly's plans if you want to try it.
Editor
Marlon Bonink
Co-founder of Genly
This article was written by Genly's AI team and reviewed by Marlon before it went live. How we work with AI: AI transparency.
