Cheap advertising for small businesses doesn’t need to translate into gimmicky promotions. Try these inexpensive marketing ideas to boost your brand.

If your marketing budget is looking a little tight, don’t stress. There are ways to knock your marketing out of the park that don’t include breaking the bank. Get creative with both your budgeting and your marketing efforts with these tips.

1. Blog more frequently

Keeping up with a blog is tough—we know that the majority of small business owners are busy and working hard. But blogging can quickly attract more people to your brand. Aim to create a few solid blog posts a month, making sure you’ve accounted for SEO and that your word count is at least 1,500 words. (The average word count of results on Google’s first page is 1,447.)

If you haven’t blogged before, check out our free e-book, “A Beginner’s Guide to Small Business Blogging.” It reviews the business benefits of blogging, provides a step-by-step guide to get your blog up and running, and explains the different types of content you can write about, and strategies for how to scale your efforts.

2. Network more often

A part of marketing that some might tend to forget about (or not even consider to be marketing) is networking. Small business owners, in particular, should look for opportunities to network locally.

You can find events in your area through Meetup.com, Facebook, or performing a Google search. You’ll do yourself a great service by regularly attending a chamber of commerce, town hall, or school board meetings. You could consider volunteering for a cause you genuinely care about. And there are always professional associations and industry events that can help you get your name out there. You don’t have to do all of these; simply pick one that works best for you.

3. Get creative with video

For a long while, video content has been experiencing a rise in popularity, and there’s no sign that demand will be slowing down anytime soon. Videos can be used across multiple channels to promote numerous aspects of a business, instantly promoting your brand. And in case you’re wondering, you don’t need an entire team of people to create videos for you—simply get creative with your smartphone and free editing programs to get you started.

4. Step out into the community

Are you getting to know the residents where your business is located? Do you attend community events, parades, 5Ks, or Little League games? These events can make you all the more known in your community, which will make marketing easier in the long run. Aim to make new connections every month, getting you one step closer to staying top-of-mind within your community.

Marketing can become expensive quickly, but this doesn’t always have to be the case. Utilize these tips to kick your marketing strategy up a notch, all the while staying under budget.