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Many people often ask: “If I want to advertise my products or affiliates, but I can’t afford it, what can I do?” Or “How can I increase my online presence without spending money?” The usual answers are almost always the same: focus on SEO and post great content on social media.
But here’s the thing—social media isn’t what it used to be. Once upon a time, platforms like Facebook allowed posts to organically reach thousands of people over weeks or even months. Now, if three people see your post, you’re lucky. Why? Because social media platforms, like search engines, have shifted to focus heavily on paid advertising.
Here are a few questions and answers to guide you through boosting your visibility online without the hefty costs:
Q1: Is relying on social media enough to build an online presence today?
A: Not anymore. While it’s still possible to gain some traction through organic posts, the effectiveness of unpaid social media content has drastically decreased. Most platforms now prioritize paid ads over organic reach. It’s still a good idea to maintain a presence, but social media alone shouldn’t be your primary strategy if you’re trying to build a company, a brand etc.
Q2: What about classified ads—are they a viable free option?
A: Platforms like Facebook Marketplace or IOL classifieds might seem like a good start, but let’s be honest—unless you’re selling low-cost, unbranded items from home, they won’t provide the professional exposure you need to grow a serious brand. If you’re aiming for bigger success, you must think bigger.
The truth is, there’s no magic formula, no hidden tool that’ll instantly make you rich. Sure, you could buy a plugin or service that promises to help you “build a store like Etsy or Amazon in no time.” But let me ask you: if it’s so easy to build a multimillion-dollar platform, why is the person selling the plugin making more money from you buying it than from using their own tool to build their business?
Think about it – if the developer could really make an Amazon competitor with ease, they’d be doing it themselves, not selling a plugin.
Here’s where I’m different: I’m not asking you to invest money upfront, I’m asking for something far simpler—just a few minutes of your time. Create an account, post a product or two—there are no hidden costs. What you’re getting is a no-risk opportunity to be part of something bigger, with a professional team behind the scenes working to help your ads succeed. No scheme, no gambling, just a shot at success without paying to play.
Yes, building a brand takes effort and strategy, but it doesn’t have to start by risking money on platforms or plugins that promise quick success. Let’s be realistic: if there were a magic solution, don’t you think companies like Google, Apple, or Microsoft—with their armies of engineers, MBAs, and AI developers—would have found it by now? They’re constantly innovating, working on cutting-edge technologies, and yet no miraculous shortcut to success exists. So, is someone really going to offer you a secret formula on a free Q&A website?
What these companies have found, however, is something else that’s reshaping eCommerce as we know it. While some growth is beneficial, unchecked monopolistic dominance can choke opportunities for millions. This is how the system works: big players control the game, and it’s only a matter of time before advertising networks grow so large that their stranglehold on eCommerce will become unbreakable. By the time regulators step in to address these monopolies, it might already be too late.
Most businesses have fallen into the trap of defaulting Google, Facebook, and Bing as their primary marketing channels. That’s what many sellers have done—by default. But I believe there’s another way.
For middle-sized companies and new startups, the path forward is growing ever narrower. Unless you merge, get acquired, or are somehow able to scale rapidly, the chances of staying in business over the next 3 to 15 years are slim. With billions of new consumers coming online, the competitive landscape is only going to get tougher.
Look at what’s already happening: advertising costs have never been higher, and companies like Google are cashing in. Over 90% of Google’s revenue comes from advertising. They even influence the very organizations that regulate digital advertising on a global scale. If you rely on these networks by default, you’re partnering with entities whose goals are fundamentally opposed to yours.
Ask yourself this: is your goal to see your advertising costs rise every month? Is your strategy to compete against fellow sellers in an endless bidding war that benefits the platform, not you? The real enemy isn’t your competition; it’s the system that keeps pushing prices up while pitting you against each other.
To end this section, you could introduce your alternative solution in a way that piques interest. Here’s a suggestion:
But what if there’s another option? A way to work smarter, not harder, without falling into the advertising monopoly trap. I believe there is a path forward, and it doesn’t involve empty promises or risky investments. It’s about creating a new kind of advertising network—one where the interests of sellers and the platform are aligned. I believe it will not be easy but nothing worth doing is easy all the time. I need to be all these things, and it needs to disturb and eventually if may but if this endeavor works besides free advertising the lucky 300 lets call them the advertisers who end up owning the entire advertising network! That is what I am offering you.
Instead, you could be part of a completely new business model—one that gives you a chance at something far bigger than just posting a few free ads.
Now here’s where it gets even more interesting: this isn’t just about free ads. If everything falls into place—the right people, the right strategy, the right effort—you could end up owning a part of the ad network itself. The equity I’m offering isn’t just a gift for you, it’s a strategic move to help grow the business.
There’s a balance we need to achieve we’re not giving away equity to too many people, which would water down the value, but we’re also not limiting it too much so there’s not enough momentum. Science and business both show us that the magic number lies between 150 and 300. If we hit that balance, the equity could be worth more than you ever imagined.
So why not take 2 to 5 minutes, add a few quality ads, and see where it takes you? If it works, great—advertise more and be part of something that could take off. If it doesn’t, then you’ve lost nothing but a few minutes of your time.
This isn’t a magic solution, it’s a smart, no-risk opportunity to think outside the box and be part of a potential game-changer. You’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to gain
Q3: Are there more effective ways to increase my online visibility for free?
A: Yes, there are a few strategies that can still work well. Focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) for your website is crucial. By optimizing your content with the right keywords, you can rank higher on search engine results pages, driving organic traffic without having to pay for ads. Additionally, creating high-quality blog posts or videos that provide value to your audience can help build a steady following. Even without AI tools, content that addresses common problems in your niche can attract attention over time.
But her is the truth. Nothing just mentioned is new or never been tried. Many millions of businesses are doing all these things like brushing your teeth 2 or 3 times a day.
They have professionals whose job is just to do these things and more. Most people ask these questions like Q1, Q2, Q3. I suspect young people are thinking of a clever idea to sell something or make some quick cash.
Building a brand on a budget is challenging, but it’s not impossible. With the right balance of SEO, content marketing, and a smart approach to social media, you can still increase your online presence without breaking the bank. Just remember that while free options are available, they might require more time and patience to yield results.
Importing Your Product Feed to Feedonomy Note: Product Ads & Content Advertising is distributed on several websites and platform including BrowSearch & Feedonomy. However, to list product ads please go to: BrowSearch pronounced ‘Browse & Search’ For Content Advertising Articles, News Publishing etc. Please go to: Feedonomy
Thank you for your patience as we upgrade our platform.
You have the option to import your product feed to Feedonomy or add products manually. If you don’t have a product feed csv. Don’t worry; we’re here to assist you every step of the way.
Free Per-Click Advertising (FPC)
At Feedonomy, we offer a unique advertising model that sets us apart from traditional pay-per-click (PPC) platforms. We operate on a “Free Per-Click” (FPC) basis, meaning you can advertise your products without the cost of each click.
Feedonomy Merchant Center
Learn more about our Merchant Center and how it can benefit your eCommerce business.
Simple Account Creation
Signing up for an account is a breeze. Go to Register, add a Username, Email address, and password. The Application Form should open automatically. All we need is your store name. The other fields can remain empty. You can always add more details at a later stage.
24/7 Availability
With Feedonomy, your product listings are available to shoppers around the clock, 24/7. We also encourage you to explore other advertising networks and platforms that may allow you to add your listings free of charge.
Understanding the Strategy of Leading Ad Platforms
Many leading advertising platforms have shifted their focus towards Digital Advertising (DA) and are offering free listings to gain market share. They understand that once your free listings don’t perform, you’re more likely to stick with their platform when you decide to start a paid ad campaign.
Unbundling the Casino-Like System
The current advertising landscape can be likened to a casino, where the supply side is dominated by a few giants. These companies have invested heavily in DA, essentially creating a monopoly on global advertising. This system forces sellers to bid against each other for visibility.
A Shift in the Ecommerce Business
Ecommerce businesses, especially those without the economies of scale of giants like Amazon and Walmart, need to adapt to survive. The key to their survival lies in finding an alternative to the current go to advertising networks as their medium to long term marketing partners. If you take the strategy of these networks and that is to increase global advertising costs continually.
When formulating your medium-to-long-term marketing strategy to choose companies that have intrinsically opposite strategic goals to you it is a mistake. Put it like this I would guess the average advertiser does not have as their primary strategy to increase advertising rates globally and continually until advertising costs are the most expensive in the history of our planet.
Need I say more when in my opinion the advertiser’s primary strategy is the opposite of their default marketing partner. Marketplaces that sell your products have at least some things similar. While advertising networks, those we can count on one hand, have such an imbalance you can cut it with a sord!
In fact, these networks are crying with laughter as they see sellers bidding against sellers and they have deflected the blame so well it is bizarre yet a crime in my mind, but I am using the term crime in a sense as the truth is hidden just under the surface. In other words, if you steal a loaf of bread because your family is hungry, that to many of us is the bigger crime than turning sellers into advertising addicts. But it is not as simple as that. It makes Standard Oil look like Charlie Chapman, not the talented creative Mr. Chapman but the comic who pants are falling down.
It is also similar in other ways. While most of us only see the funny man it was perfect for the technology without sound in B&W and jumping up and down, he must have tried millions of ideas and concepts until something that had nothing in common with him the creative genius. But that was what he had to do then. Today it is totally different. I am certain he would have enjoyed playing the fighter jet pilot or MI^ agent but I have no idea.
I fear in the medium term most of the small ecommerce companies will have to merge if possible or will no longer be in business in the next 2 -10 years! Unless they work together and come up with a novel smart yet simple solution; and that includes owning their own advertising network.
BrowSearch, and Feedonomy are the world’s leading FPC (Free-Per-Click) advertising networks. BrowSearch is pronounced ‘Browse & Search’ We are 100% advertising centric. That does not mean after we have appeased our shareholders. That is not 100% advertising centric. In fact, that is not even 10% advertising centric. We are 100% advertising centric as all our shareholders are advertisers. Only advertisers can be shareholders.
The only way small and medium-sized ecommerce companies will survive over the next 10 years is by travelling the road less travelling! That incorporates owning their own advertising networks with all strategies and management policies be put to the vote.
The first 150-300 advertisers to create accounts and begin advertising will get the opportunity to apply for equity. These shares will include equity ownership plus voting rights. This will be explained on our website during the next few months. You hopefully have some important questions. But I have only provided an outline that maybe some important chunks and answers to your questions would also be giving this concept away. I have only given too much away if you think it’s brilliant and you will not, the reason is may key issues have not been explained but they will be in the documents we are preparing. Furthermore, it will explain how only advertisers will be shareholders and how we prevent investors or ecommerce groups from gaining a majority and changing the dial to point in their direction just a little and a little more until we find ourselves in the same situation once more. Unless this is controlled it will go the same way. Unless your shares (equity) turn out to be worthless. That is generally what happens to all endeavors. It makes sense then to fail as many times as we can. Especially while we work on our own big idea, I believe you need to take as many risks as possible that are risky to the crazy fool taking all the risk. If you can find others doing the same thing offering, your equity without any risk and especially without using up your time. Time you cannot earn or buy more. If the quality of my writing was an accurate gauge to judge the possible success or failure of this endeavor than I would have less hope than I have now. Luckily it may seem like it is to most advertisers as we cannot and do not have enough shares to gift an equal amount to more than 150-300 individuals. We cannot and I am not deciding on the number of shareholders.
It takes someone with other talents, and we will require a team of professionals but let me stop but I will say the number of shareholders is key too many and it cannot produce the greed that we require.
Your equity needs to be substantial as the only way this will work is to have shareholders that work together and there is a magic number! All this work is currently being worked out. Once operational it will be your choice if you want to get more involved. If you decide not to get involved your equity remains your equity. But more about that later. Your shares can always be sold at a price the market is willing to pay. If that price is zero, then I guess it never worked.
When you are ready, create an account and add even one product advertisement. What have you got to lose? It only takes 2 minutes; it costs you nothing besides about 2-5 minutes.
In the worst situation your advert/s attracts no buyers and your shares and voting rights are worthless. I think it is a risk worth taking. Go to: https://browsearch.com Contact us: BrowSearch-Feedonomy Email: hello@feedonomy.com
