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5 Free Digital Marketing Tools You Might Not Know About In 2020

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5 Free Digital Marketing Tools to Grow Your Small Business

Digital marketing is more essential than ever for small businesses. To help you maximize your reach without stretching your budget, here are five free tools to improve visibility, engagement, and conversions.

Top Free Digital Marketing Tools

  • Google Trends – Identify trending keywords and analyze search popularity to refine your content and ad strategies.
  • Animoto – Create professional-quality videos for social media to boost engagement and brand awareness.
  • Canva – Design eye-catching social media graphics and marketing materials without needing a background in design.
  • Email Marketing Templates – Craft compelling, pre-designed email content to keep customers informed and engaged.
  • Mailchimp – Send up to 10,000 emails per month to 2,000 subscribers for free, making it a perfect tool for small businesses.

Investing time in these tools now will help strengthen your online presence and build customer trust. Need guidance? Social Firm is here to help!

This year is going to be a new challenge. Digital marketing and online communication is more valuable now than ever.

Luckily, every single one of us is prepared for this. We have been for some time. From popular delivery services to video communication, we have all the tools necessary to keep moving forward.

What’s important now is that small businesses are familiar with the latest digital marketing trends in 2020. Now is not the time to cut your marketing budget. Why, you ask? Read more about that from our recent blog post.

However, we understand that money is tight for everyone.

Our team compiled a list of free, useful marketing tools to help you succeed as a small business in the upcoming months.

5 free digital marketing tools to help you reach more customers online:

  1. Google Trends
  2. Animoto
  3. Canva
  4. Email Templates
  5. Mailchimp

Did you know this search tool existed? We bet not. Well, we want to share our secret weapon with you!

Google has so many helpful tools, but this one just might be our favorite.

Google Trends can help you identify what keywords and topics are buzzing right now, specifically ones that are related to your brand. By using Google Trends to search your main keywords, you can see related topics that are currently on the rise.

This is helpful because you can use that knowledge to your advantage when thinking about the content you want to produce on both your website and on social media.

Another great advantage of Google Trends is that you can type in your brand name to determine if you are rising or declining in terms of search popularity.

If you are declining in search popularity, one way to improve this is to run branded ad campaigns on Google Ads and social media platforms.

You can see below that over the past 3 months, our brand name, Social Firm, has been rising in terms of search popularity in the Columbus, Ohio market.

Google-Trends

This increase is due to the fact that we expanded our marketing efforts since the end of last year by running branded ad campaigns.

If we wanted to dive even deeper, we could compare our brand name with a competitor’s to see how we rank in search popularity against them. This could help inform us on which marketing tactics we need to take next to compete with them.

Animoto

2. Animoto

You might be wondering how to compete on social media right now with the overload of messaging that is happening. You need to stand out against the competition, and video is a great way to do that.

If you want to compete online in 2020, you need to add video marketing to your content plan. A recent HubSpot survey showed that 54% of people want to see more video content from marketers.

While it is always better to hire a professional producer to help you create videos, we know that this can be expensive for small business owners. You may not have the time and resources right now to hire a professional.

Animoto gives you a chance to create short, professional-looking videos to promote your products and services on social platforms like Facebook and Youtube.

They have hundreds of templates for each type of business. You are able to customize a video template to match your brand colors, font, pictures, and even music. Check out this e-commerce example video by Animoto. We love how short and to the point the messaging is.

If you need to communicate information quickly, for example, if you’re now offering free delivery, this is a great way to capture your audience’s attention.

Canva

3. Canva

Not to sound like a broken record, but you really need to stand out on social media right now.

A great way to do that is by creating visually appealing graphics for your messaging.

Canva offers quick, easy to customize social media graphics. Similar to Animoto, you can change all the assets like color, font, and images to match your brand.

The professional layouts Canva provides are what will make you stand out.

With already defined parameters for design best practices, you do not need to worry about having a design background to accomplish great results.

4. Email Marketing Templates

There are so many great email resources available to small business owners. But as a small business ourselves, we know how daunting it can be when trying to craft the perfect email to your customers. It can be especially difficult in times like these.

According to Hubspot, 73% of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email, and 99% of all consumers check their email every day.

It is extremely important to stay in touch with your customers right now. Your customers are looking for peace of mind. They want to ensure you have their health & safety in mind.

The more you communicate with your audience, the more they will trust your brand and continue to purchase online.

Mailchimp

5. Mailchimp

Now that you understand the importance of email communication and have a template to start with, you will need an email service to send branded emails to your customer base.

One of our favorite email services that is both free and offers complete control of your content is Mailchimp.

According to Mailchimp, their share of the email marketing industry is over 60%, positioning themselves as a leader in the industry.

On their free plan, users can send up to 10,000 emails a month to 2,000 subscribers. Most of their tools and templates are also included with their free plan.

Their free email plan is ideal for small businesses just starting out with email marketing.

Final Word:

We encourage small businesses to take advantage of these free marketing tools. We have used each of these tools to our advantage throughout our many years in business. While they are free, they can sometimes be time-consuming. Now is the perfect time to invest in your marketing skillset and learn a few of these programs.

As always, if you need guidance or help implementing these digital strategies into your marketing plan, Social Firm would be happy to partner with you.

Our #1 goal is to help small businesses survive this unforeseen pandemic.

Matt Erney
STRATEGIC MARKETING DIRECTOR
After founding Social Firm in 2010, I learned that having a healthy business online requires an equal balance of messaging, design and marketing. My vision is to help businesses compete in the marketplace by simplifying, clarifying and then amplifying their message.

I currently lead the Strategic Marketing team at Social Firm. I believe that to achieve greatness, one must be intentional and move quickly with focus beyond one’s self. I love Columbus and am energized by helping businesses realize their digital potential.
Jason Willis
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Like many in the design world, I started out as a freelance. My early career was on the sales and marketing side of business, and I’ve worked with, and for several large companies. However, my greatest joy is helping and sharing in the success of locally owned organizations.

When I’m not tailgating at an OSU game or playing tennis, I love traveling and creating new experiences with my best girl Kelly and my "little gentleman" dog Charlie. I like visiting all the new restaurants popping up around town and seeing which one can make the best Old Fashioned.
Julie Englerth
CLIENT ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
Julie is fully remote and hails from Longview, Texas, deep in the heart of the “Piney Woods” of East Texas where she lives with her husband and three amazing kids. She is also an experienced worship leader at her local church where her husband is a full-time worship pastor. Julie is passionate about encouraging and empowering people around her, leading worship, leading small groups at her church, or spending time with her loved ones.

She works closely with Matt in day-to-day communications and strategic planning. She has a knack for learning new things quickly!
Justin Kline
Web Developer
Like many in the web design world, I started out building websites for small projects and grew into a career focused on helping businesses and organizations strengthen their online presence. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve worked as a WordPress Designer and Developer, building websites for a wide range of clients, including many charity and faith-based organizations, focused on creating clean, easy-to-use sites that reflect each mission clearly. I enjoy taking ideas and turning them into simple, effective websites that help organizations connect with people and share what they do in a meaningful way.

Outside of work, I spend time with my wife and kids, enjoy music, strong coffee, and a great cheeseburger!
Ally Gatien
DIGITAL SPECIALIST
Since graduating from the University of Dayton in 2021 with a focus in Marketing, I have worked for both a small local media agency and a large television station. In my professional career, I am most recently coming from a Digital Sales Coordinator role where I was able to focus in on all Digital Marketing tactics after learning about the world of broadcast TV. I am passionate about helping others and I look forward to being able to help countless local businesses as a Digital Specialist on a more efficient and effective scale!
Geno Marinelli
DIGITAL SPECIALIST
A fresh graduate from The Ohio State University, I’m excited to absorb as much as I possibly can! With prior experience in both advertising creative and strategy, I’m excited to learn from the best. I enjoy staying ahead of the curve, understanding or contextualizing the latest trends and developments in tech and Marketing. If there’s a disruptor, I want to know how it works, why it’s working, and if it can work for us.

As a Digital Marketing Specialist, I will assist in strategy, implementing changes and new initiatives on behalf of our clients helping them to reach their goals and achieve results. My favorite part of any final reveal is the before and after; the side-by-side comparison of the old and the new motivates me to always be looking for new and innovative ideas.
Terence Womble
CONTENT MANAGER
I spent the first half of my career working in public relations and marketing mostly in New York City but also in Toronto, Philadelphia and Columbus. Even with clients as diverse as Philip Morris, The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Shakespeare in Central Park, CAPA, Jazz Arts Group, or Broadway shows, the common theme has been compelling stories. Helping craft and share stories for our clients is my passion.

Other passions? Sure. Tennis, jazz, classical music and classic disco; reading, documentaries, fact-based dramas, and forensic crime shows. I also enjoy a perfectly mixed and presented Manhattan – up or on the rocks.
Sheena Erney
ACCOUNTING
I spent over 10 years in corporate banking and quit corporate life to be a stay-at-home mom before my second child turned one. I love taking my four little ones on adventures, but I missed the hustle and bustle of work life. It’s exciting to work for a small business where we can so easily stay up to date and develop our processes as business needs change. Best of all, I get to work with my husband!

When I'm not working, I enjoy golf, reading, traveling and playing cards. Watching our four children learn and grow is one of the greatest joys of my life.
Nick May
STRATEGIC MARKETING TEAM LEADER
With a foundation in digital marketing, analytics, and strategic leadership, I’ve learned that sustainable growth happens when strategy, data, and execution work in alignment. My approach centers on building marketing systems that are intentional, measurable, and designed to scale — helping businesses move from scattered efforts to focused momentum. At Social Firm. I guide our Strategic Marketing team in developing clear roadmaps that connect brand positioning, digital performance, and revenue growth.

When I’m not at work, you’ll likely find me on the golf course, at the range, or out camping somewhere off the grid. I value time with my son and love being outdoors — whether that’s hiking, sitting around a campfire, or just getting outside with my dog. Staying active, unplugging when I can, and spending quality time with family keeps me grounded and energized.