16 Innovative Marketing Ideas to Promote Your Business

Wondering how to make your business or product stand out from the noise? 

Explore 16 innovative marketing ideas that can help you boost visibility, engage your audience, and drive conversions.

1. Leverage Content Marketing

Content marketing involves creating valuable content related to your brand or industry that resonates with your target audience. 

There are different types of content marketing. Such as videos, blog posts, and infographics.

Atlassian’s Work Life blog is a prime example of content marketing related to project management software.

Instead of solely promoting their products, Atlassian provides valuable insights, advice, and thought leadership on topics that matter to their readers. Such as productivity, team collaboration, and agile work methodologies. 

This approach establishes Atlassian as an industry expert and cultivates an engaged community of readers who view their blog as a trusted resource. 

Content marketing like this can build your credibility and influence purchasing decisions. Because you demonstrate your expertise and authority in the field.

To come up with relevant ideas for marketing in this way, you must conduct thorough audience research. And gain a deep understanding of their needs.

Let’s say you’re a travel brand. 

Go to Semrush’s Topic Research tool and type in “travel tips.”

Then, hit “Get content ideas“:

The tool will generate a series of cards. Each represents a subtopic:

Click “Show more” on a card to see additional information:

Review the “Headlines” and “Questions” sections. They provide insights into other popular angleson the topic.

Also, consider clicking “Trending subtopics first” for timely content ideas. These represent the most popular angles on your topic over the last 60 days:

Now, it’s time to start creating the content. Aim for quality over quantity.

Create something unique and appealing to your target audience that distinguishes it from existing content on the same topic.

2. Collaborate with Other Brands and Influencers

Collaborative marketing involves joining forces with brands, influencers, or customers so that you both benefit. 

One of the most popular ways to do this is by co-creating social media content.

The “Stratos” project by GoPro and Red Bull is a great example of a collaboration:

GoPro and Red Bull launched skydiver Felix Baumgartner from a space pod more than 24 miles above the Earth’s surface. With the entire descent captured on GoPro cameras.

Red Bull showcased their daring and adventurous brand personality. While GoPro demonstrated the high quality and durability of its cameras in extreme conditions. 

Collaborative campaigns like this can help amplify visibility, engagement, and conversions. Because you leverage your partner’s audience.

Choosing the right partner is crucial for the success of collaborative business marketing ideas.

So, you should find the perfect match. And make sure they complement your brand values and cater to your target audience.

You can use Influencer Analytics to find the perfect partner. 

Let’s say you’re in the automotive niche and want to create a YouTube video.

Open the app and go to “Influencer Discovery” > “YouTube.”

Next, click “Filters.” 

You can now narrow your search by selecting the relevant channel topic and any other specifics. Like subscriber count, country, and language.

Click “Save selection” when you’re done to save the filters you’ve applied. 

You’ll then see a list of potential partners to choose from. 

Browse your options and make note of ones that seem like a good fit. You can then reach out to propose your idea.

It’s best to have something concrete in mind to make your pitch attractive.

For a social media collaboration, that includes:

• The content’s topic
• Who will create the content
• Platforms where it’ll be shared
• How your partner will benefit from this collaboration

This collaboration (when done well) can build long-term relationships that lead to future opportunities.

3. Optimize Your Entire Website for SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s quality and relevance to increase visibility on search engines.

It’s not just for the pieces you create for your content marketing efforts. It can work for product pages, landing pages, and more.

And keywords are the backbone of any SEO strategy.

They help you figure out what your audience is searching for. So you can create content that’s relevant to those topics.

You can use Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool to find relevant keywords.

Go to the tool, enter a broad term related to your niche, and click the “Search” button:

The tool will then generate a list of related keywords, each with its own metrics. Including search intent (the reason behind a searcher’s query), search volume, and keyword difficulty (how difficult it will be to rank well for that keyword).

You can use the “Broad Match,” “Phrase Match,” “Exact Match,” and “Related” filters to focus your keyword search around your specific needs.

Review the “Search Volume” column to see how often each keyword is searched per month. 

And pay attention to keyword difficulty “KD %” to get a sense of your chances for ranking for a given keyword.

But most importantly, focus on keywords that are most relevant to your particular niche. Maybe that includes “budget travel tips for adventurers.” 

After finalizing your keyword choices, incorporate them naturally into your content. This could be in the title, headers, body text, and meta tags.

4. Leverage User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is a marketing activity that encourages your audience to create and share content related to your brand, products, or services.

For example, Sephora leverages UGC on Instagram to invite their community to engage:

By encouraging customers to share their experiences with Sephora’s products, the brand gains valuable content that resonates with potential customers. 

This instills authenticity and trust. Because the user-created content serves as personal testimonials. Endorsing Sephora’s products. 

And UGC can significantly impact potential customers’ buying decisions.

5. Use Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a form of online marketing where advertisers pay each time someone clicks on their ad.

You can run these types of ads through platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. Or on social media.

And adopting a multi-platform PPC strategy can help you tap into different audiences.

Even when it comes to Google PPC, there are a few different types of ads. But some of the most popular are search ads. 

They look like this:

PPC search campaigns are great because they offer a wide range of targeting options.

You can target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors to reach your target audience. And you can decide how much you want to spend on each ad.

To get inspiration for your own search campaign, it’s a good idea to first check out your competitors’ ad strategies with Advertising Research. 

Go to the tool, enter a competitor’s domain into the search bar, and hit “Search.”

The “Positions” report displays which keywords the competitor is bidding on, their ad position for the given keyword, the average cost per click (CPC) for each keyword, and traffic volumes for each keyword.

Then, click on the “Ads Copies” report to see the actual ads the competitor is running. It’s a great way to study the verbiage, special offers, and calls to action (CTAs) they use to attract customers.

Next, review the “Competitors” report to find other domains competing for the same ad keywords. This will broaden your competitive understanding.

The goal is not to copy competitors’ marketing ideas. But to take inspiration from their ad strategies and develop innovative marketing campaign ideas of your own.

Look for what they’re doing well. And also identify weaknesses you can take advantage of.

Here are some other tips to consider when running a PPC campaign:

• Use landing pages strategically to drive conversions. They should align with your ad and make it easy for users to take the desired action.
• Use ad assets to make your ad more detailed. And provide users with additional information, such as location, phone number, etc.
• Make sure to target relevant keywords for each ad group. And use negative keywords to avoid irrelevant clicks.
• Target the right groups. Know your audience and target your ads to their interests, behaviors, and demographics.
• Track performance. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and the built-in reporting in Google Ads to measure the success of your campaign and make adjustments accordingly

6. Leverage Referral Programs

A referral program is a marketing tactic that encourages existing customers to spread the word about your products or services to their networks.

For example, Revolut’s has a very simple referral program.

Customers invite friends to join Revolut. And if those friends sign up and meet the eligibility criteria, both parties receive a cash reward.

Programs like this drive customer acquisition and retention. Because when a recommendation comes from a trusted source (like a friend or family member), potential customers are more likely to trust and try your product/service.

This is one of the simplest and most effective marketing ideas for small businesses.

7. Personalize Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing campaigns are emails you use to communicate directly with current and potential customers. And they’re more effective when they’re personalized to the recipient.

For example, here’s a personalized email campaign from Fitbit:

The email is directed specifically at a user who has recently achieved a milestone in their walking routine. And it congratulates them on their achievement.

Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing relationships with prospective and existing customers when it uses personalization. Because the content is tailor-made for the recipient. 

That means it’s more likely to resonate.

A podcast sponsorship is when you pay to have your product or service featured on a podcast.

Guest appearances, on the other hand, are when you appear on a podcast to offer your perspectives and expertise.

Both types of marketing ideas allow you to reach a dedicated and engaged audience.

Why?

Because podcast listeners are often loyal and highly interested in the content. Making them prime targets for relevant promotional material.

9. Run Webinars and Online Courses

A webinar is a virtual seminar or presentation that can be pre-recorded or held in real time. And they’re often used for product demonstrations, training sessions, or expert panels.

Our webinars are a great example of how we use this format to educate, engage, and build a community.

They’re immersive learning experiences that cover various digital marketing strategies and topics. And are delivered by industry experts. 

And they can be a great lead-generation activity. Because audiences are willing to share their contact information if they’re genuinely interested in your subject matter.

Online courses are more interactive. And may involve exercises or activities.

Here’s an example of our free online courses:

By providing valuable knowledge and resources through courses and webinars, you can establish your brand as an authority in the industry.

You also have opportunities to subtly promote your products or services.

10. Use Interactive Quizzes, Polls, and Surveys

An interactive quiz is an online tool designed to help users learn something.

Here’s an example we posted to X (formerly Twitter):

A poll asks users to vote on a question or issue. These are popular on social media because there’s a low barrier to entry, and users also get to see results instantly.

Here’s an example: 

Surveys typically consist of multiple questions. And are used to collect more extensive data about user behavior, preferences, or opinions.

Here’s an example of a survey we shared on social:

Interactive content like quizzes, polls, and surveys are a fun way to interact with your audience. Plus, they’re highly shareable.

These tools also offer valuable insights from followers and customers.

11. Participate in Trade Shows and Industry Events

Trade shows and industry events are gatherings of professionals within a specific sector designed to facilitate networking, learning, and business development.

They often involve various companies setting up booths to showcase their products or services to potential customers, partners, and investors.

Attending these events allows you to network with other industry professionals and reach new audiences. And potentially generate leads on the spot.

Limited-time promotions and flash sales are offers that are only available for a short period.

One standout example of a successful limited-time promotion is Amazon’s Prime Day event.

Prime Day is a two-day global shopping event exclusively for Amazon Prime members. 

It offers significant discounts on a wide range of products to drive sales. And it reinforces customer loyalty and allows for better inventory management.

These types of promotions can create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to act quickly.

Hosting or sponsoring local community events is a marketing tactic that allows businesses to engage with their local community in a personal way.

These events can include charity fundraisers, neighborhood festivals, and sports events.

They can increase brand visibility. And show your support for a cause or organization that aligns with your brand values.

Direct mail campaigns involve sending physical promotional materials directly to potential customers’ homes. 

For example, flyers, coupons, and catalogs.

Lexus Canada’s all-terrain envelope direct mail campaign shows how a creative approach can really stand out.

By transforming the envelope into an interactive representation of a rugged landscape, the brand enables recipients to engage in a unique and memorable experience. And it subtly highlights the vehicle’s capabilities.

Direct mail campaigns might not be new. But giving them a fresh spin can make them excellent marketing ideas to reach prospects outside of digital channels.

15. Host Virtual Product Launches or Demos

A virtual product launch or demo is an online event that showcases your new product or service to a virtual audience.

One example is Apple’s virtual product launch event. Which the brand used to highlight their new products through polished and informative presentations.

Virtual demos allow attendees to see exactly how your product or service works. Which can be more persuasive than written content.

16. Try Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs provide members with some sort of reward for their continued business.

Like the SkyMiles program from Delta Air Lines:

Delta Air Lines allows people to earn miles they can put toward future travel by booking with them, using their affiliated credit card, and making purchases at partner companies. 

Marketing ideas like this can really help with customer retention.

Propel Your Marketing Ideas

The key to success when implementing any marketing idea is understanding your audience’s needs and tailoring your messaging to speak directly to them.

And our comprehensive suite of tools can help you do just that.

Get started with a free account.