Low-cost marketing and growth ideas for startups
Big budgets aren’t required to grow a startup, creativity, scrappiness, and smart low-cost marketing can win your first thousand customers.
When you’re building a startup, every cent counts. The expensive marketing campaigns with billboards, TV commercials, or big sponsorships might look tempting, but they’re mostly for companies with massive budgets, not for new founders trying to get their first 100 or 1,000 customers.
This may not sound like what you want you hear, but the thing is, some of the most successful companies in history started with simple, low-cost tactics. Dropbox, for instance, used a referral program, Slack leaned on word-of-mouth, and Apple’s very first computers were shown off at a local tech club. What worked for them still works today: creativity, resourcefulness, and community over big spending.
Here are seven practical, low-cost marketing ideas that can help your startup grow.
Kelechi Edeh
/1. Kick off content marketing
Content is one of the cheapest long-term investments a startup can make. Whether it’s blog posts, newsletters, podcasts, or short videos, good content builds trust and keeps potential customers engaged long before they’re ready to buy. Look at Moz, the SEO software company became an industry authority not just through its product, but by consistently publishing guides, tutorials, and its famous “Whiteboard Friday” videos.
For early-stage startups, focus on writing content that answers your customers’ biggest questions. Layer in SEO so your work gets discovered in search results. A thoughtful blog post, shared across your networks, can pull in leads for months, or even years, at no extra cost.
/2. Get started with SEO marketing
Your website is the foundation of your growth engine. Optimizing it for search engines ensures that when people are actively searching for solutions like yours, your website appears in search results. Strong keyword research helps you identify exactly what your audience is typing into Google, and tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs make that process easier.
In addition to keywords, ensure your site loads quickly, functions well on mobile devices, and features clean navigation. SEO takes time, but once it starts working, it can bring you a steady stream of customers for free.
/3. Build a social media strategy
It’s easy to think social media requires huge ad budgets, but even organic content can move the needle for startups. X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn are especially valuable if your product targets professionals or developers.
Instead of chasing every platform, pick one or two where your audience already hangs out and show up consistently. The trick isn’t to blast promotions, but to join existing conversations, share insights, and show your product in action.
/4. Attend events and conferences
Sometimes, growth happens offline. TechCrunch Disrupt gave Trello its first big break back in 2011. Whether it’s industry meetups, university hackathons, or small local trade shows, events put you in the same room as potential customers, partners, and investors.
You don’t need a flashy booth, just a clear pitch, a working demo on your laptop, and the willingness to start conversations. A casual chat at a conference coffee line can turn into your first enterprise client.
/5. Reach new customers with PR
Getting covered by the press may sound expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Journalists are always looking for new stories, and as a founder, you’re the best person to pitch them. A short, well-crafted email to a niche industry blog can sometimes outperform coverage in a major outlet, because the readers are exactly your target customers.
Instead of chasing TechCrunch from day one, start with smaller newsletters, podcasts, or trade publications.
/6. Build an email marketing function
Email might not be shiny, but it remains one of the highest-ROI marketing channels. From day one, start capturing email addresses, then send updates, onboarding tips, or special offers to keep your product top of mind.
Done thoughtfully, email is direct, personal, and cheap, everything a startup needs.
/7. Experiment with referral programs
Sometimes your best marketers are your customers. Dropbox’s legendary referral program helped it grow like wildfire. Referrals work because they build on trust: people are far more likely to try something recommended by a friend.
For startups, even small rewards can be effective—such as discounts, credits, or exclusive access. The goal is to make sharing your product effortless and rewarding.
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Conclusion
The most powerful growth strategies don’t always require a massive budget; they require creativity and consistency. Content, SEO, social media, PR, events, email, and referrals all give startups leverage without burning cash.
The companies we admire today didn’t get their first wins from TV ads or giant sponsorships. They hacked growth with whatever tools they had on hand, and doubled down when something worked. So if you’re looking for your first thousand customers, start here. Keep it simple, keep it cheap, and focus on building genuine connections with the people who need your product most.
