Free is one of the most powerful words in the English language, which is why it’s so ubiquitous in marketing. However, you should be careful when putting it in your adverts because overuse and incorrect use have made consumers sceptical. Everyone would like something for nothing but people have long heard that there’s always a catch, so they’re smart enough to look out for it.
Let’s look at how to correctly use the term “free” to increase traffic, conversion, and profits.
Why does Free work?
Giving products/services away for free may seem counterintuitive when it comes to making money, but there’s a psychological instinct to reciprocate when people give you something. For instance, if a store gave away free samples of their cheese, many people would buy a packet just because they felt obliged to. This means that sales increase after just a fraction of the money was spent to give out samples.
When giving something away for free, explain why
This is the quickest way to offset someone’s fear that they are being somehow duped. After all, you probably get as many scam emails per day as they do, which promise £1000s if you’ll just let them know your bank details.
That’s why you should just tell the public why you’re doing this. It will make your business look transparent and credible because you’ve been so upfront about it. This can help convert sceptical customers and won’t make anyone stop shopping with you.
Of course, there are instances where you won’t need to explain because the reason is obvious, for instance:
- free digital downloads to get email addresses and send marketing literature
- free samples or trials to give people a chance to try before they buy
- free custom tote bags, like those available at https://www.pens.com/uk/c/shopping-tote-bags, to advertise your business to others
- free software with more limitations alongside paid software that can do more
Outside of these examples, however, it’s always a good idea to be honest about why you’re giving something away.
Who should you use it on?
There are plenty of people who are attracted by free things who will not go on to purchase from you. This is why you shouldn’t overuse the strategy and should instead create content that utilises the free concept while appealing to the types of people who would want to spend money with you.
After all, if you spend too long trying to give freebies to people who aren’t interested, this could affect how much you can invest in improving the product and eventually stop people from buyi
n you use it in SEO?
The answer is yes and no. There’s a lot of competition for the SEO keyword “Free”, so it might be hard to break through using it. In some cases, the word will draw more people to click on your page, so it won’t hurt to use it occasionally in your website content. However, we wouldn’t recommend spending too much time or money on it because the return on investment will probably be low.
To sum up, the word free can be a powerful marketing tool. Everyone loves getting something for nothing, even if that nothing is an email address. However, using it too much can backfire, leading people to question the value of what you’re offering.
