5 Mostly-Free Marketing Tools for Startups
Duh: Startups need all the help they can get, especially when it comes to marketing. For a limited time, you can score help aplenty in the form of AppSumo's Hacker Monthly Startup Marketing Bundle.
This requires a bit of explaining. "Hacker Monthly" is a print magazine (remember those?) that recently put out a special issue called "Startup Marketing" (which, incidentally, is available for free download in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats).
Within that information-packed issue (a must-read, IMHO) you'll find references to various tools and services aimed at helping startups with SEO and marketing. AppSumo's bundle contains five of those tools and services:
GazeHawk You submit your Web-site landing pages; GazeHawk testers report back on where visitors' eyes are drawn, thus allowing you to optimize ad and content placement.
GinzaMetrics Learn how your Google and Yahoo SEO ranks among competitors -- so you know exactly what to fix.
KISSmetrics A provider of "actionable Web analytics," KISSmetrics helps you determine things like where your site is losing visitors and where your highest-converting customers are coming from.
Unbounce Build and test landing pages without doing any of that messy coding stuff.
Visual Website Optimizer Helps you create different versions of your site and perform A/B testing to see which one works best.
To get this impressive bundle, which is worth hundreds of dollars, all you have to do is tweet the deal or share it on Facebook. And do so before Feb. 14, which is when the offer expires.
Okay, there's one other catch: a couple of the services are merely discounted, not free. For example, GazeHawk offers a half-off coupon for use with any of its packages (which start at $495). And to use Unbounce, you must sign up for the $25 Basic plan -- which nets you a free upgrade to the $125 Plus plan.
Of course, you're under no obligation; you can use only the free stuff if you want. At the very least, be sure to grab "Startup Marketing," which is chock full of worthwhile reading.
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