HOW TO ADVERTISE ON FACEBOOK FOR FREE

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Local SEO Services and have developed comprehensive guidance on How to Advertise on Facebook for Free.

When I speak to business owners about Facebook advertising most assume you need a big budget to get any meaningful reach. In my opinion that is not true at all. Facebook still offers several ways to promote your business completely free if you understand how the platform behaves and what type of content creates natural engagement. I believe small businesses often overlook these free methods which means they miss out on attention, visibility and local reach that costs nothing but time.

Below is my full guide explaining how to advertise on Facebook for free, using strategies that I have seen work repeatedly for local businesses, trades, solicitors, gyms, salons and ecommerce brands.

Step 1: Optimise Your Facebook Business Page Properly

Before you post anything you need a clean, credible looking page. In my experience a poorly set up page kills trust instantly.

Make sure your page has:

  • a clear logo

  • a professional cover image

  • a detailed About section

  • your full NAP details (name, address, phone)

  • your website link

  • your opening hours

  • a call to action button

Your page becomes your “landing page” for free traffic, so it must look trustworthy.

Step 2: Post Content That Facebook Naturally Pushes for Free

Facebook rewards posts that keep people on the platform. This means you can reach thousands of people without paying if you post the right type of content.

In my experience these formats perform the best without ads:

1. Short form videos

Anything filmed on your phone that feels real, helpful or entertaining works incredibly well.

2. Educational posts

Share advice that solves real problems. This builds authority and engagement.

3. Behind the scenes

Show your day, your team, your process or anything real from your business.

4. Before and after content

Perfect for trades, fitness, salons and any transformation based service.

5. Story posts

People engage with stories, not corporate messaging. Think like Mat Armstrong who uses narrative over sales.

If your content is useful or entertaining Facebook will push it to more people organically.

Step 3: Post into Local Facebook Groups for Free Massive Reach

This is one of the most powerful free tools for local businesses. Many local groups have 10,000 to 50,000 members who live exactly where your customers are.

You can promote yourself in:

  • local recommendation groups

  • buying and selling groups

  • community groups

  • industry groups

  • event groups

In my experience a single well written post in a busy local group can bring more enquiries than a £100 ad campaign.

How to post effectively in groups

Do not be salesy. Post value driven content such as:

  • a helpful tip

  • a before and after

  • a local story

  • a problem you solved

  • a behind the scenes video

Then add a soft call to action like:

If anyone in Bedford needs help with this feel free to message me.

This feels natural and works extremely well.

Step 4: Turn Your Personal Profile Into a Free Marketing Channel

This is a trick most businesses never use. Facebook gives more organic reach to personal accounts than business pages.

I believe you can promote your business indirectly through your personal profile by:

  • posting helpful insights from your work

  • sharing client wins

  • posting photos of recent jobs

  • giving advice

  • sharing stories of your business journey

People engage with people not logos.

You can also add your business link to your profile bio so new contacts can find you easily.

Step 5: Use Facebook Stories Daily

Stories appear at the top of the app which means they get immediate attention. You can use stories to show:

  • your day

  • client reviews

  • quick tips

  • behind the scenes

  • new products

  • reminders

  • offers

Stories disappear in 24 hours which means they feel casual and low pressure. In my experience this makes people more likely to engage with you privately.

Step 6: Encourage Customers to Tag Your Business

Word of mouth is extremely powerful on Facebook. If you can get your customers to tag your business in their posts, reviews or photos, you appear to all of their friends for free.

Simple ways to encourage tags include:

  • sharing before and after results

  • delivering great customer experiences

  • asking politely at the end of a job

  • offering to take a photo of the client with the product

  • celebrating client milestones

When people tag you organically, Facebook treats it as genuine social proof and shows your business to a wider audience.

Step 7: Upload Short Videos Consistently

Short videos are currently the highest reaching format on Facebook. They are pushed to people who do not follow you which means you can gain attention completely free.

Content ideas include:

  • quick tutorials

  • myths and facts

  • one minute walkthroughs

  • small transformations

  • answering FAQs

  • your honest opinions

In my opinion the best performing short videos feel personal and authentic, not staged or scripted.

Step 8: Repost Your TikTok or YouTube Shorts Content to Facebook

If you already create videos for TikTok or YouTube Shorts you can repost them to Facebook Reels without any extra work. This multiplies your reach across platforms for free.

Just remove the TikTok watermark as Facebook prefers original looking content.

Step 9: Use AI to Create Ideas and Captions Instantly

Content blocks slow businesses down. AI can remove that problem completely. If you do not know what to post simply ask:

Give me 30 Facebook post ideas for a [business type] in [location].

Or:

Write me a conversational caption for this video where I show a boiler repair.

AI can help you create:

  • post ideas

  • captions

  • hooks

  • educational topics

  • scripts for videos

I believe AI is one of the most valuable tools for keeping your content consistent and creative.

Step 10: Engage With the Platform Daily

Facebook rewards accounts that behave like real people. You should spend five to ten minutes each day:

  • replying to comments

  • responding to messages

  • commenting on local posts

  • reacting to local updates

This creates relevance which means your future posts are seen by more people.

In my experience engagement is half the algorithm.

Step 11: Share Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Every time a customer leaves a great Google review, share it on Facebook. Social proof performs extremely well and costs nothing.

You can post it as:

  • a screenshot

  • a graphic

  • a short video where you read the review

This builds trust and naturally encourages new customers to enquire.

Step 12: Promote Your Free Content in Your Community

Your content works better if it is seen by the right people. Share your Facebook posts on:

  • WhatsApp groups

  • community chats

  • networking groups

  • newsletters

  • partner business pages

This helps you gain early engagement which tells Facebook your post is valuable.

Step 13: Turn FAQs Into Content That Brings Free Attention

Every business gets repeat questions. These make perfect Facebook content because they are:

  • relevant

  • useful

  • searchable

  • relatable

For example:

  • “How long does probate take in Bedford”

  • “What should I do if my boiler stops heating at night”

  • “Why is my car making a knocking sound”

These posts often get shared which means free advertising.

Step 14: Share Local News Relevant to Your Industry

If something happens locally that affects your business or customers, share your thoughts. This positions you as a local authority and earns trust quickly.

I have seen these posts go viral in local groups because people appreciate expert insight.

Step 15: Collaborate With Other Local Businesses

Tagging and sharing each other’s content exposes you to new people without spending anything.

For example:

  • a gym collaborates with a physio

  • a solicitor collaborates with a mortgage broker

  • a builder collaborates with an interior designer

Every collaboration gives you free reach.

Step 16: Host Live Videos

Facebook Live is pushed heavily in the feed because it keeps people on the platform. You can go live to:

  • answer questions

  • show a project in real time

  • introduce offers

  • talk about local issues

  • give advice

Lives create instant trust because viewers see everything unedited.

Step 17: Create Facebook Events

Events get free visibility across the platform. You can use them for:

  • workshops

  • charity events

  • product launches

  • open days

  • webinars

Local people can mark themselves as interested which boosts reach even more.

Step 18: Use the “Invite” Button to Grow Your Page for Free

Facebook lets you invite people who like your posts to also like your page. Most businesses forget to do this.

Every time a post performs well, click the invite button next to each person’s name. Over time your audience grows rapidly without paid ads.

Step 19: Make Your Content Shareable

People share:

  • funny content

  • emotional content

  • surprising content

  • educational content

  • relatable content

If your post helps someone, they naturally share it. That share becomes free advertising into someone else’s network.

Step 20: Stay Consistent and Play the Long Game

In my opinion Facebook rewards consistency more than anything else. If you post once a month nothing will happen. If you post two to three times a week, share behind the scenes moments, engage daily and use groups properly you will see your reach increase very quickly.

Local customers will begin to recognise your face and your brand long before they need you. That familiarity creates trust which turns into enquiries.

Why Advertising on Facebook for Free Still Works

When I look at local businesses who dominate their area the pattern is always the same. They show up consistently. They tell stories. They help people. They post regularly. They comment on local updates. They become familiar faces.

Facebook gives you free reach if you understand how to work with the platform instead of against it. You do not need a large budget. You need clarity, personality and regular activity.

We have also written in depth articles on How Much Does Facebook Advertising Cost and what are meta ads as well as our Facebook Advertising Hub to give you further guidance.