Marketing Resource Center

Make them find you. Make them choose you.

SEO, social media, email, content, LinkedIn, and paid ads — the basics that make customers find you, explained in plain language and ordered so you know what to do first.

🔍 SEO 📱 Instagram & Social 📧 Email Marketing 💼 LinkedIn for B2B 🗓️ Content on a Budget 🎯 Google Ads

Where should you actually spend your time?

Every marketing channel falls into one of two buckets. Knowing the difference helps you decide what to build first.

Channel Type Examples Why It Matters
Owned SEO, your website, your email list, content you publish. Compounds over time — you're not renting attention, you own the relationship and the traffic keeps working while you sleep.
Rented Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Ads. Effective, but pay-to-play and algorithm-dependent — reach can drop overnight, or stop the moment you stop paying.

The practical takeaway

Most founders start on social because it feels immediate — but SEO and your email list are what still work in year three. Build one "owned" channel early (Section 1 or 3 below) even while you're posting on Instagram.

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SEO for Small Business Owners

Being found on Google is free, compounding, and works while you're not actively marketing. Start here if you only have time for one channel.

Keyword Research Basics

Find the exact words your customers type into Google before they've heard of you — the foundation every other SEO decision is built on.

Search IntentFree ToolsLong-Tail Keywords

On-Page Optimization

Simple, no-code changes to your website — page titles, headings, image alt text — that tell Google (and customers) what your business actually does.

Page TitlesMeta DescriptionsSite Speed

Google Business Profile

The single highest-leverage SEO move for a local business — claim it, fill it out completely, and keep it updated with photos and posts.

Local SearchReviewsGoogle Maps
📈 See our SEO tool recommendations (Semrush) on the AI & Digital Tools page →

Your SEO starter checklist

  • Claim and fully complete your Google Business Profile
  • Identify 5–10 keywords your customers actually search for
  • Write clear, keyword-aware titles for your top 5 web pages
  • Add alt text to every product/service image
  • Ask your first 5 happy customers for a Google review
  • Check that your site loads in under 3 seconds on mobile
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Instagram & Social Media Strategy

Where you build trust and personality — the "rented" channel that turns strangers into an audience that's ready to buy.

Content Pillars

Pick 3–4 recurring themes (e.g. behind-the-scenes, customer stories, tips, product) so you're never starting from a blank page.

Brand VoiceContent Calendar

Reels Tactics

Short-form video is still the highest-reach format on the platform — hook in the first second, and repurpose from other content you're already making.

HooksTrending AudioRepurposing

Analytics That Matter

Ignore vanity likes — track saves, shares, and profile visits, the signals that actually predict whether followers become customers.

Saves & SharesProfile VisitsConversion
🎨 Design posts fast with Canva — see it on the AI & Digital Tools page →
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Email Marketing from Zero

Unlike social media, your email list is yours — no algorithm decides who sees it. Start collecting addresses from day one, even before you have a product to sell.

List-Building Fundamentals

A simple lead magnet (a checklist, a discount, a guide) turns website visitors into subscribers you can market to for free, forever.

Lead MagnetsSign-Up Forms

Welcome Sequences

The 3–5 automated emails that greet a new subscriber, introduce your story, and make the first sale — written once, working forever.

AutomationFirst Impression

Open-Rate Optimization

Small changes — subject lines, send times, list cleaning — that meaningfully move whether people actually open what you send.

Subject LinesSend Timing
📧 Compare email tools (MailerLite, Kit, GetResponse) on the AI & Digital Tools page →
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LinkedIn for B2B Founders

If you sell to other businesses or offer professional services, LinkedIn is where your buyers already are — and where a personal profile often outperforms a company page.

Profile Optimization

Your headline and "About" section are doing the selling before a single message is sent — write them for your buyer, not like a resume.

HeadlineAbout Section

Content Approach

Share what you're learning as a founder, not just what you're selling — LinkedIn rewards perspective and consistency over polish.

Thought LeadershipConsistency

Outreach Templates

A short, specific, non-salesy connection message outperforms a generic pitch every time — templates you can adapt in under a minute.

Connection RequestsWarm Outreach
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Content Marketing on a Budget

You don't need a marketing team to show up consistently — you need a system that turns one hour of work into two weeks of content.

Content Repurposing

One blog post becomes a LinkedIn post, three Instagram captions, and an email — write once, publish everywhere.

One-to-ManyTime-Saving

Editorial Calendars

A simple monthly grid that tells you what to post and when — the difference between "I should post something" and actually doing it.

PlanningConsistency

Batch Creation

Record or write a month of content in a single sitting — protects your energy and your calendar from daily content pressure.

Time-BlockingBatching
🤖 Draft content faster with ChatGPT or Claude — see the AI & Digital Tools page →
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Google Ads for Beginners

Once your SEO and email foundations are in place, paid search can accelerate growth — but only with a structure that doesn't waste your budget.

Campaign Structure

How campaigns, ad groups, and ads fit together — get this wrong and every other setting is fighting against you.

CampaignsAd Groups

Keyword Match Types

Broad, phrase, and exact match control who sees your ad — and how fast an unmonitored campaign can burn through your budget.

Broad MatchExact Match

Budget Allocation

Start small, track cost-per-click against your actual margins, and scale only what's already proven to convert.

Daily BudgetCost-Per-Click

Go deeper

Three ways to take this further, depending on how much time you have this week.

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Members
Complete Marketing Resource Center Guide

The full playbook in one downloadable PDF — every category on this page, expanded with templates and examples.

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Free
Action Checklist

A single-page, step-by-step checklist you can start working through today — no login required.

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Members
Expert Q&A Recording

Real questions from IWEC founders, answered by a marketing expert — watch on your own time.

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Not sure where to start?

You don't need all six channels running at once. Here's a realistic order to build them in.

Stage 1

Get findable

Claim your Google Business Profile and fix your top 5 page titles. This alone can take weeks — start here.

Stage 2

Start owning attention

Add an email sign-up to your site and write a 3-email welcome sequence, even with a small list.

Stage 3

Show up consistently

Pick one social channel (Instagram or LinkedIn, based on who you sell to) and build a simple content calendar.

Stage 4

Add paid growth

Once SEO and email are working, layer in a small, tightly-targeted Google Ads campaign to accelerate.

Not sure which marketing channel fits your business? An IWEC mentor can help you build a plan that matches your time and budget.

Find a Mentor Explore More Resources