Despite the fact that every facet of an online business matters, the marketing and promoting you do will have the greatest affect. It is up to you to market your business consistently in order to generate the kind of traffic needed to succeed. Here are five free marketing techniques that can help you work at home online with success.

1. Article writing
There are a number of benefits to writing and submitting articles. First, it allows people to see your true knowledge and expertise on the topic you are writing on. Second, it allows you to submit the article within a specific category to reach your target market. Lastly, you can take advantage of keyword optimization.

2. Posting in forums
Posting in forums is extremely powerful because you have the opportunity to interact with your target market. There are forums specific to various niches and categories so you can talk to those interested in the same things as you. From there, let loose and show people the real you. Instead of hiding behind your business name, people get to see who you really are.

3. Networking in social sites
Social sites have exploded on the internet over the past few years. With Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, you can meet new people and actually stay connected with them well after your initial conversation. These sites give you the chance to become friends with various people, read over their profiles, and build a trusting relationship with each other.

4. Link exchanges
Link exchanges are nowhere near what they were a few years ago, but it is still a good way to generate backlinks without spending a penny. When you work at home online, you have to get your link out there as much as possible. Link exchanges consist of you placing someone else's link on your site in return for them placing your link on their site. The hope is visitors of their site will see your link and make their way over to yours.

5. Keyword optimization
Perhaps the most difficult way to promote your business without spending a penny is keyword optimization. This involves you targeting a specific keyword and placing it all over your web site, in articles, and anywhere else you are associated to without spamming. As a result, the search engines will see this and the goal is to be on page one in the top three or four for whatever keywords you target.

Advertising is crucial to making money online. If you want to work at home online and succeed, you have to develop a consistent traffic flow. The great news is there are several free ways to promote your business including the five listed in this article.