My Favourite Free (or Nearly Free) Tools to Automate Your Marketing
Because marketing shouldn’t feel like a full-time job on top of your full-time job!
If you’ve ever sat there thinking:
"Do I actually have to post something AGAIN?" or
"There’s gotta be a better way to do all this marketing stuff…”
…you’re not alone.
Marketing your business online can feel like a full-on circus act, juggling Insta posts, emails, reels, hashtags, Canva designs, and maybe even the odd panic scroll. And let’s be real, most small or medium business owners do not have the time (or budget) to be buying every fancy software under the sun.
Good news?
You actually don’t need to.
There are heaps of free (or super low-cost) tools you can use right now to save time, automate the basics, and make your marketing feel less like a chore.
Let’s dive into my go-to tools that I recommend to clients all the time, the ones that work, don’t cost a fortune, and are actually kind of fun (promise).
1. Google Sheets – your new marketing brain
Before you yawn and scroll, hear me out.
Google Sheets is not just for accountants and spreadsheet lovers (although – bless them). I use Sheets for:
Planning content calendars
Mapping out ideas for the month ahead
Tracking hashtags and content themes
Listing reels ideas so they don’t disappear into the notes app void
Bonus: You can colour code it, chuck in some cheeky emojis, and share it with your team (or your partner who keeps saying “I thought you were posting that today?”)
No fancy software. Just good old Google. Free. Reliable. Glorious.
2. Meta Business Suite – yes, it’s free (and yes, it works)
This is the behind-the-scenes dashboard for Facebook and Instagram, and if you’re not using it yet, please let me introduce you.
Why I love it:
You can schedule posts ahead of time (goodbye last-minute panic posts)
It gives you juicy info like what’s performing well
You can reply to DMs and comments all in one place
It’s free, built into your Facebook business page, and already ready to go
Hot tip: I sit down once a week, schedule my posts for the next few days, and then forget about it until next week. Boom. Done.
3. Canva – your design bestie
Honestly, if I had a dollar for every time I said “just use Canva”... well, I’d have a lot of Canva dollars.
Whether you need Instagram posts, flyers, stories, email headers, QR codes or even business cards Canva has your back.
Why I use it:
It’s super easy
It has templates for everything
You can save your brand colours + logos (even on the free version!)
And it makes your business look so professional without you needing a design degree - It is all about keeping your brand consistent and clear
Also: Canva now has AI writing and design help, so if you’re stuck on what to say or how to lay it out, it’ll give you a head start. Pretty clever.
4. CapCut – for easy, scroll-stopping video content
If you’ve ever thought “I should make a reel but… ugh”, CapCut is here to change your life.
This app is a free video editor (works great on your phone) that helps you create polished, fun, brand-aligned video content with:
Easy drag + drop editing
Text overlays
Transitions and music
And pre-made reel templates if you’re feeling a bit meh about starting from scratch
Whether you’re doing a behind-the-scenes clip, a product demo, or a “me just doing life as a biz owner” vibe – CapCut makes it look slick without needing hours of your time.
5. Edit within the platforms – Instagram and TikTok do a great job already
Real talk? You don’t have to edit outside of the app.
Instagram and TikTok have solid built-in editing features:
Add music
Stickers and text
Simple cuts and trims
Effects if you’re feeling playful
Start where it feels easy. Whip up a quick reel right in the app, chuck on your fave sound, type a quick caption, and hit post. Don’t overthink it.
Final Thoughts: You don’t need to do it all – just do what works for you
There’s so much pressure online to be everywhere and do everything – but honestly? You don’t need to.
Start small. Use free tools. Keep things simple.
Even batching a few posts and scheduling them in Meta Business Suite will free up your brain space for the other 1000 things you’ve got going on.
And hey – if it all still feels like too much? That’s where I come in. Helping you make sense of your marketing, keeping it simple, and cheering you on every step of the way? That’s my jam!
Want me to set up your content plan, templates, or just take the digital drama off your plate completely?
Flick me a message. Let’s make your marketing easy, gorgeous, and something you actually enjoy.
