The year is 2026. The world is in turmoil. Existing—whether as an individual or a business—is more expensive than ever before. Big Tech has created monopolies that gatekeep access to the internet, forcing a pay-to-play world.
The internet was once a free dimension where the truly creative could build multi-million-dollar businesses overnight on a shoestring budget. Now, businesses pray they don’t lose access to Big Tech platforms for fear of getting shut down forever. The only way to exist in this framework is to feed the Big Tech machine more money every month for a sliver of visibility.
THIS MEANS WAR
Small businesses are outgunned by Big Tech, and they need a way to fight back. Fittingly, in 1984, a man named Jay Conrad Levinson wrote a book called Guerrilla Marketing. Today, that book - and the inspiration it provides - is needed more than ever.
We can’t fight this war conventionally. We’ll bleed to death. We must think outside the box while also returning to marketing fundamentals developed in the last century.
Guerilla Marketing Rules of Engagement in 2026
Rule #1: Invest In Marketing That YOU Own & Control
Instagram, TikTok, Google Search — these are things that you don’t own and certainly don’t control. You can market on them and, in most cases, you should, but it’s important to build a business where you’re not dependent on them for survival.
So, what are the things that you do own and control?
- Your website
- Your email list
- Your network
Even if you don’t get any traffic from Google, people ARE going to visit your website. Is your website communicating the way you want it to, to your prospects and customers? Probably not. So, it’s important to always be improving that experience.
Most businesses we work with are not utilizing an email list. This might be the biggest mistake in modern marketing. No matter what you do, your email is a customer communication channel that reaps dividends for years if used correctly and is nurtured properly.
Finally, your personal network is an often underutilized secret that not only acts as a viral jumping ground for any campaign you wish to embark on, it’s also the channel with the most built-in trust.
Rule #2: Kill 3 Birds With 1 Stone
For decades, people have been saying “content is king.” We like to say “content is core.” We believe that written website content is the core of all modern marketing. It can start with a web page or blog post. That piece of content not only has a good chance of bringing in free search engine and AI traffic, but it can also be repurposed for email and social media marketing.
If we’re smart, we start there. Most businesses are constantly having to create new content all the time to feed all their marketing channels. If you organize your content battle plan intelligently, you can do a lot more with less.
Rule #3: Pay to Play, But Don’t Play Their Game
You can spend money on Google Ads or with Meta, but you certainly don’t have to do what’s recommended by them. Most of the time, that’s designed to drain your bank account. Real guerilla marketers know how to place bets with these platforms that maximize output without breaking the bank. There are some very unconventional approaches that can work wonders down the road.
We’ve Given You the Rule Book. Go Forth and Win Your Battles.
If you need us, we’re here to help. We offer expert services in:
- Search Engine Optimization
- Google Ads Management
- Landing Page Creation
- Written Website Content
- Social Media Management
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