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Craigslist is the most popular free classified ads site on the internet. It's also one of
the top 50 most visited sites in the world, and so it should be a part of your marketing
plan. However, if you want to get the most from Craigslist, then you will want to do
things a certain way. These tips will show you how to get the most from your ads and
avoid many of the problems most have when posting here.
1. Don't make your ads too commercial.
When you post text ads to Craigslist, you really want to watch the wording. Some words
will set off red flags for this site and prevent your ad from getting accepted. Get straight
to the point. Include a benefit in your ad for your readers. Include a link to your site,
or you may use the email function, which might be more effective. Test these to see which
works best for you. You may also use HTML ads, but again, avoid using any type of hype
in your ad or words that may get it flagged.
2. Place your ad in the right category.
Some of the categories on Craigslist are paid and others are free. One of the biggest mistakes
I see made on this site is people posting business opportunities in the jobs category.
Not only are you alienating your potential customers, but you are lying to them. A business
opportunity is not a job. It's a business opportunity. Put it in the small business
ads category for better results. Same thing goes with everything else: if you are giving
away something for free, then make sure it really is free.
3. Try using image ads.
Maybe you can't avoid using certain words in your ads in order to communicate your message.
That's when you should use an image ad. This is an ad with all your text on an image. You
may easily make these using a simple graphics program. Make sure you include a call to action
use different names for it and write different headlines to make the ad different.
4. Submit consistently.
Craigslist has very specific rules about how often you may post. The truth is, you may
post every day, but only post one or two ads. Each ad should be unique. Again, post everything
in the appropriate category and watch the wording of your ads. Don't forget to include
a way for your readers to connect with you.
5. Try marketing on the forums.
The forums are another place where you may market. Just make sure that you post relevant
content in the appropriate category. Write short min articles and then link to your site.
You want to make sure you don't overwrite on the character count because the rest of
your ad won't show up. You must also sign up for an account, and your account must be
confirmed and open for seven days before your links will be clickable.
Follow the rules on Craigslist, and you can drive a lot of traffic to your site. Get your
IP banned, and you won't ever be able to post ads. Use this site the right way to get the
most traffic.