Craigslist can be an unforgettable experience. You can buy and sell almost anything (as long as it makes sense), let alone the personal parts. In order for your Craigslist ad to stand out, you need to "decorate" it more attractively than a regular ad. Take a little time to follow this guide to find out some important tips about advertising Craigslist!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Content
Step 1. Determine the ad title
The title is the first thing people see when browsing Craigslist. Make sure the title is catchy and informative. If the title doesn't have enough detail, people won't click on your ad to see what you have to offer.
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If you are selling an item, include a description of the quality of the item being sold. Make sure the title of the ad begins with the name of the item followed by the description. Use a little capitalization to add emphasis. Check out some examples of these phrases:
- LIKE-NEW (like new)
- One owner (first owner)
- Mint (like new)
- NEED TO SELL (urgent sale)
- Works GREAT (amazing)
- If you are advertising an apartment or house, use comfortable words to convey that feeling to the reader. List the basics of the property, including the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the size of the property.
Step 2. Add ad description
The description will take up part of the ad. The description is the body of the ad, and the details that the user sees. Use good grammar and spelling in creating ad descriptions.
- Tell a story. Storytelling is a very useful tactic in selling something. Don't write you're selling an item because you don't like the item anymore. Instead, let them know that you've upgraded, or that you're forced to sell them because you have to move house.
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Talk about the benefits of your item. Approach advertising like a salesperson. Tell your readers why they need your product and not another product that appears in their search results. Enter specifications and details that make the ad look more professional.
Compare the selling price of the item with the price when you bought it. This will get the reader hooked and think about buying things from you. This trick is especially useful for more expensive items
- For property rental ads, provide detailed explanations both in terms of interior and exterior. Discuss some of the environmental aspects of the property, such as nearby schools, delicious food vendors, recreation areas, etc. Mention any new renovations if any. Also make sure you include when the new tenant can move in and the cost of the rental.
- If you are offered a job, enter when the job is expected to be completed and the compensation. Tell the qualifications needed, as well as what applicants get if they are hired. You can usually list compensation depending on experience.
- If you offer a service to a prospective employer, "sell" yourself. List your strengths and whatever you are capable of (in terms of certain areas). Suppose you are applying for a job. Tell people who read it that you are the best for the job.
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If you're writing a personal ad, get creative! Highlight ads with funny captions, poems, and more. Unique ads are much more likely to attract attention than regular "dating site" ads. Craigslist is a crazy place with no identity, so have fun in safety!
- If you're advertising for a partner, remember to "sell" yourself just like you sell stuff. List all your strengths, and what makes you unique. Be firm and tell the reader what you want. Make sure your personality stands out in your writing.
- Avoid personally identifiable information. Make initial contact via email that can't be linked to your real name, address, or job.
Step 3. Insert the image in the ad
Use Craigslist's image uploader tool to add photos from your computer to your ad. You can add multiple images, but the first image will appear next to your ad.
- Images are very helpful in selling products. If readers want to physically see what you're selling and don't find any images in your ad, they're very likely to have missed your ad. Prospective buyers want to be able to see the condition of the goods being sold.
- When selling a car, put the first image is the front view of the car. Attach another picture to show the car interior and other angles.
- When advertising a rental property, put the front image of the house or apartment as the first image. Also post pictures of the interior, backyard and other corners of the property.
- If you're posting private ads, make sure you're comfortable with strangers seeing your images. If you're going to use an image, make sure it's flattering and doesn't violate Craigslist's rules.
- Craigslist will immediately flag any direct links to external images. If you want to add an image to your ad and don't want your ad to be flagged, make sure you use an image uploader. Craigslist allows you to post simple text links to other pages within your ad, so you can use a service like photobucket, listhd, or classpics to upload high-quality images, then link those images into your ad with the words "for more images" (for other images).
Step 4. Liven up the text
Craigslist supports basic HTML code for placing ads, so you can manipulate the text. You can make text bold, italic or have other colors, bullet points, and more. See details of the available codes and how to use them on the Craigslist help page. An ad feature written using bullet points will really help buyers understand your item faster, compared to writing it in paragraphs.
Method 2 of 3: Categories
Step 1. Open Craigslist
Select the city where you will place your ad. Craigslist ads are separated by city and region.
Step 2. Click Post to classifieds
Advertising on Craigslist begins here.
Step 3. Select an ad category
Ad categories are broken down into 6 general sections: Jobs, Housing, For Sale, Services, Personal, and Community. Choose the category that best fits your ad:.
- job offered
- gig offered (a short, small, or unique job offer)
- resume/job wanted
- housing offered
- housing wanted
- for sale by owner
- for sale by dealer
- item wanted (search for items)
- service offered
- personal/romance (offering relationship)
- community (community)
- event (event)
Step 4. Select a category specification
For example, in Services Offered you can choose: automotive services, beauty services, computer services, financial services, real estate services, and others.
- Each category has subcategories. Choose which one best suits your advertising needs. For example, if you sell a video game system, make sure to put it in the video games category and not toys & games or electronics. This will make your ad easier to find.
- If your ad fits multiple categories, choose the one that fits best.
Step 5. Select a specific area to place an ad
Each major Craigslist city or region is broken down into subareas. Your ad will still be posted to a larger area, but specific areas will help you find local buyers and sellers.
Method 3 of 3: Placing Ads
Step 1. Add your specific location
If you're advertising a yard sale or anything else that requires an address, list it here. Otherwise, leave your identifying information.
Many advertisers use this column to list phone numbers and websites. Make sure you include https://www for the link to be active
Step 2. Enter the price
The price field will appear in the case of advertisements related to the sale of goods. Make sure you set the right price. You can also include an OBO (or best offer) if you can negotiate.
Step 3. Enter the contact's email address
Craigslist requires a contact email address to place an ad. In general, the email option is anonymous email, meaning that no one will be able to see it on the site or when someone responds to your ad.
- Anonymous email can only be used for the first email from the site. Each subsequent email between you and the other party will display your actual email address. It is recommended that you create an email address specifically intended for business on Craigslist.
- You must enter a valid email address to receive a confirmation email from Craigslist in order to publish your ad.
Step 4. Insert your ad in the map
Craigslist now gives you the option of placing your ad on an interactive, searchable map. Other people can see where you are in offering something.
You can enter only the city and zip code, or you can enter your full address. A small map will be added to the ad, and your ad will appear when other people search for the map
Step 5. Submit ads
After selecting an image, you may be asked to complete a CAPTCHA. Then you will receive an email from Craigslist. This email contains a link to your ad, where you can make final edits before publishing it.
Some sections of Craigslist require verification by phone before your ad can be published. This is to reduce the installation of automatic spam ads
Tips
- Use correct grammar and spelling to make your ad easier to read.
- Make sure the ad message is easy to re-edit. Later you will have to log back in and cancel the ad once your product or service is sold. The most important thing to do after an ad runs is to cancel it so that other people across your region don't waste time responding to ads that are no longer valid.
- Always be on the lookout for scams. Always use the cash payment method and meet in person. Craigslist does not guarantee every transaction.
- Read Craigslist Ebooks to learn more about the intricacies of placing a Craigslist ad.
- Use valid images and links.
- You can set up a separate email address for your Craigslist account. Even if you use the Anonymous option, customers can still get your email address when you respond to them after they write to you via the anonymity function.
Warning
- Do not place more than 1 ad in 48 hours, or your IP address will be rejected. If you abuse all ads too often, your entire ISP will be disapproved, and you'll need to verify your phone number to continue with advertising.
- Do not reinstall the same product or service within 48 hours.
