Have you heard of Craigslist.com? If not you could be missing a FREE opportunity to post classified ads throughout the nation. Craiglist focuses on providing users the ability to build an online community. Serving more than twenty million users each month, Craigslist.com is among the highest-ranking sites on the Web today. Craigslist allows users to post classified ads to a community bulletin board. Most users can place ads free, although there are charges for certain services in certain locations.
Whether you are a seller interested in selling a one-time product, a small business owner with many products or services to sell, or any entrepreneur or marketer, if you aren’t using Craigslist, you are missing a valuable opportunity to drive hoards of traffic to your site. Every month, more than 5 billion people hit Craigslist.com for information about products and services.
Now that you know a little about the site, let’s take some time finding out how you can use Craigslist.com to make money. After all, that is why most people post ads in the first place.
How to Use Craiglist to Make Money
Hopefully you can see the potential for making money by using Craigslist. Mostly, it is free advertising. As long as you follow a few guidelines and rules set up by the site, you can post classified ads relevant to almost 450 cities globally. While some ads will cost you money, the rates are far less expensive than typical paper adverts. You can use ads to gain valuable exposure with minimal time and effort on your part.
While it is helpful to have a registered account, especially if you plan to use the site more than once, you do not need one to post your ad. However, it takes about 5 minutes to set up an account, and it is free, so why not save yourself some time next time you log in? Makes sense doesn’t it? Now, when you register there are certain fields you have to fill out. These include the “title” field and the “description” field. People do want to know what you are offering after all, so a good description is essential. It helps to fill out the price section, but you don’t have to. You may turn many otherwise interested parties off by listing price. Of course the flip side is you can do the same by not posting price.
Posting on Craigslist is easy. First, go to the main page, and scroll up to the left-hand corner where you will see a link to “Post to Classifieds.” Next, you will want to select the proper category to post your classified ad in. Most people will search for advertisements by category, so be sure you put your ad in the right category. And don’t worry too much if you don’t… you can always change the category you originally selected. Posting your ad in the right place will maximize your potential for exposure.
As with anything, Craigslist has its rules, regulations and limits. You need to follow these carefully so your ad does not become accidentally banned from placement on the board. If your violation is severe, the “List” will ban you from posting in the future. Here is a condensed version of some of the more common rules:
Do not post the same item twice without first deleting the matching material
- If you plan to post in different cities or different categories, be sure to remove old posts before placing new ones.
- If you want to place posts in several categories you will have to rotate your posts. Some people get around this rule by posting ads using different accounts and e-mail addresses. Just be aware if someone discovers your actions, you may be reported and you will lose your ad permanently.
Make sure you post an item only one time in any given 48-hour period
- That is the exact timeframe the “List” tracks. You should always give your ad a couple of days to circulate to determine its effectiveness. see what the response to your ad is. Craigslist is also terrific way to test multiple ads to see which one brings in the most traffic. However, if you post the same ad before your 48-hour term ends, the ad will expire at the end of the initial 48-hour period.
Make sure you do not post ads with links to commercial or auction websites
- This is a no-no! It seems like the “List” would be a great place to set up links to your products and services, right? Truthfully, the “List” does not allow this type of advertising. Now, I am sure you are scratching your head wondering, “How am I supposed to make money if I can’t link to my site?” Good question. The answer is easy.
- While this rule isn’t one community members check up on often, you want to make sure you do things right to avoid penalty, especially if you are new to the “List”. One way to get around this rule is to provide your e-mail address. Interested parties can e-mail you, and then you can send them the link to your commercial website. This is an excellent way to produce leads without violating the lists rules or terms of use.
Craigslist makes it easy for users to post. You can have people contact you by phone or even by anonymous e-mail, where users click a link allowing them to respond to your ad and their message is forwarded to the e-mail account you appoint.
Here are some other unique features Craigslist has to offer consumers:
- You can use plain text or HTML to design your ad. Web addresses are automatically converted to links to matter which format you use so be careful.
- Feel free to add any photographs that will enhance your post. Remember a picture is worth a thousand words.
- You can use free software programs to enhance your ad and improve the odds someone reads it. Many companies have programs available that convert craigslist HTML code into full-color images. We’ll talk more about this in the FAQ section.
- You can access millions of users across the globe and in multiple cities by placing a simple ad. No other paper offers you what craigslist can, plain and simple. With more and more people surfing the Net, you would be foolish not to try placing your ad on “the “List”.”
Web 2.0 is changing the way consumers do business. There are many sites using networking technology in exciting new ways. If you want a cheap and innovative tool for promoting your business and making more money, check it out now.
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