We typically think of newspapers when we talk about classified ads. However, more than ever, people are flocking to internet classified ads because they are more effective at increasing sales and generating traffic.
Benefits of Online Classified Ads
- Online classified ads offer customers instant gratification by providing a clickable link, unlike newspapers.
- The audience that can be reached is far greater than a small subscription area that a newspaper provides.
- They give you the option of using affiliates for online advertising.
- If you find an Internet portal with a large audience and can attach an ad to it, you’ll be able to reach more people. This can also get you backlinks and people directed to your site from larger portals.
Writing an Effective Classified Ad
You won’t have much time and will be competing with others for your potential customer’s attention. Because of that intense competition to grab a reader’s attention, be sure to follow these basic guidelines to increase your chances of being noticed.
Eye-Catching Headlines
There are numerous reasons that headlines play an important role in your ad. Search engines use headlines to help determine your ranking based on whether or not they are current and relevant. Another reason is that your headline is the first thing a reader sees when scrolling the search engine results. You want that headline to jump out and grab the reader’s attention.
Your title should not only explain what you are promoting, but it should say something that entices the viewer to click on the link to read more.
An example of this would be “beauty supplies for sale” you could write “Top Salon Owners Increase Their Sales with Our Beauty Supplies!” By rewording it you’re not only saying that you’re selling beauty supplies but adding the benefit of increased sales if they are bought from you. So, the ideal formula to use is to describe the product, add a benefit, and make them want to read the rest of your ad.
Keep it Brief
It’s important to remember that a classified ad is not a sales page. It can be an introduction to a more detailed sales page, a way to generate a contacts list, but it can also be a quick way to instantly sell a product with the click of a button. It’s your decision on how you want to use your ad, but it should be long enough to make your point and brief enough to keep the reader’s attention.
Make It Easy to Read
Using bullet points when creating a classified ad, lets the reader quickly see the benefits of the product. Remember, you want to be able to convince them to click and buy or click to go to your website in the shortest time possible. Keep your word count to under 100 words so that it is quick and effective. (Don’t forget to use keywords here too!) Leave adequate white space and vary your font selection for easy reading.
Adding Images
Adding images (if allowed by the site) makes a huge difference. Your ad will be more noticeable with an image next to the title. Unsplash is a good resource for free images. If you are selling a physical product you will want to have an image of it displayed so the potential customer can see it before they make a purchase. Having an image of the product also generates enthusiasm for the purchase.
Post It Online
Now that you have your ad ready to say what you want, it’s time to go online and see where you can post classified ads. Look for sites with large audiences that promote the ads or at least makes it easy to find them. Examples of some sites that offer free ads are Facebook and Craigslist. Unlike eBay, that charges for ad space.
Don’t make the mistake of posting your ad only one-time. Create a regular schedule, at least once a week, to keep your ad visible. If not, it will end up buried with all the other ads being posted.
In summary, online classified ads are a great way to drive free traffic to your site. Their ability to increase sales and generate traffic makes them a smart traffic tool to use. For more help driving traffic to your site see Practical Stealth Traffic.
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