Tag: Classified

Is Classified Advertising Dead?

For more than a century, classified ad business was dominated by the newspapers. In the offline world of the days now long gone and forgotten, it was tremendously lucrative, accounting for a significant part of publishing business’s revenues. There were even numerous standalone classified ads publications, either free or paid, attracting both readers and advertising profits.

It all changed in 1995, on the eve of digital revolution. It was that year that Craigslist was launched. It is estimated that today, this online classified giant costs tens of millions to run, at the same time bringing hundreds of millions in revenue.

While online publishing has sucked dollars out from the pockets of offline classified publications, it was a good news for an average classified user. Since cost of publishing on Internet is very low, online classified advertising websites can afford to let users post, and reply to ads, without a fee.

The real problem with free classifieds today, for both the classified ads website owners and their users, is not the operating cost, but the issue of “getting found” among the myriad of free ads in the jungle that is the Internet today. And it’s a huge problem!

The solution to this growing problem of “getting found on the Internet” appears to elude even the most hardened Internet marketing veterans and offline advertising mavens. That led some to proclaim the death of classified ads business model. They were probably too quick to write them off, though.

Online ads certainly have some serious advantages over offline ones going for them. Not charged for by the line, they can be longer. Once posted, they usually go live almost instantaneously. Unlike their printed counterparts, they are searchable.

What can we expect from the classified ads in the future? Well, they are yet to respond to social, something that is changing the Internet before our eyes. Giving the ads a “social layer” could infuse a new blood into the old industry. One important advantage online advertising has over traditional, but hasn’t made a full use yet, is performance monitoring in real time.

In recent times, a growing number of new classifieds emerged, some offering hyper-local listings, while the other cover globally. Niche classifieds are offering everything under the sun, specializing in anything from business opportunities or personals, to boats or pets.

Despite the growing pains, online classified ads world looks like it’s thriving! Classified advertising has a long history, and it is definitely not still… history.

The Best Way To Use An Online Classified Ad Posting Site

Business is no longer conducted in the manner it used to be a few decades ago. Today, the Internet is at the centre of all major and minor business operations including product planning, promotion and marketing and sales. This change in business models has necessitated a change in the methods and mediums of advertising. Online advertising has come to complement traditional methods of promotion and in many cases has overshadowed it completely.

Classified Ads are an attractive and cost-effective deal for small and home businesses that are restricted because of their stringent budgets. Most classified sites offer the posting service free of charge. This way, you can convey your message to a larger target audience without having to bother about the overhead expenses. Contrast this to placing an advertisement in a newspaper or magazine. Charged by the word or line, the longer the advertisement, the more you should expect to pay.

Online classifieds are similar in structure and layout to a classified section featuring in a newspaper or magazine; the difference is only of the medium. Advertisements are organized under categorical listings. It dispenses with the need of having to scan long lists; buyers can simply click the category they are interested and look for the product they want. A few sites allow you to post two ads at a time. The form format further increases convenience to customers. Individuals are provided with a ready-form when it comes to creating ads.

In addition to sites dedicated to posting classified ads, there are other private websites that rent ad space to business owners. It could be free of charge or for a reasonable cost. Business owners should consider posting advertisements to such sites as it garners a good amount of traffic. One should post ads to sites that are associated with the business. For example, if you offer auto services, you should consider sites that deal in automobiles. In this way, you will be able to reach your target audience faster.

A Link between Customers and Vendors

When we speak about a classified section, we only tend to look at it from the perspective of a vendor and rarely bother to trace it down the other end. A customer can benefit from using a classified ad too. A customer or a buyer considering the purchase of a product or service can create a “wanted ad” in a similar manner that a vendor or business owner would do.

The Best Way to Use an Online Classified

Irrespective of whether you are vendor or a buyer, there are few tips that will help you make the best use of an online classified.

  • You should customize it to a specific geographical location.
  • Your ad must contain a description of the product or service you want to buy or sell.
  • It should be of a suitable length.
  • It should be too the point.
  • It should include popular keywords; the right keywords will keep your ad from getting lost in the fray.
  • It should be well formatted providing necessary details at a glance.
  • An attractive catch-phrase will earn brownie points for your ad and your business.
  • You should provide accurate and up-to-date contact information.

If you’re looking for a network of free classified ads, there are plenty out there. A Google search will display all of them to you in minutes. To save you time, we’ve listed 9. There is Craigslist, Quikr, Gumtree, OLX, eBayclassifieds, Adsglobe, Oodle, Classifiedads, Sell and Look Classifieds.

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