Years ago, when you wanted to sell a product or list a service, you would have to take out
an ad in your local newspaper. These days, online classified sites have taken over the
market, and many of them are free. As guerrilla marketers, that’s just what we want.
We know baby boomers are online and studies show that the highest percentage of people
using these classified sites is baby boomers, especially women boomers. If you want to
market to baby boomers, classifieds are a good place to be.
On the surface, classified advertising can seem easy, but it can be quite time consuming and
often frustrating if you don’t first learn the tricks to profiting from these listings.
There is a ton of free and fee-based classified websites available to marketers these days.
Not all of them are created equal, but there are some big leaders to consider. To help us
decipher between the good ones and the not so good ones, let’s first consider the benefits
and downfalls of classified listings:
. Classified ads can be beneficial if, and only if, you advertise on the right
websites, and if you post your ads regularly. You can literally find hundreds, if
not thousands, of online classifieds these days, but if they aren’t quality sites, you
can waste a lot of time listing your ads on them.
. Classified ads can boost your Google ranking by giving you more link backs to
your website. You’ve probably heard that the more links you have from other sites
to your site, the better ranking you will get on Google. This is true when the sites
linking to you are reputable, and the more reputable they are, the better. Most
classified sites don’t weigh much with Google because Google looks at them as less
important than a relevant website that links to your site on their own (without you
having posted an ad). Having said that, classifieds can still be a way to boost your
Google ranking slightly.
. Classified ads can increase traffic to your website if you advertise on the right
sites. To be honest, most classified listings are only visited by other people listing
ads, not by people looking to hire someone for a service or purchase a product.
Some exceptions to this rule are the following reputable and worthwhile
an ad in your local newspaper. These days, online classified sites have taken over the
market, and many of them are free. As guerrilla marketers, that’s just what we want.
We know baby boomers are online and studies show that the highest percentage of people
using these classified sites is baby boomers, especially women boomers. If you want to
market to baby boomers, classifieds are a good place to be.
On the surface, classified advertising can seem easy, but it can be quite time consuming and
often frustrating if you don’t first learn the tricks to profiting from these listings.
There is a ton of free and fee-based classified websites available to marketers these days.
Not all of them are created equal, but there are some big leaders to consider. To help us
decipher between the good ones and the not so good ones, let’s first consider the benefits
and downfalls of classified listings:
. Classified ads can be beneficial if, and only if, you advertise on the right
websites, and if you post your ads regularly. You can literally find hundreds, if
not thousands, of online classifieds these days, but if they aren’t quality sites, you
can waste a lot of time listing your ads on them.
. Classified ads can boost your Google ranking by giving you more link backs to
your website. You’ve probably heard that the more links you have from other sites
to your site, the better ranking you will get on Google. This is true when the sites
linking to you are reputable, and the more reputable they are, the better. Most
classified sites don’t weigh much with Google because Google looks at them as less
important than a relevant website that links to your site on their own (without you
having posted an ad). Having said that, classifieds can still be a way to boost your
Google ranking slightly.
. Classified ads can increase traffic to your website if you advertise on the right
sites. To be honest, most classified listings are only visited by other people listing
ads, not by people looking to hire someone for a service or purchase a product.
Some exceptions to this rule are the following reputable and worthwhile
classified sites:
. www.craigslist.org
. www.gumtrree.com
. www.thumbtack.com
. www.merchantcircle.com
. www.manta.com
. www.referralkey.com
. www.ebayclassifieds.com
. www.salespider.com
. www.angieslist.com
. www.elance.com
Avoid the overwhelming amount of classifieds that are out there and stick with the
big, highly regarded classifieds like these. That way you’ll be able to manage your
profiles and ads and you won’t be wasting your time with sites that won’t bring you
leads. As a guerrilla, you need to work smart and limiting your classified advertising
to the profitable ones is one way to do that.
. Some classified sites will send you leads instead of waiting for individuals to
call you from your ad. This is the case with www.thumbtack.com, for example.
Once you fill out your profile, you will be marked in their system as offering certain
services. Then, when someone goes on their site looking for a certain service,
thumbtack will find all of the professionals available for that service offering, and
they will email you the specs of the job. You then have the opportunity to quote on
the job or decline it. This is a great way to get free leads. These sites tend to work
best for service offerings instead of product offerings.
Craigslist
Craigslist is currently the king of classifieds. A huge amount of people use the site to list
products and services for sale, and an overwhelming amount of people use the site to
purchase those products and services. The site was started in 1995 and offers free online
classified ads broken up into various sections. It is conveniently broken up by city as well,
currently featuring the top 23 cities in the United States. It gets over 20 billion page views
per month, giving it a Google rank of 47 in the world and 9 in the Unites States (as of
January 28, 2012 on www.alexa.com). The competition is high with over 80 million new
classified ads being posted each month, but that is also what makes craigslist the leading
classified service.
EBay Classifieds
EBay is most commonly known for its auctions, however, for those who do not like
auctions, eBay also offers www.ebayclassifieds.com, formerly known as Kijiji.com, which
launched in 2005. It is less popular than Craigslist, but is growing, with a traffic ranking of
3052 in the world and 801 in the US. Like Craigslist, this site also breaks down listings into
categories and locations, making it easy for people to find what they are looking for. The
biggest advantage of this site is that the listings you post on www.ebayclassifieds.com are
also searchable from the main www.eBay.com website. This means your exposure is
increased considerably.
Writing a Successful Classified Ad
The key to effective classified advertising is writing an ad that attracts the right buyers and
entices them to make a purchase. Before you begin writing your ads, it is best to study what
works. Visit some of the classified sites listed above, notice how they are categorized and
perform some searches to see which ads come up above others. When you see ads that grab
your attention, print them out and keep them in a swipe file. This is simply a file of copy
that you think is effective, and it will give you some ideas for writing your own ads. Be sure
to never copy ads exactly. You want to be unique so that you stand out and so that you can’t
be blamed for plagiarism.
Here are some tips to help you craft a winning ad:
1. Attention – Grab attention with a headline that promotes your most important
benefit. Use keywords in your headline so it can be found easily through searches,
and be sure to use action words since they compel people to take action. Refrain
from using a bunch of asterisks, exclamation marks and capital letters to catch
attention as this just gives the impression that your ad is spam, a gimmick or simply
unprofessional.
Another way to attract attention is to use powerful words. For example, saying, “go
to www.abcsite.com to register” is certainly not as powerful as saying, “Grab your
life-changing report at www.abcsite.com.” As you are doing your research, scan the
ads and search for powerful words. Jot down the words you like and create your
own list to work from. Here is a list of powerful words to get you started:
. Proven
. Save
. Discover
. Guarantee
. Results
. Now
. Love
. Free
. You
. Immediate
. Limited
. New
. Improve
. Exclusive
2. Interest – Once you have captured the viewers’ interest, you will need to hold their
interest. The idea is to keep them reading. When people are scanning a long list of
classified ads, they will be quick to move on from your ad if you don’t constantly
keep their interest. You do this by explaining even more benefits and creating a
mental picture of what they will get from your product or service. Remember to
focus on the benefits, not the features. It is okay to mention the features, which is
what the product or service does, but then be sure to explain the benefit those
features provide. How will what you are selling make their lives easier or better?
3. Desire – This is where you spark up an emotional reaction from the reader. When
we take action to purchase something, it is almost always because of a desire we
want to fill. To create desire, you will need to use words that speak to their feelings.
Get them to FEEL how good it will be to have the benefits your product or service
provides.
4. Action – This is where you use a call-to-action to inspire the reader to act. Don’t
assume they will take action on their own. Tell them what you want them to do, and be direct in your approach. Psychologists teach that when someone is given a
directive, they are typically compelled to conform. This isn’t about pulling one over
on them. If you believe in your product or service (and you should if you are selling
it), then you should believe that your product could truly help your clients. That
being said, you are simply helping them make a decision that will change their lives
for the better.
. www.craigslist.org
. www.gumtrree.com
. www.thumbtack.com
. www.merchantcircle.com
. www.manta.com
. www.referralkey.com
. www.ebayclassifieds.com
. www.salespider.com
. www.angieslist.com
. www.elance.com
Avoid the overwhelming amount of classifieds that are out there and stick with the
big, highly regarded classifieds like these. That way you’ll be able to manage your
profiles and ads and you won’t be wasting your time with sites that won’t bring you
leads. As a guerrilla, you need to work smart and limiting your classified advertising
to the profitable ones is one way to do that.
. Some classified sites will send you leads instead of waiting for individuals to
call you from your ad. This is the case with www.thumbtack.com, for example.
Once you fill out your profile, you will be marked in their system as offering certain
services. Then, when someone goes on their site looking for a certain service,
thumbtack will find all of the professionals available for that service offering, and
they will email you the specs of the job. You then have the opportunity to quote on
the job or decline it. This is a great way to get free leads. These sites tend to work
best for service offerings instead of product offerings.
Craigslist
Craigslist is currently the king of classifieds. A huge amount of people use the site to list
products and services for sale, and an overwhelming amount of people use the site to
purchase those products and services. The site was started in 1995 and offers free online
classified ads broken up into various sections. It is conveniently broken up by city as well,
currently featuring the top 23 cities in the United States. It gets over 20 billion page views
per month, giving it a Google rank of 47 in the world and 9 in the Unites States (as of
January 28, 2012 on www.alexa.com). The competition is high with over 80 million new
classified ads being posted each month, but that is also what makes craigslist the leading
classified service.
EBay Classifieds
EBay is most commonly known for its auctions, however, for those who do not like
auctions, eBay also offers www.ebayclassifieds.com, formerly known as Kijiji.com, which
launched in 2005. It is less popular than Craigslist, but is growing, with a traffic ranking of
3052 in the world and 801 in the US. Like Craigslist, this site also breaks down listings into
categories and locations, making it easy for people to find what they are looking for. The
biggest advantage of this site is that the listings you post on www.ebayclassifieds.com are
also searchable from the main www.eBay.com website. This means your exposure is
increased considerably.
Writing a Successful Classified Ad
The key to effective classified advertising is writing an ad that attracts the right buyers and
entices them to make a purchase. Before you begin writing your ads, it is best to study what
works. Visit some of the classified sites listed above, notice how they are categorized and
perform some searches to see which ads come up above others. When you see ads that grab
your attention, print them out and keep them in a swipe file. This is simply a file of copy
that you think is effective, and it will give you some ideas for writing your own ads. Be sure
to never copy ads exactly. You want to be unique so that you stand out and so that you can’t
be blamed for plagiarism.
Here are some tips to help you craft a winning ad:
1. Attention – Grab attention with a headline that promotes your most important
benefit. Use keywords in your headline so it can be found easily through searches,
and be sure to use action words since they compel people to take action. Refrain
from using a bunch of asterisks, exclamation marks and capital letters to catch
attention as this just gives the impression that your ad is spam, a gimmick or simply
unprofessional.
Another way to attract attention is to use powerful words. For example, saying, “go
to www.abcsite.com to register” is certainly not as powerful as saying, “Grab your
life-changing report at www.abcsite.com.” As you are doing your research, scan the
ads and search for powerful words. Jot down the words you like and create your
own list to work from. Here is a list of powerful words to get you started:
. Proven
. Save
. Discover
. Guarantee
. Results
. Now
. Love
. Free
. You
. Immediate
. Limited
. New
. Improve
. Exclusive
2. Interest – Once you have captured the viewers’ interest, you will need to hold their
interest. The idea is to keep them reading. When people are scanning a long list of
classified ads, they will be quick to move on from your ad if you don’t constantly
keep their interest. You do this by explaining even more benefits and creating a
mental picture of what they will get from your product or service. Remember to
focus on the benefits, not the features. It is okay to mention the features, which is
what the product or service does, but then be sure to explain the benefit those
features provide. How will what you are selling make their lives easier or better?
3. Desire – This is where you spark up an emotional reaction from the reader. When
we take action to purchase something, it is almost always because of a desire we
want to fill. To create desire, you will need to use words that speak to their feelings.
Get them to FEEL how good it will be to have the benefits your product or service
provides.
4. Action – This is where you use a call-to-action to inspire the reader to act. Don’t
assume they will take action on their own. Tell them what you want them to do, and be direct in your approach. Psychologists teach that when someone is given a
directive, they are typically compelled to conform. This isn’t about pulling one over
on them. If you believe in your product or service (and you should if you are selling
it), then you should believe that your product could truly help your clients. That
being said, you are simply helping them make a decision that will change their lives
for the better.
In putting this all together, here is an example of an effective ad:
Need To Attract More Clients?
Discover how to generate 20 qualified leads a day so you can increase
your client base and earn higher profits in your business. Stress melts
away when you have steady clients coming in. Stress no more! Finally
get results and grab your free report, “20 Leads a Day Everyday” now
at: www.abcmarketing.com.
Classified ads are an easy and quick way for guerrilla marketers to increase their
visibility inexpensively. As a final bonus tip, when you submit your ads, keep a file
recording each classified website and the ad you posted. This will save you from
having to start fresh each time you submit to a new listing. Use the tips in this
chapter to write stellar ads, measure your results and hit those targets.
