Getting noticed on Craigslist is not just hitting the “Post” button in the dizzying digital age. Rather, it involves casting magic into your ad with the help of a craigslist posting service. Think of your ad as a lighthouse in the storm: it guides the seekers through the beams to you. Buckle up because it’s about time you entered the realm of ad wizardry.
Just think about it: You happen upon an ad for used bikes. You see a variation between “Bike for Sale. Good Condition” and “Swoop into Summer: Ride this Sleek Speedster!” Which one are you gonna click? Of course, the latter! That’s what opening with a hook is all about. You need to treat your title like a great headline that implies people click. Ditch the bland descriptions that make people just keep on scrolling.
Now that you have the title to keep ’em around, the description needs to sing, too. Kill the robotic nature of text. Tell a story instead. If you are selling that bike, spin a yarn about cruising down sun-lit trails, the wind whispering secrets as you ride. Draw their emotions: buyers love to nibble on their emotions kinda like cheese and crackers. It is painting a picture they can see themselves in.
Words sell, but images need. Pack your ad with sharp, fresh photographs. Ever have an online shopping binge? Chances are, photos made you decide on half those purchases. Give each picture a quick dusting off. Take the cat off the sofa in the photograph you’re selling—that’s only if Fluffy is going too. And as always, more is better, but only quality will do.
Timing is a golden goose most forget. Weekends might attract a lot more eyeballs, but all the same, your post popping up on that lazy Saturday afternoon may make all the difference between ghost town and bazaar storm. Play with the timing a bit; strike when your audience is likely to browse.