Classified Advertising – 5 Tips for Success

When you create your online advertising campaign, it’s important to have a multi-pronged strategy with various avenues of outreach. After all, people can’t visit your website if they don’t know you exist. Classified advertising is just one important format for consideration with your advertising campaign.

Classified advertising is a way to reach people of all social and economic levels. It provides you with a unique opportunity to promote your products and focus on a target audience that is most likely to be interested in what you have to say and sell. Whether your business is big or small, classified advertising is cost-effective and easily affordable – sometimes even free.

Just like every advertisement, classified ads are only effective when they are well-designed and professionally written. That requires the use of compelling language that encourages action. Classified ads are usually very short and you need to use active language to make them work.

Before you start looking for places to post your classified ads, give some time and attention to the creation of your actual ad content. The time you spend creating content that is engaging and interesting will make a difference in how many readers click on your ad.

Following these top 5 tips to creating effective classified advertisements will make your ad campaign more successful:

Grab attention. The first words your readers see will determine whether or not they read further and click on your website, or whether they quickly move past your ad to the next one. Make your first words powerful attention grabbers. Words such as “free”, “secrets”, “introducing”, “proven”, “guaranteed”, “leading industry experts”, and “innovative” can be powerful when used in ads. But be sure you can back them up!

Use headlines as a hook. Create an incredibly engaging headline – as your reader’s eyes scan the page, your headline is what stands out. Make it short, yet catchy. Use your headline to hook them on your ad and then they’re likely to keep reading. And absolutely make sure it is relevant!

Offer a benefit. Readers are most interested in benefits to them. Quickly get to the point and tell them how you can make their lives easier or benefit them in some way. Be sure you can back-up your claim too.

State facts and statistics. When you can use industry facts or data to substantiate any claims you make, your credibility instantly increases. “9 out of 10 dentists recommend….” has frequently been used to emphasize a product. Figure out the statistic that works for your business and use it.

Give people a command. Although this may sound like a way to turn customers away, it’s really a way to draw them in. For example, “Click here now”, “Take action now”, “Get your free eBook today”, or “Take advantage of free shipping this week” are powerful commands that stir people to action.

Incorporating these 5 key elements into your classified advertisement will make it more powerful and effective. It will result in higher traffic flow and increased sales – not to mention increased brand awareness.