You’ve probably heard a lot of talk about Craigslist and the power of classified advertising on the site. It has gained in popularity and has overtaken the online market for classified advertising. What once started out as a hobby for Craig Newmark has now become a national phenomenon and people are clamoring to post their ads on the site. But more importantly, people are flocking to Craigslist to find information, websites, and products.

What makes Craigslist so inviting and effective?

First of all, the site is user-friendly and simplistic. There are no fancy bells and whistles and the design and visual appearance are very plain and simple. But that’s exactly what makes it work. Craig Newmark created the site with a local community feel in mind. As the site has evolved, it has become a major source for online marketers seeking to post classified ads, attract attention to their websites and their business, and increase their brand exposure.

If you’re still in doubt about the effectiveness of advertising your business and website on Craigslist, give it a try and you’ll soon agree with the millions who are already using the service. To get started by posting your ad, you simply have to go through a few simple steps.

Steps to get started with classified advertising on Craigslist:

Create your ad that is focused on value for your target audience – sell your website and your image, not your products. That will come later.

Determine the best city for posting. Craigslist allows posting the same ad in one city at a time so you need to be selective in where you post. For example, don’t post an ad for a website focused on winter sports in California. Optimize your ad by focusing on relevant cities and locations.

Now you can click on the “Post” link of the Craigslist.org website and begin the process. Note that Craigslist is a .org website and not a .com site!

Select your category for posting. If you’re promoting your business, Craigslist only allows you to use the “Services Offered” section. Of course, you can always use ads that promote your products under specific categories such as “Health”, “Gigs”, and other categories. Just be sure to adhere to the rules about posting and what can and cannot be included in ads.

Once you choose “Services Offered” as your category to advertise your website and business, you have choices for sub-categories so choose wisely. You can select “Financial Services”, “Event Services”, and many other options. Find the sub-category that best describes your website and your business.

At this point, you’ll have to complete some basic information about the ad such as the location you are posting from, your ad title, your content, email address, and other basic information. You’ll also have an opportunity at this point to upload a graphic or picture for your ad, which is a wise thing to do if you really want to attract attention.

Make sure you include your website information by adding a “click through” when setting up your graphics – allowing people to click on your image and reach your website is essential.

Before you can finalize your posting, you must accept the terms of use, confirm your email, and review your ad. You have a chance to make any edits and changes before you publish your ad.

Now, you’re ready for your dynamic ad to drive traffic to your website. Monitor your results and tweak your ad content or graphics as needed to increase traffic flow. Try posting in different cities with different ads over a period of time. Consistency is key so don’t assume one or two postings will drive massive amounts of traffic – stick with the strategy and manage your postings and you’ll receive benefits through increased traffic.