The classified ad may be as old as Ancient Rome, but the classified as we understand it today (or until recently), came about in England in the 1600s, when people posted notices in public about lost property and rewards. It quickly became a regular part of newspapers in the 1700s and turned into a steady source of revenue for newspapers. Today, it seems incredible that anyone looks at newspaper classifieds at all, and it’s all because of the internet.
Online classified sites like Kijiji have quickly become central to the way people live in cities. They’re not just marketplaces for used goods like books, furniture, and big-ticket items like cars. They’ve become essential marketplaces for real estate, service ads, job postings, and more. You can use online classifieds to find and rent a new apartment, hire the movers, sell your old DVD collection, and replace your furniture. They even compete with real estate listings for homes and condos, not to mention used car classifieds. There is a world of new markets out there for you to tap into, and customers looking online for goods and services.
As a business or service provider, if you want to tap into new audiences, you need to start using Kijiji classifieds to promote your business and connect with new customers. It doesn’t matter if you’re a private tutor, a real estate agent, a used car dealer, or a writer, your clients are using online classifieds to find you and your competitors. Classified ads are an affordable and effective way to generate leads for your business online, whatever you do.
The first step to successfully leveraging sites like Kijiji is writing your ad. Do your research and see what your competitors or people already posting in the relevant category are doing. How are others writing their ads, how much information are people including in them, and are other businesses listing prices for their services or do they operate by providing quotes? You want your ad to stand out and get attention, but before you can break out of the crowd, you should understand the conventions.
Second, consider sponsoring your ad, taking your post to the top of the page so that all eyes land on it. Promoting your ad on a classified site is a very economical way to spend a modest marketing budget. Even a small investment can put your business in front of thousands of new eyes, as well as lend your business credibility.
Thirdly, change things keep up – try writing a different ad each week, or even daily, that stresses a different side of your business, a different problem you can solve, or that appeals to a slightly different market. A real estate agent, for example, would want to write different copy based on whether they’re focusing on condos or houses. Condo marketing is usually focused on urban lifestyles, shorter commutes, and the energetic feeling of living in the center of a city, while houses can be about having space and peace of mind for your family.
If you’re not using online classified sites to market your business, you’re missing out on leads. With well-written ads, promotion, and creativity, you can unlock brand new markets for your business.