| Craigslist can prove to be an excellent avenue for | | | | desired county than it would if the same exact |
| business promotion. Whether an individual has a small | | | | advertisement was placed as a job advertisement |
| business which they operate on a part time basis or | | | | under the category of government jobs in a county |
| a thriving business which has become a time | | | | in New Hampshire. |
| consuming endeavor, Craigslist can help the business | | | | Besides being free for most postings, Craigslist offers |
| to increase in profits and popularity. The two main | | | | additional benefits. The most significant benefit is a |
| components to successfully promoting a business on | | | | large audience. Craigslist receives over 4 billion page |
| Craigslist include reaching the target audience and | | | | views per month. With such a large audience it |
| running a marketing campaign which will appeal to this | | | | makes it possible for those who post on Craigslist to |
| target audience. This article will discuss these two | | | | reach a large audience. However, as previously |
| components in greater detail to help the reader | | | | mentioned, care should be taken when placing the |
| realize how Craigslist can be used to grow a business. | | | | post to categorize the advertisement correctly to |
| Reaching Your Target Audience on Craigslist | | | | ensure the advertisement is reaching the target |
| Promoting a business on Craigslist doesn't have to be | | | | audience. |
| a difficult process. However, it is not necessarily | | | | Effectively Marketing on Craigslist |
| automatically easier than promoting offline either. | | | | Marketing effectively on Craigslist is not very |
| Promoting your business through Craigslist does have | | | | different from marketing effectively in other forms |
| some similarities to the process of promoting your | | | | of print media. One of the most important elements |
| business offline. The main similarity is that the | | | | of an effective marketing campaign on Craigslist is |
| business promoter musts do their research to find | | | | professionally written copy that appeals directly to |
| out who is included in their target audience. | | | | the target audience. Hiring a freelance writer skilled in |
| Even the most well thought out and innovative | | | | writing sales copy is an excellent idea in this situation. |
| marketing campaign will falter if it is not reaching the | | | | The business owner might be quite knowledgeable |
| intended audience. This is why it is so important for | | | | about their business but they do not likely have the |
| those who are trying to promote their business on | | | | skills necessary to convey the purpose of the |
| Craigslist to be sure they categorize their | | | | business while also effectively convincing those who |
| advertisement correctly to ensure their intended | | | | read the posting to perform a specific action. The |
| audience will receive the intended message. The | | | | specific action may include visiting a website and |
| majority of posts on Craigslist are available free of | | | | making a purchase, requesting additional information |
| charge with the exception of job listings in New York | | | | about the products or services or performing some |
| City, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area as | | | | other desired action such as visiting a traditional store |
| well as brokered housing listings in New York City. | | | | or place of business. |
| Therefore small business owners can take advantage | | | | The other component to marketing effectively, as |
| of the free posting on Craigslist to reach their target | | | | previously mentioned, is placing the advertisement in |
| audience in a number of different locations. | | | | the correct section of Craigslist. Categorizing the |
| Consider an example of a company offering moving | | | | advertisement correctly is important but it is also |
| services in Portland, Oregon. A small moving company | | | | important to place the advertisement in the right |
| that is relatively new might want to take advantage | | | | physical location. Products and services which are only |
| of the free advertising available on Craigslist. To have | | | | offered in a limited area such as a particular city or |
| the best opportunity to reach the target audience | | | | county should be advertised in these exact locations. |
| the company should place a services offered posting | | | | However, those who offer products via a website |
| under the labor and moving category for the counties | | | | might consider placing their advertisement in all of the |
| in which the services are offered. Placing the post | | | | location to which they are willing to ship their |
| this way makes it far more likely to reach an | | | | products. |
| audience of those who are planning a move in the | | | | |