How to get the results you want from your classified ad.

Classifieds are an inexpensive (and sometimes free) way to generate leads for a variety of purposes from local, regional and national audiences. From print publications to a variety of online platforms, classified ads are everywhere; online you can find classified ads on social media, blogs, and even some websites that solely cater to classifieds. No matter where you live, the size of your business or budget – crafting the right classified ad can make the impact you’re looking for.

Selecting publications – Familiarize yourself with your audience and industry to find out where you’ll get the most reach with your advertisement. What publications reach the people who want to buy what you’re selling? Newspapers are often the starting place for many when thinking about classified ads, but don’t forget about magazine, niche websites and newsletters.

Selecting categories – Choosing the right category or categories is important. If you’re unsure about what category your product or service falls under, consider checking what categories are used by competing businesses. Being able to choose categories for your product or service allows you to target the right audience for your offering.

Writing a headline – The most important part of your ad is the headline. This is where you’ll most likely spend most of your time when preparing your listing.  The shorter you can make your headline, the better; try to aim for six words or less. Some ideas to get you started – what benefits does your product or service offer? If your product will solve a problem, focus your headline on the problem or solution. One more tip for headline writing – all caps or bold font can help get the reader’s attention.

Writing the body – Your next step is writing the body of your ad. Most publications and sites have a word limit on ads, so keep this in mind when you’re preparing your content. Start off by including all of the need to know information in the first sentence; if you have room, you can always include more details. Don’t forget to use abbreviations when necessary to get the most out of your classified.

Call to action – The headline’s job is to get the reader’s attention – the call to action’s job is to get the reader to act. What do you want the reader to do when seeing your ad? Whether it’s clicking a link, sending an email for more information or making a phone call – be sure your call to action is clear.

Testing – In order to see how effective your classified ad(s) may be, consider doing some testing. If you plan on running more than one ad in different publications or sites, you’ll want to use a code to know where your leads are coming from. You can include a different contact name, phone number or email address when using the same ad in different places.

Once your ads have been published for a few weeks, you’ll get an idea of what’s working and what isn’t. Take the lessons learned from your testing to determine the best route for your future advertising needs.