When it comes to anything free, people can get greedy.
They don’t play nice and they don’t leave extras for others. Well, websites that allow free advertising are no different.
Craigslist, one of the most popular websites offering free advertising, has taken notice of users abusing the system and implemented two techniques to try to combat the growing problem of spam on the site. If your marketing plan involves multiple postings on Craigslist, then listen up. You may be shooting yourself in the foot and not even know it.
Phone Verified Accounts
The first thing Craigslist has implemented is requiring Phone Verified Accounts (PVA) for posting in certain categories. Have you noticed that you used to post freely on Craigslist, but you’re now blocked from posting until you’ve set one up? If so, Craigslist has identified you as an over-poster.
One of the most common reasons Craigslist will require you to have a PVA is multiple posts from a single IP address.
A PVA might just sound like an extra step in posting your listing, but this brings us to the second tool Craigslist has implemented to deter overposting: a phenomenon called “ghosting.”
This occurs when you post an ad and receive notification it was posted but receive no traffic from it. Ghosting makes you think your ad was posted, only it
hasn’t been and you have no idea this is the case. Essentially, you’ve taken the time to create an ad but aren’t receiving the rewards.
Not-So-Friendly Ghosts
Exactly why ads get ghosted is a mystery, but here are the theories:
• Placing links to outside websites in your ad
• Posting in a geographic area other than the one you’re actually in
• Posting multiple times from a single PVA
• Posting from multiple PVAs from a single IP address
• Posting on the same account from multiple IP addresses (this can indicate a spam farm)
• Posting ads that look similar
• Posting the state abbreviation in the location field (i.e. Raleigh, N.C.)
Making the Most of Craigslist
If you want to receive the maximum benefit from advertising on free websites, here are a few tips:
1. Don’t over-post! This is the most important rule for effective Craigslist advertising. It may sound appealing to blast a ton of free ads, but, in the long run, you risk having not only your account banned, but also your IP address and telephone numbers.
2. Feel out your limits to see what will and won’t result in your ads being ghosted. To do this, start by posting a single ad on your PVA one day, then two the next day, and three the next. You’ll have to search for your ads on Craigslist about 15 minutes after you post them to see if they actually show up. If they do, you’re good. If they don’t, you’ve been ghosted. When you start noticing ghosted ads, back down by one ad the next day and check again. Keep up this pattern until you find out exactly how many ads can show up per day. Remember that there is no general rule for this, and different people might have different results.
3. Don’t get slick and try to set up multiple PVAs from one location. The problem here is that even though you may be posting from different accounts, you’re posting from the same IP address.
4. Play by the rules. Know the terms of service. Read them, know them, live by them.
It’s important to know the best practices for getting the most out of your time, resources and free advertising. If you follow these rules, you will not lose out on a valuable advertising source for your community.
Source: Morgan Oney, CAM, My Newsletter Connection, from the APTly Spoken blog,
www.naahq.org/blog