Craigslist Can Increase Web Traffic

At one time or another, you have likely browsed through the myriad listings on Craigslist. Some visitors search for a particular item or service, some look for the random bargain, and others are just curious of how one man’s list spawned an internet sensation. It matters not what you are searching for. In much the same way death and taxes are guaranteed, it can be perfectly expected that someone is advertising your product or service of interest on Craigslist.

One benefit of the site that few have yet to knowingly capitalize on, however, is its utility as a springboard for increasing website traffic. In taking the proper, not to mention scrupulous, steps when preparing your listing, you can simultaneously generate website traffic and sell the respective services or products your company offers. It is incumbent upon users to respect the established rules and guidelines of Craigslist, for although it’s an enormous online venture, it’s not so large as to allow spammers free rein, so violators can rightly expect imminent bans.

There are two primary ways of using Craiglist to generate website traffic

A.  Use the search engines

The major search engines are enamored with Craigslist, as it’s one of the top 20 most visited sites in the United States, and one of the most popular sites worldwide. Thus, even the newest Craigslist listings quickly garner top search rankings in Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. Therefore, sprinkle a moderate sampling of keywords and phrases into your listing content, while also placing a link to your website nearby. Although Craigslist will be the URL garnering the improved search engine rankings, visitors who click thru will land on your Craigs List posting and in turn may very well navigate or click thru to your website. You can use html tags, but do so sparingly. Use http:// in front of your web address to make sure it becomes an active, clickable link.

B.  Lure Craigslist users

Millions of people circumvent the search engines and head straight to Craigslist, and as mentioned before, some know what they’re searching for and others are just curious window shoppers. Nevertheless, the culture of Craigslist breeds ample opportunities for driving spontaneous traffic to your website. Whether your company sells musical instruments or automobiles, there are people in your geographical area who are searching for your products or services, so it’s your duty to stand out amongst the litany of competing listings.

Tips for optimizing your Craigslist listing

1.  Put keywords and phrases in your subject line. This brief subject line distinguishes the Craigslist champions from the failures. Either be blunt in declaring your product or service “Online Marketing Company in Iowa” or employ a call-to-action “Increase your website traffic today!” Obviously, grammatical and spelling errors should be avoided at all costs (unless you are also employing a strategic effort to also rank for typical misspellings).

2.  Only submit relevant and well-written content. The back button on web browsers is mighty popular during the Craigslist experience, as many subject lines misrepresent the actual listings. Not only does compelling content enhance your chances of driving traffic to your website, but it also assures Craigslist that yours is a spam-free operation. Another tip to improve your click thru rate is to include one or more photos/images in your post.

3.  Only submit unique content. Companies targeting a national clientele will be understandably compelled to post a listing for each major city. While this may be acceptable, Craigslist will not tolerate duplicated content. Make sure each listing is unique in its own way, even if the products and services are the same. Similarly, you might consider targeting one or two cities at a time, in lieu of hitting 50 cities at once. The Craigslist.org FAQ section recommends you post in one category and in one city no more than every 48 hours.

4.  Use Geo-targeting techniques. Each listing should be unique to its targeted city, so search for definitive ways to compose your content around the superlative traits of a given town or city. Even alluding to a unique landmark like the Statue of Liberty or the St. Louis Arch is enough to distinguish one listing from another. This not only appeases Craigslist, but offers some assurance to local customers that you are familiar with their community.

5.  Be prudent with your listings. Just because Craigslist is a valuable tool for driving online traffic to your website doesn’t mean it should be abused. Only post a few times a week or month, and even consider posting from multiple emails. If Craigslist identifies your company as one taking advantage of its community, you’ll likely be banned from the city limits forever.