As a beginner, it is easy to make mistakes that can kill your classified ad's chances of getting noticed or contacted
By avoiding these common errors, you can write more effective ads that attract genuine interest.
Common ad writing mistakes
- Vague headlines: The headline is your ad's first impression. A generic title like "Used Phone" is not enough to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
- No photos or poor-quality visuals: An ad without a picture is often scrolled past. For ads with images, low-quality, blurry, or stock photos can make your listing look unprofessional or untrustworthy.
- Incomplete or unclear descriptions: Leaving out key information, such as the item's condition, dimensions, brand, or specifications, forces potential buyers to message you with basic questions and can cause them to lose interest.
- Incorrect pricing: Setting an unrealistic price—whether too high or a suspiciously low "too good to be true" price—can deter potential buyers.
- Ignoring platform rules: Each online classifieds site has its own set of rules. Posting the same ad repeatedly, using the wrong image types, or putting your ad in the wrong category can get it flagged or removed.
Common transactional mistakes
- Meeting in an unsafe location: Beginners often agree to meet in secluded or unfamiliar places. This is a safety risk and can make one vulnerable to scams.
- Sharing personal information too early: Including your home address or other sensitive personal information in the ad itself is a safety risk.
- Falling for shipping scams: A common scam involves a buyer insisting on shipping an item and paying through a wire transfer, cashier's check, or other method that is not secure. This is especially risky if the "buyer" is in another country.
- Not checking payment funds: For larger transactions, a scammer may provide a fraudulent cashier's check or money order that a bank will initially cash but discover weeks later is counterfeit.
- Not responding promptly: Slow communication can cause an interested buyer to move on to another listing. Being quick to respond shows professionalism and increases the chances of a sale.
Common ad placement and optimization mistakes
- Posting in the wrong category: Placing a real estate ad in the "cars" section means the right people will never see it.
- Forgetting to use keywords: People search for items using specific terms. Omitting popular keywords, brand names, or other relevant search terms will make your ad hard to find.
- Not refreshing the ad: On many classified platforms, newer ads are more visible. Forgetting to renew or repost your ad means it will get pushed down by newer listings over time.
- Omitting important documents: For ads that require verification, such as for a lost item or legal name change, forgetting to upload required documents will delay or prevent the ad from being published.