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How to Write Free Classified Ads That Sell

Jinger Jarrett
Aug 17, 2007
If you've ever visited classified ad sites, and read some of the ads, you really have to wonder if some of these people actually make any money from the ads they post. Certainly, not all of the ads are bad. You should study some of the ads on these sites.

This should be your first step in writing a good ad: Study the ads that pique your interest. This can be ads in the newspaper, in magazines, on Google and Yahoo, and on the free classified ad sites.

You want to study the type of ads you want to write. Create a swipe file. This can be a simple text file of ads you liked, that made you want to click through, or write for more information, or whatever.

The purpose of a good ad is to get you to do something. To act.

If you've ever written an ad, then you've probably heard of the ad writing formula AIDA, but it's worth repeating here:

A - Attention
I - Interest
D - Desire
A - Action

Attention applies to your headline. You want to generate attention and get readers to read the rest of your ad. You need to write a good headline. Your headline should be short, to the point, and demand attention.

Here are some examples:

The Secret of Making People Like You
A Little Mistake That Cost A Farmer $3,000 A Year

The shorter your ad, the shorter your headline needs to be. Make every word count.

One thing you should remember here is before writing your ad, choose your audience. Your ad can't be all things to all people. Your ad must appeal to those who are looking for what you have to offer.

If you have the attention of your reader, the next step is interest. Focus on the main benefit of your product or service.

If you are writing a short ad, then you can only focus on one benefit.

Remember, a benefit is different from a feature. A feature tells you what something will do. A benefit tells the person how it will help him/her.

For example:

If you are selling a product to end baldness, a feature might be that it's easy to use. A benefit would be that the person would have a full head of hair that makes him look 20 years younger.

Here's the beginning of an example ad:

Headline: End Male Pattern Baldness Forever?

Interest: Unique formula ends male pattern baldness forever.

Next, you want to create a desire for your product.

Example: In just 15 minutes a day, you can be on your way to a full head of hair.

Finally, you want the reader to take action. Send for free details, write for free details, click through, etc.

Example: Get your free subscription to the "Male Pattern Baldness Newsletter" now.

These are just examples, and I'm sure that they can definitely be refined.

Once you've written your ad, it's time to start posting. You will need some way to track your ad. You can use different email addresses, different links, or some type of tracking software.

It's important that you track your ads because you want to know which ones are getting results and which ones aren't.

You can change your ads one element at a time to increase effectiveness.

The point is:

1. Study good ads.
2. Create a swipe file.
3. Know Your Audience.
4. Apply the AIDA formula.
5. Test and Track Your Ads.

Not only will you write better ads, but you'll also get better results.
About the Author
Get Jinger Jarrett's resources on classified ads. Craig's List Traffic, learn about free classifieds on Squidoo. Learn how to get 15,000 visitors a month to your site.
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