Using Classified Advertising to Test Content for Your Website or Blog - 12 Tips That Get Results

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IBC

Most websites don't convert well. In other words, when visitors come, do you convert them to prospects or customers? This is usually becuase every page doesn't include a call to action, or because the offer isn't attractive enough.

When building a web site, treat each web page as an advertisement. Generally, each web page should be designed to attract just one conversion, or call to action. Thinking of your web pages as advertisements will help you create a more effective web site.

In this article, I will cover the basics of classified advertising. Classified ads are a great way to test your wording to make it more effective, so you will see references to the issues I have personally discovered. These techniques can be translated into content for your website or blog to make it more effective at moving your visitors to action!

tip #1: short is better this time
Short exact ads work better. With short pitches, you can create a lot more to test what works and what doesn't work as well. The key conversion is a click to your website, and your website statistics will show what works best. Keep in mind though that everything that works, even just a little, is worth keeping and using elsewhere.

tip #2: keep the real information at your web site
Your goal should only be to get the potential client to your website for more information. Keep this in mind when writing your advertisements. The title is the most important part of your ad - it gets people to read the ad. The short ad is what you use to get the reader to your website and is used to briefly describe what visitors will find when they get there.

tip #3: a call to action
Use action words (i.e. Now, amazing, attractive, confidential, limited, etc.) to create a sense of urgency. These words call the prospect to do something now instead of later.

tip #4: a unique appearance
Find a way to make your product appear unique to other similar products on the market that are available.

tip #5: spark an interest
Spark an interest or curiosity within your advertisement. Ask yourself “Would this ad attract me?” Be honest with yourself. Use the ad title to grab the reader's interest.

tip #6: product saturation
You more than likely will not achieve good advertising results from a product that is already saturated on the Internet, or a product that is so obscure that it has no perceived value. People want benefits and value or it's a waste of their time.

tip #7: classified ads
Online classified ads are different. The ads on the sites rotate. This means that you must post your ads regularly (this means you will need a schedule), and as in all advertising, you have one chance to grab the customer's attention. There is so much information available on the web, you must strike and strike hard to get the customer. More than likely you will have about 10 seconds to grab the reader's attention.

tip #8: no spamming
Posting the same ad over and over and over in a row is called "SPAMMING". Spamming will get your ads banned from all sites and will get your account terminated from the Classified Submission Center with no refund. In addition, my research has shown that clients that see the same ad many times in a row do not respond. No one likes a “Spammer”.

tip #9: determine what is working
Track and monitor your results. This is critical. If your ad does not attract results, change the ad with the next posting to one that will track. You need to know what ads are working. Your frame of mind should be to learn through trial and error. Every product is different. Figure out the ads that work for your product - learn while doing.

tip #10: don't sell me here
DO NOT try to sell your customer on your product directly through the ad. Let your website do the selling.

tip #11: hype doesn't sell
DO NOT try to make your product appear to good to be true. Leave out the hype. The Internet has grown and hype doe not sell anymore to real customers. Just state the real facts, but add a little sizzle.

tip #12: use a schedule
DO NOT underestimate the power of having a schedule. Post the same ads every 5-7 days. No more, No less. This keeps your ads in front of potential customer's and avoids spamming.

Note that I use online classified adveritisng becuase it is free and it works. Once I have tested my pitch in online classified websites successfully, I treat that copy as gold and use it in many other ways!