How To Use Craigslist to Generate Free Traffic to Your Website, Blog or Hub Pages
84How To Use Craigslist to Generate Free Traffic to Your Website, Blog or Hub Pages
The Craigslist website can be a powerful tool to generate free traffic to your website, blog or Hub Pages. If you have quality, relevant content aligned with a Craigslist posting, Craigslist visitors will come!
Craigslist specializes in local classified ads, postings & forums and currently serves more than 550 cities in over 50 countries across the globe. Although they charge for some listings, the majority are free.
The Craigslist website is also one of the most popular websites in the world. Internationally it’s in the Top 40 most visited websites. Within the United States it’s in the Top 20 most visited websites. We’re talking millions and millions of visitors each day who could be reading your website, blog or Hub Page.
Here are some tips on how to use Craigslist to generate free, targeted traffic to your website, blog or Hub Pages.
Craigslist Traffic Sources
There are two ways that Craigslist can help drive traffic to your web pages:
First, you can drive traffic from Craigslist visitors who are browsing ads, finding yours and then clicking on your hyperlinks. Per the Craigslist website*, they currently have more than 50 million visitors per month with more than 20 billion page views per month. (*About Us, August 2009)
Second, you can drive traffic via search engines. Craigslist postings, if written appropriately with rich content and keywords, can be very search engine friendly. So, someone using Google and Yahoo could be directed to your ad or listing on Craigslist , and if they click on your hyperlinks- wallah, more traffic.
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Abide By The Craigslist Content Rules
Since Craigslist is such an Internet icon, they have to be smart about Craigslist content. So before you post, make sure that you abide by CL's content rules.
→ You should only consider using Craigslist if you have high quality, relevant content to promote.
→ When you write a Craigslist posting, any links provided must match the ad content. In other words, no spamming. If you are flagged as a spammer, Craigslist will remove your listings, ban you from posting future ads, and you may black-list your fellow online writers.
→ You should not post duplicate content- Craigslist knows! It may let you post a similar listing on a few different Craigslist locations, but will then start to block you and you’ll see duplicate content warnings. Even if you change the text, CL can recognize duplicate links. So, choose the Craigslist geographic locations (Ex. Boston versus L.A.) as well as the Craigslist website section (Ex. Forums versus Events) that you think will be the best match to your content.
→ You should read and abide by the Craigslist content rules to ensure that you do not violate any policies. Click here to link to CL's rules of the road.
→ Refrain from excessive postings, which again, may result in removal or blacklisting. You may also want to post under a few different email addresses.
What Craigslist Geo-Local Sites Should You Post In?
Craigslist.org is a group of separate, geography based sub-sites all linked together under one blanket site. For example, there’s Craigslist Boston, Craigslist L.A. and Craigslist D.C. When visitors go directly to Craigslist they are looking at their local area, not the U.S. or an entire country. And, when you post an ad or listing, you have to pick just one geographic area.
Therefore, before you post, think through the demographics of the population of each Craigslist area and who would be most interested in your website content, product or service. You can also assume that the larger cities have more visitors than smaller ones. And, Craigslist tends to be more popular on the west coast than east coast.
Jamie Robe, wrote an E-book on this topic called “Craigslist for Entrepreneurs” You can read more about his recommendations around Geo Postings via this link.
Watch The Craiglist Traffic Secrets Video
What Sections of Craigslist Should You Post To?
There are several areas of the Craigslist site that align well to promoting and driving traffic to your website, blog or Hub Page. The area you choose should be tied to the content you want to promote or link to. Here are some examples.
If you are selling seasonal products or have written a blog or Hub Page that has content about a particular holiday or time of year, you could create a listing on the Craigslist “events” section that directs traffic to your web page(s). For example, around New Year’s Eve you could promote limousine services or around Valentine’s Day you could promote Valentine’s Day gift ideas.
The Craigslist “Services” section can work well if you are promoting content about a specific service. The “General” area within the Community area can be used for almost anything, but it’s one the least targeted areas of the site.
The "Discussion Forums", if used wisely, can generate traffic. There are discussions posted on more than 70 topics including autos, beauty, diet, gifts, money and sports. It’s important to remember that most forum visitors are there to chat not read ads, so you may need to participate in a discussion before you include an ad or link in your content. The forum users are quick to flag posters as spammers and you want to avoid being banned.
There are 30 categories within the Craigslist “For Sale” section, from boats to electronics. If your site or web page is selling a specific, relevant product, this area could be a perfect match for traffic generation.
Kathryn Vercillo, a writer based in San Francisco, (the birth place of Craigslist) recently penned a complimentary online article called “How to use Craigslist for Blog promotion” and she provides her own unique views on which sections of Craigslist to use to generate traffic and why they work best.
If you need help posting an ad to Craigslist, visit this “how to” Hub Page for more information.
I can’t stress enough.. Your goal should be choose the site section that best matches the relevant, high quality content you want to promote. This will lead to generating the most traffic.
Watch The Internet Marketing Tips Guru Video
How To Write A Craigslist Ad To Drive Traffic To Your Web Page
The best Craigslist ads to generate traffic are well written, concise, on the short side (less than 200 words), yet contain enough detailed information and key words to generate interest from both the Craigslist visitors and the Search Engines. Similar to your blogs or Hub Pages, using the right ad title is also very important.
Here is an example of a posting in the events section around Valentine’s Day that directs traffic to a Hub Page article:
Tite: "Valentine's Day For Harley Enthusiasts"
“Valentine's Day is the perfect time to celebrate your love for Harley and your love for your significant other with a Harley Davidson themed Valentine's Day gift. Hub Pages is a great resource for Harley gift ideas.
If you are looking for a Valentine's gift for your Harley Queen: http://hubpages.com/hub/Harley-Davidson-Valentines-Day-Gifts-For-Women
If you are looking for a Valentine's gift for your Harley King: http://hubpages.com/hub/Harley-Davidson-Watches--A-Buyers-Guide
These Valentine's Day Gift ideas will save you time and your Harley partner will love them!"
I tested this concept recently with my “Top Ten Things To Do on New Year’s Day” online article and generated about 100 views between the San Francisco and Atlanta Craigslist sites within 48 hours.
“Funnebone”, a free lance writer from Philiadelphia, wrote about his Craigslist success driving traffic to his Hub Pages in the article “Rocketing Your Hub Views Using Craigslist."
Bonus Craigslist Tip!
Create a Craigslist Account. It’s free to join and this will save you time whenever you post a future ad as your personal information, ex. email address, will be saved. Some Craig’s List posters create multiple accounts with multiple email addresses.
Steve Mount, the author of “Cashing in on Craigslist” recommends creating image ads instead of text. The advantage, per Mount, is that you can post identical ads to multiple sections of Craigslist and the website detectives can’t tell that they’re duplicates.
The image must be “clickable” and linked to your web page in order to drive traffic. Mount says that this method allows him to post up to ten ads per day. You can read more about Steve Mount’s book on Amazon.com.
You Can Generate Free Traffic With Craigslist!
As described above, the Craigslist website can be a powerful tool to generate free traffic to your website, Hub Pages or blogs. If you have quality, relevant content aligned with a Craigslist posting, Craigslist visitors will come!
I hope these tips help you to drive the MASSIVE web traffic that we all dream about!
Copyright 2009, M. Reynolds, All Rights Reserved
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CommentsLoading...
VERY EDUCATIONAL. I LOVED IT !!!
Thanks for the feedback. I hope these tips help you generate lots of traffic from Craigslist
Great job breaking it down.
Thanks Funnebone. Glad you found this artilce on craiglsit helpful.
Thanks for the useful hub. But, for hubpage earnings, just visiting readers are not enough. They must be clickers.Then only we earn.
Good point Prasadjain. For me, I've found that Harley hubs lead to clicks and buys on Amazon. Thanks for the tip!
Great article! It was very easy to understand.
Thanks for the feedback! Glad it was easy to understand
Great Craiglist Tips for driving traffic. I can definitely use these to drive traffic to my blog.
I've used Craiglist a few times to drive traffic. Your tips are right on..well written
I had given up on Craig list long back. Now i guess i should try again!
Interesting idea have to try because I always Buy & sell things at Craigslist anyway.
Thanks for the tips. I'll try it for my article: My Top 10 Favorte Things I use Everyday.
Good tips. Thanks!
Good advice, craiglist will bring you lots of traffic if done properly. thanks
Thanks Anamika, Mr. Nice, Robyn S, Peggy W and Wallpaper Queen. I hope that trying Craiglsit brings that exra website traffic you are looking for!
all thumbs up.
incredibly well written. Thank you!
I see a value in posting on Craigslist, but until now was not sure of the proper way to do that. Your Hub made several things clear to me that I just wasn't understanding before. Thanks for the great information.
Nice Hub! Just left Craigslist and headed here...found your hub :)
Thanks for this. I got more useful info out it than I did from an hour-long teleclass, and 50 page transcript. I'll be using it as a guide to promote my new ebook, "Staying Up In Down Times: Creating Resilience, Results, and Rewards." Much appreciated!
Yeah, I'll have to be resilient too as they change their rules a bit.
superb article. thanks for the helpful tips!
really good info. I've never used craigslist before to do business. I've just looked at homes for rent and things like that. I appreciate all the info
Hi there, If you would like free ebooks on craigslist and more useful marketing products, keep checking my hubs.
Great hub ;)
Great info! Thanks for posting.
Craigs fan, too! Good hub!
Great info, I have used such techniques before and have made sure to do it all "legally" but people still feel the need to get me de-listed. I gave up on it.
Thanks for this super hub. Well done. Very easy to follow.
i love this
Great information! I used craigslist in the past without success. Wiill give it another try soon.
Thanks for the feedback.. Sorry you were d-listed rethansmith..
Very useful and detailed information. Thanks
I will use it
Thanks for helping we like novice,the hub is fantastic and eye catching.Go on with such hubs
Umardaud- I appreciate the feedback. Good luck with your hubs!
nice hub!!!!!!!
I liked this. For whatever reason, I would have never considered Craigs List as an advertising venue for blogs! Thanks!
I'm a new hubber by the way. I hope you post more hubs like this. :)
As a new bubber I constantly seek information on how I can increase traffick and what topics I should write about. This is certainly a point in the right direction and is extremely informative.
Great Work
Thumbs up!
Great post!
Thanks for the info. I think i'll try it - for both my business web site and my hubs.
hi,every poster, if you need many CL accounts ,i will offter them to you ,visit our website : www.creatings.cn thanks
As an Internet enthusiast doing occasional online writing myself, I'd like to commend your first paragraph. There your first sentence tells what what the hype is about, and your second sentence tells the reader how that advantage is achieved. Good job. I have read so many hubs where half the article reads like a teaser, with the fast-reading visitor getting impatient as he scrolls down.
I've noticed you've written a lot here about the how-to's of Craigslist. I'm not going to add to that. But how about other free ways of getting traffic? Like article marketing and free ebook distribution? I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, as I'm always on the look out for fresh perspective.
Thanks for the feedback Robert. Glad you found the Craigslist article useful. In answer to your question, what I have found with my hubs is that the ones with the most original and searched on content, have the most natural, free traffic- for the long term.
For example, my "Personal Experience With Thyroid Cancer" has gotten steady traffic daily from Google and Yahoo with no proactive effort on my part- for six months running.
When I am proactive, I find blogging on other sites and linking to my hubs tends to drive the most free traffic to my hub pages..
Wishing you continued web success!
UseCraigsList GenerateFreeTraffictoYourWebsite
very good, I support you, come on , welcome to my hub!
Thanks, it will help
Great hub page thanks for the useful info.
Melissa
Excellent and well laid out Hub. Thanks much for sharing!
I have used Craigs List with success in posting some hubs...glad to know it is a great option. I have enjoyed writing in the Politics section in many parts of the U.S. that is in CL...for awhile now....and have noticed that there are all kinds of links in that section. Thank you for this hub. It had real good info.
This was informative I am going to try some of this thanks for sharing
Another great way to drive traffic is to make your ad actually eye pleasing and to the point. I found this site: www.slipdex.com. It's free to use, no sign up. You can upload up to five pics, which is more than craigslist, plus they are cleaner looking. The site makes your ad into like a webpage automatically and gives you the code to post right to craigslist. I have had great responses from it. Plus you can use a partner site of their's to track your ads for free as well. It's really cool and I noticed a big difference!
Jason
Greetings - Thanks for the insightful details on Craigslist. I too have used CL and found the site to be extremely effective when I aggressively promoted something. I've used it recently to drive traffic to a hub I wrote about Frustrated Writers earning money. I was overwhelmed at the boost in traffic all in one week. I'm currently working on some hubs I can run a full CL ad campaign with to drive traffic. It's great when writers like yourself continue to remind us: No matter how good our writing is, we have to promote our work or no one else will ever know it! Thanks again.
This is exactly the information I was looking for. I thank charm-baker for linking it in her hub!
Thanks for such a useful and clear hub!
This is a fantastic hub. It's very informative, easily understood, outlined effectively and I really value the tips you have outlined. I'm new to hubpages, so I'll definitely be using tips that you have given. Thank you so much.
Thank you for all of your wonderful comments! I am glad you found this Hub valuable.
Can you use Craigs List in the United Kingdom, if not can you recommend a site for me. Great content and very useful information. Many thanks Andrew
Great article. New source for web traffic.
Thanks
Great stuff I will try to promote my site through Craig list as well http://myarussianlady.com
Hummmm,
This is a very well written and informative article...
i earned $15,000 per month from ,how to do that ?check my website: http://craigslisttraffic.com/?e=page1981
Take advantage of MASSIVE 10 million + visits per day and over 9 billion page views per month that Craglst is generating!
CL is the best source of FREE traffic out there on the Web. Period.
Great article ! I was looking for some free techniques, and your article made my day! Thanks a lot Reynolds! I m looking forward for more tips from you.
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Thanks for the great info. I'm just starting out with Craglist so there's a way to go yet! Have bookmarked your hub.
Recently this question is comes in my seo test paper “How to use Craigslist for website promotion" ...I given right answer ...I qualified the exam...thanks for this knowledge sharing hub..
terrific hub! thanks for the post and loads of information.
Thank you for the info. I was not sure on how you would post to promote hubs on Craigslist. I know I have been flagged for posting an ad for an animal, which I did not understand, but I guess they try their best to keep spammers out. Great hub!
Thank you for posting such an easy to follow article for blog promotion. This article is clear,concise, and to the point. Thanks again!
Can i can i have a listing, w/o getting charged any fees?
I started a cleaning buisness and i need to now how do a website address and a website. would you please send me something showing me how to do a website. for starlight cleaning service llc. thank you very much margaret elza email marge.elza@yahoo.com
I haven't tried Craigslist for traffic yet. Thank you for all the information, I think I will check out some of your links and try it sometime today.
Some very good information on posting to Craigslist.
Your article goes into good detail.
Thank you
Ged
this is a very cool article !
I use cragslist everyday to promote my web site now after reading these articles i will start promoting my blog as well thanks !
nice article, thank for share :)
thanks for the tips:http://therankingblog.com/
This is a excellent article. You explain everything very well. Thank you for all the information.
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thanks for this. I can now see the great benefits in using craiglist.
So I have heard there are sites that you can see what city or listings have the best traffic pumping power, but when doing a search for this type of website I found yours at the top of the list. This was very helpful but not completly what I was looking for today.
I was scratching my head wondering how to promote a hub page on Craigslist, but I think your product based strategy might hold promise. Have things changed on Craigslist since you posted this... do you still use Craigslist to promote your online presence?
I would like to post this online business on craigslist. My landing page is http://www.ezbizteam.com/junemm/xfm2l
Thanks June mathisonjune@yahoo.com
its vry helpful
Thanks for the informative article on using Craigs List!
Good info.
Thanks for sharing.
i've asked a simple guestion about 20 different ways a still don't have a answer.QUESTION?????? DO I HAVE TO BE LOG IN SOMETHING TO BUY FROM CRAIGSLIST???????
Great tips on Craigs list! It is a powerful site and you list some very good pointers!
To answer your question Rastamermaid, in my experience - no you don't have to be logged into an account to buy on Craigs list because you are buying from the individual seller. You should be able to reply to to the seller or call the seller directly to set up payment terms.
Thanks for this great information! Although I've used Craigslist many times for buy/sell ads and job searches, I've never used the service to market my HubPages. I can't wait to see how this works for driving traffic to my articles. Voted up!
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This is a helpful article. Quality information great hub.
Dan 3 years ago
great inof from this article!!!!!