Give Your Craigslist Ads a Checkup

Give Your Craigslist Ads a Checkup GetMyAuto

At Get My Auto, we’ve long endorsed Craigslist as one of the best ways for independent auto dealerships to market themselves. While it may not be trendy, Craigslist remains one of the very best ways to get your inventory out there in front of highly motivated, local buyers.

But not all Craigslist ads are created equal, and if your campaign isn’t generating results, it’s not because Craigslist has fallen out of favor; it may simply be that your strategy needs a tweak.

Take a few minutes to review your Craigslist activity and seek some areas for improvement. Start with the pointers we’ve listed below.

How to Assess Your Craigslist Ads

  • Does each ad have a clear and compelling call to action? The CTA is arguably the most important part of any ad. You need a direct appeal for the buyer to reach out to your dealership, either to set up a test drive or simply to seek more details. Make sure each CTA is short and sweet, providing a simple “next step” for the buyer to take.
  • Does each ad have copy that sells? Another important aspect of Craigslist advertising is to write copy for each ad that is highly unique and that includes some specific selling points for the vehicle in question. Don’t rely on stock copy from the manufacturer. Really tell the story of each car.
  • Is your ad copy formatted for readability? It’s important to have the right content in each ad, but also to present that content in a way that’s easy to read! Don’t include big, unbroken blocks of text, and definitely don’t do THE ALL CAPS THING. Instead, keep sentences and paragraphs short, use lists where appropriate, and be certain that your grammar and punctuation are on point.
  • Does each ad point to a good landing page? Another important point is to have a target landing page set up for each ad. You want buyers to click over to your site and immediately see information about the vehicle in question. You don’t want them to just go to your home page, where many leads will be lost.
  • How’s your photography? Simply put, you need high-quality photos for each car you’re selling. If you struggle with lighting or with picking the best angles, hire a professional.
  • Are you selling the dealership, too? One final point: In any given ad, you’re not just selling a car. You’re ultimately trying to sell people on your dealership, convincing them that your showroom is the best place to buy. Make sure your ads include some “why buys,” some trust signifiers, etc.

Need Help with Your Craigslist Marketing?

As you think about the health of your Craigslist marketing campaign, and consider avenues for improvement, don’t neglect Get My Auto!

We have software solutions that can help you automate and streamline the whole process. We’d love to tell you more about them, too! Reach out to Get My Auto to ask more about our array of Craigslist solutions.