Advertising question.

Hello,

I am seriously considering purchasing this software bundle.
My website will basically be a craigslist-knockoff. I live in a rural, somewhat secluded island community of between 5,000 - 10,000 people, depending on the year. We do not have our own craigslist, so I feel that one could be successful.

My question is:

With the designer package, will I be able to have advertisements (small business card sized ads) along the sides of my site?

Will I be able to have one banner ad at the top?

Will these ads also be viewable in the categories, and their sub-categories when clicked on?

Thank you.

[Mike-N-Tosh +]

Yes, the Designer version allows you to modify any of the template files. It is the template files that you modify to add display ads to your site.

Just for the record though, craigslist doesn't have display ads.

Thanks for the answers.

Yes, I'm aware of the no ads on craigslist. The only way to break even, or make just a little money as I intend on doing, is to have advertisements on the site.



I was just wondering if anyone had any tips, ideas, in terms of start-up and how to get ready for a successful launch of my classifieds website. My only competition is as follows:

-two bi-weekly newspapers who offer classifieds ads, but you have to pay to get an ad.
-a printed bi-weekly classifieds with horoscopes, jokes, etc. This is just starting up. I do not know who successful it has been or will be.

I had been toying with having an online site for awhile, but as soon as I heard someone as doing a printed version, I felt I had to act fast or someone else would.

I am going to offer a completely free, ad-free site for the first little while, until I generate enough traffic and content to attract local businesses to advertise on my site.

My plan is to spread the word in my community. I know people, and my girlfriend works at a restaurant, so I hope this will help in terms of word of mouth.

I also plan on doing aggressive flyer distribution (there are approx. 45 sheltered, free, public 'flyer stations' throughout my community of 5,000 - 10,000) and I will eventually have a large magnet with the website and logo on the tailgate of my truck.

Has anyone had good experience with any websites that offer services similar to kinko's, and deliver to Canada? I would like about one hundred, color flyers.

I was also considering e-mailing anyone from my community, with ads currently listed on craigslist/kijiji.ca, and notifying them about my website. Is this alright? I personally wouldn't be annoyed with hearing of another avenue to sell my goods... but I think some people might be annoyed. What do you think?

I have a million ideas in my head right now, I'd love to hear yours as well.

Thanks a lot.

[seymourjames +]

Take a browse through the marketing part of the forum. You may pick up some advice there. The most important thing in my opinion is to prime your site. Think about how you are going to get those first couple of hundred adverts as nobody likes an empty site. Dealers of some kind with multiple adverts to list are probably the best source. Even if you offer to place those adverts for them.