By: Jason Kay
Submitted: 2009-12-21 01:42:05 | Word Count: 506
When it comes to free posting of an online classified ad, there are several places you can do this for free and two of the more popular places are Backpage and Craigslist. Both sites offer free accounts and let you post your online classified advertisement absolutely free, but which one is better and why?
To answer that question you have to look at several factors and then you can formulate your conclusion. Here is what you need to consider when deciding which site is best:
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•Size: In the case of online classified ads, size most definitely matters. You want to get your add in front of the most amount of people that you can in order to have a better chance of selling whatever it is you are trying to sell. It really boils down to a simple numbers gem. Both Backpage and Craigslist put your advertisement in front of many potential buyers, but Craigslist far outweighs Backpage in this category. Backpage, like Craigslist does break down areas that you can place your ad in by city and state, but Craigslist offers more choices and even offers other countries. Backpage continues to add places to sell to but for now at least is simply playing catch up to Craigslist.
•Number of pictures: Both sites allow you to place a picture in the advertisement if you want to and do not charge you for that but again there is a difference. Backpage allows you to post one picture with your ad and Craigslist allows you to post up to four pictures. The more pictures you can post, the better as potential buyers will be able to get a better look at what you are selling as you can present the item in several different ways.
•Number of users: Of course because of its sheer size Craigslist is going to have far more users than Backpage will. More users usually means more chances to have your item viewed and hopefully sold.
Looking at these stats you would think that it is a clear slam dunk to declare Craigslist the winner right? Well not so fast, what if you are not trying to sell and instead want to buy something? In the case of a buyer it may be more advantageous to go to Backpage as opposed to Craigslist because less people viewing means less competition for you. Also the fact that Backpage is not as popular means you stand a good chance of getting what you are after at a cheaper price versus going onto Craigslist.
So who is the best? Really it comes down to whether you are a buyer or a seller. If you are a seller, then you will probably be able to sell your item faster and for more money by going with Craigslist. On the other hand if you are a buyer, you may be able to find a better deal on Backpage. That said it seems that the real question is, are you looking to buy or are you looking to sell?
