Craigslist -v- Classified Ads
Since the start of this newspaper, one area of its development that has proven to be a challenge has been the classified section. With the advent of Craigslist, I have not been alone with this challenge. Craigslist’s popularity has devastated the “nickel” type newspapers as well as the classified section of daily newspapers across the country. Its simple interface, powerful search capabilities and the fact that it is FREE, makes it hard for traditional print classified advertising to compete.
Though I would like to see more revenue from the classified section of the Outpost, I find Craigslist to be a powerful tool for selling, buying or trading just about anything. Recently I found three alpacas and two tons of Hay on craigslist, all for free. The hay needed picked up immediately and would have been spoiled if traditional newsprint was the only way to have advertised it. Using the search alert feature of the Craigslist app on my smartphone, I receive a notice if any of the items I am searching for are posted.
With all of this said, why even have a classified section? First of all, not everyone uses or has a computer, the internet or reliable access to the internet. Also, the Outpost classified ads are positioned so that your classified advertisement will be seen whether it is something they are looking for or not. So, if it is something that you are wanting to sell, I would encourage you to list it in the Outpost as well as posting it on Craigslist. Give us a call we would be happy to help you place a classified ad in the Outpost newspaper.