You May Not Know Craig But You Should Thank Him For Making His List
Founded just over a decade ago, Craigslist has become one of the world's largest centralized networks of online communities and receives over 9 billion page views per month. Initially starting as an email list to promote local events that would be of interest to computer and technological users in the San Francisco area, there has been a progression to the world-wide phenomena that exists today.
One of the major reasons for the growth is that the only charges for the site are for paid-for job advertisements in certain cities and paid for broker advertisements in New York City, which acts as the singular source of revenue for the site but also ensures that there are very few costs to limit people's use of the site. This lack of charge has helped to create a vibrant community with a high turnover of people who search the site regularly which ensures businesses can reach a huge potential market.
The amount of products up for sale, discussion forums, personal ads and all manner of topics ensures there is a massively high number of people who will click on the page each day. With so many distinct markets being catered to, there is a great chance for any firm to be able to reach a large number of specific groups for next to no cost. This is the key to why firms will use Craigslist as it can provide access to a particular market for virtually no cost when gaining access to these people by other media means would cost an excessive amount.
Another particular reason there has been a massive rise in the usage of Craigslist is the evolution of the site which now caters to at least 450 cities in over 50 countries worldwide; which means there is a strong chance that many people will be able to find local information that is relevant to their needs. This local focus provides a level of direct marketing that would be envied by many firms and the ability to target a specific localized market means a more specialized approach can be taken by firms or sellers.
One benefit of Craigslist as opposed to the number of safe lists that are available is that the user does not have to offer their email-address or any contact details to view the ads and information. This approach will appeal to consumers wary of freely handing out their contact details to unknown users, making Craigslist the ideal source for them. Craigslist also has a very simple look and feel to it which means that it is welcoming to all potential users of the internet, including the novice. There is a very simple and down-to-earth feel to the site that appeals to many but also belies the vast power and user-base that the site plays host to.
Craigslist allows a firm to gain access to a larger number of consumers they would be able to reach by any conventional marketing approach which makes it such a great tool to use. If even a minuscule percentage of the users of Craigslist go on to purchase from the company, it will still provide a positive return for next to no investment and even if using the sites does nothing but create an awareness and/or drives traffic, then there will have been a huge benefit gained.
Rob Kosberg is a Veteran Entrepreneur and Marketing Consultant. Through the power of Consultative Marketing Rob and his partner built their last business from $0 to $2.4 Million in income in less than 3 years. After spending thousands of dollars and years of research we have compiled a list of the best resources for your marketing efforts. To view the FREE list go to... http://www.whoisrobk.com to the free stuff and info page.
