Blog, Video Blog, and Video Articles > No Cost Classified Ads with Video: How I Found Buyers in Record Time


Are you sitting down? You probably don’t know about this new phenomena that’s giving traditional newspapers a run for their money. You can get national and local classified ads at no cost with better returns AND the ability to place helpful video in your ads. I actually found tenants for an apartment vacancy in record time using no cost online advertising and a free video hosting service last month!

I’ve recounted this story to so many people and their reaction is the same– “Tell me how you did that!” So I’ll tell YOU. Please keep in mind that you can get free no cost classified advertising for practically any item, product or service.

I’ve owned a fourplex (four apartments in one building) since 1997 and on occasion I have to advertise a vacancy. In the past it took lots of time to fill the vacancy because I had to screen many callers who saw the tiny little classified ad. I’d have to give a description over the phone and explain our rules and tenant requirements, then I had to physically show the apt in person many many times before finding qualified and interested tenants. On average I paid for local newspaper classified advertising for about two months per vacancy. My classified totals were about $70 per week. That total could be well over $700 in total classified costs before I found appropriate tenants.

By the year 2001, I was able to create a free web page for each vacancy and place that web address (web link) INTO my ads. These web pages contained photos and were full of descriptions. They cut down on the non-qualified calls I received because it allowed potential tenants —the ones who had access to the internet– to “screen themselves” so to speak. This was a step forward but I was still paying hundreds of dollars in classified ad fees for each vacancy.

But when I had a vacancy last month I didn’t pay one dime –$0– for classified advertising and I found qualified tenants in record time. A lease was signed only three weeks after I began placing ads and my rental was vacant for only 6 days instead of the usual month or more.

HOW did I do that?

FIRST, I used video clips I had taken of the apt and placed them on a free video hosting site I recommend, www.JussPress.com/nerissa/. Video hosting services automatically create links and html code to your video clip(s), there by allowing you to place your video effortlessly within most online services like EBAY and the resources I give you in the following steps below.

* Please note that at this time, no one else is adding video to their online ads. You will be way ahead of your competitors by giving your readers an advantage of seeing your item(s) up close and in action.

 

 

SECOND, I created an html file using Netscape Composer (a free basic web page maker) that contains all the details about my apartment, building and neighborhood, etc. I also make a Word document that contains the same details but without the html.

THIRD, I created a free classified ad with this online service, www.craigslist.org. Craigslist accepts html in their ad submissions. I copied my html source code from Netscape Composer and pasted it to the space provided to me by Craigslist. (If you do not create html pages, you can easily paste your Word doc details into the same place.) Also, in my ad headline I included “(SEE VIDEO)” to increase viewership of the ad. Craigslist ads are posted online almost immediately and can be placed any time of the day or night. No more newspaper deadlines and no more waiting for the weekend or weekly paper printing!

FOURTH, I also uploaded photos with the ad using a Craigslist feature for people who may have trouble viewing the video clips AND because Craigslist adds the word “PIC” next to my ad headline– which also increases readership of my ads.

In addition to www.Craigslist.org, you can also use www.Hoobly.com for no cost national classifieds. There is also a free classified real estate site for home owners who are selling their property at http://www.Cytadia.us

More free video hosting service options can be found here www.FreeMediaGuide.com.

My Craigslist ad is long gone but you can see my permanent free webpage that I replicated from my Craigslist ad complete with the video clips here www.geocities.com/myapthome/.

Copyright © 2003-2013 Nerissa Oden. All rights reserved.