Craigslist: Buy, Sell, Network, Make New Friends

By Author: Jim DeSantis
Total Articles: 103
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One of the most popular uses of Craigslist is for free or very cheap business marketing but there is also an opportunity to make new friends. This article will focus on just a few aspects of the Craigslist community including finding jobs, meeting friends, buying or selling items and discussing important issues.

Each month, Craigslist receives over four billion page views making it abundantly clear that the Craigslist community is an extensive one with many members around the world.

Both small businesses and large corporations can take advantage of the free advertising offered on Craigslist to promote their business and attract new customers. Business owners are free to place advertisements on Craigslist in the section for services offered.

This section is broken down into a number of categories to allow business owners to place their advertisement in the most appropriate location where it is likely to reach the target audience. There is also a section for small business advertisements but it might be more worthwhile to place advertisements in one of the appropriate categories because it ...
... is more likely to be found by interested individuals.

In the services section, for example, service providers may place advertisements for the types of services they offer. Advertisements should be placed in appropriate categories but if there is no appropriate category the advertisement may be placed in the generic small business section.

To say advertising products or services on Craigslist is affordable is certainly an understatement. Craigslist only charges a posting fee for help wanted advertisements in three specific markets and specific housing advertisements in one city. Therefore all advertising of products and services is free.

.... Making New Friends on Craigslist

If you are not part of the Craigslist community, you may be missing out on a wealth of financial opportunities as well as the opportunity to learn more about the happenings in your local geographic community, the chance to debate important issues, the opportunity to meet potential friends or romantic partners and the ability to buy or sell items.

Those who are interested in organizing online networking opportunities for likeminded individuals to share ideas can also use Craigslist to accomplish their goal. Placing an advertisement on Craigslist which directs traffic to a message board can help to create a thriving community. Again it is important to place this advertisement in a location where the target audience will be reached.

The discussion forums provide a location for individuals to voice their opinions, answer questions or otherwise exchange information. This section is divided into a number of different categories to make it easier for users to find others who share their interests. Certain categories allow users to post without logging in while other sections require users to log in before posting.

The discussion forums on Craigslist also provide an opportunity to meet others. These discussion forums are divided into a number of different categories so individuals can focus on a topic which interests them and are likely to meet others who share this interest. However, it should be noted that on any discussion there is the very real possibility of heated debates.

Those who visit discussion forums are likely to meet others who share their opinions on relevant issues but there are two sides to every issue so they are also likely to encounter those who oppose their viewpoints. Debate on important issues may remain civilized by there are often situations in which this debate degrades to an uncivil manner.

Additionally, there is a category in the personals sections called rants and raves for community members to sound off about issues which they feel are wrong. This section is restricted to community members over the age of 18 and all other visitors are cautioned that this section may contain offensive or otherwise objectionable material and should not be visited by those who are easily offended.

Craigslist is not just useful in situations where individuals are seeking to organize networking opportunities, it can also be helpful for individuals who are looking to join pre-existing networking opportunities. These individuals would benefit from following links pointing to websites or message boards placed in advertisements throughout the community.

.... Safety Considerations When Networking Offline

The one major caveat to using Craigslist to organize offline networking opportunities is care should be taken to ensure the safety of all of those involved. When setting up offline meetings, sales parties, or other networking opportunities, it is wise to arrange for these meetings to take place in a busy public place. This will help to deter the possibility of a potentially dangerous situation. It will also help to put potential clients more at ease and make them more likely to participate in your networking opportunity.

These are some of the most popular options for using Craigslist; however, these options do not cover the vastness of Craigslist. Take some time to investigate Craigslist on your own to learn more about what this online community has to offer.

Jim DeSantis is an Internet Publisher and former TV News Editor. If you sell a product or service, be a smarter Craigslist marketer. Go to Jim's blog and grab "Craigslist Tutorial". It's a complete guide, with screenshots for newbies and tips for more experienced marketers.