The Skinny on URL Redirects

Hello All ~

Welcome to this blog. I've created this to be able to allow the users (of my ebook) to be informed of any last minute changes to my ebook or techniques. And ... there are certainly some. Otherwise I would not be writing this.

The main reason I am posting this first entry is to state that the IceURL re-directs that I mentioned in CraigslistPowerPosting 2.0 are NO LONGER WORKING. So I do NOT recommend using IceURL. If you do use it, you will see that your posts will be deleted shortly after you post them.

For a surefire route on having your posts stay on Craigslist, I recommend NOT using any sort of outbound link. If you choose to, find one somewhere on the internet that you think many other Craigslisters are not using. Test it out. I know some work because I have an ad up right now that hasn't been deleted.

I know this is hard for some of you to accept... but its just the way that Craigslist works. They have never liked outbound links. If you are posting one ad, you can have an outbound link. But if you are posting duplicate ads/links, their bots will immediately see the same outbound link twice and they will not like you.. and will likely delete the ads.

I recommend simply creating a compelling ad and allowing customers to email you. Not the sales pitch that many marketers are used to. I recommend having a clever ad created by a good graphic designer. This should cost you between 35 - 100 bucks (in the US). If you choose to outsource, it will be far less.

Or utilize your own creativity and create something that does not look junky. Either way, show off your talents in a witty way without the sales pitch. For some reason I feel that long pitches hurt you on CL. Perhaps put the bulk of the sales pitch in the autoresponder's email.

From my own personal experience, I was able to gain customers to my service just by visually selling them my services via my ad. I had examples of my work within my ad. I think at this point you're realizing that I am in the creative field. You are right.

So make your ad good. If its interesting enough, people will be motivated to send you a brief email.

Or, buy a domain that is memorable and do it the old fashioned way and place the URL within your image based ad. If they want your product enough, they will gather up the energy to simply type in the URL in the URL bar.

After all, it worked for me quite well.

So please, save your Craigslist energy for the times when you have a good product / service that can sell itself well through an ad verses an agressive sales pitch. I dont know if CL is the place for this.