These days there are hundreds of online classifieds. Larger ones would include Craigslist and Ebay. Posting on such sites can be very profitable. This marketing tactic works for some businesses and not others. Also some sites work better for specific products and services, or products only and services only.

“Online classifieds are the cheapest most effective marketing strategy for a small business.” Says Jay Levinson the author of Guerrilla Marketing: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007) Jay says, “Post your ads to as many classifieds as you possibly can, the worst that can happen is nothing.”

When choosing what service to advertise on keep in mind how big your city is, who your demographic is, and if you have a budget for these services. 99% of classifieds are free for the reader. Most classifieds charge a fee to post ads online just as they would in newspapers. These fees are generally very small and you will usually make your money back with one new customer. Other classified services such as Craigslist and Classifiedads.com are free in most cities.