Craigslist Best Practices

Purpose (Why we do this):

To be Market Leaders in Craigslist advertising by including high-quality and attractive photos.

Policy (What you're supposed to do):

dependentHRA standard operating procedure states properties should be posting to Craigslist a maximum of 5 times per week, dependant upon Regional request. Postings should be spread out to provide a broader reach to our target demographic (rather than posts appearing all in a row).

When posting, please be sure to add variety to your ads; as we always say, "Change attracts attention!" Every post should have a different body template and feature photo to draw in a wider audience, and so that our posts aren't flagged through the site. Try alternating between specific floor plan posts and ads with all floor plans. 

Student properties should post to Apts & Housing, Housing Wanted, Rooms & Shared.

Conventional properties should post to Apts & Housing.

Procedure (HRA Way!):

Craigslist is a free resource that all Horizon properties are required to utilize for marketing.

Photos: 

• Only use text overlay on Feature Photos 
  • Acceptable Overlays, Choose 1 - 2
    • Logo, Special, Slogan, or Call to Action
  • Utilize the Creative Portal or Canva - please adhere to your property's brand fonts, colors, and logos
• Supporting images should be plain photos of your property/apartments
• Remember that less is more; only  20% of your photo should be text
• Use only high-quality photos

Subject Lines:

• Using descriptive headlines - Instead of "2 Bedroom Available Now" try "Huge 1,025 sq ft 2 bedroom apartment near Purdue University"
• Avoid spam formatting - Don't use all caps or too many !!! 

Body:

• Utilize Entrata Templates by going to Tools > Marketing Hub > Craigslist Ads > Ad Creation > Create Ad
  •    Your ad should include:
    • Community Amenities
    • Apartment Amenities
    • Office Hours
    • Location
    • Pet Friendly (Yes or No)
    • Vanity Tracking Number and Tracking Website Link
    • Available Floor Plans or Post 1 Specific Floor Plans
    • Call to Action with Urgency
    • Include Applicable Specials & Deadlines
  • Use bullet points when you can and limit paragraphs to 1-2 sentences
    • Always proofread and double-check your ads before posting!

Pro-Tip: Test your ads regularly on your phone and computer to ensure legibility and quality.