Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Meeting People on Craigslist

The Internet, and Craigslist in particular, is an excellent way to meet people. Whether the purpose of meeting people is to network, find friends who share a similar interest, find romantic matches or discuss important issues there is a place on Craigslist to help you find the people you are seeking. Although Craigslist can help people to meet others in a number of ways, this article will focus exclusively on networking on Craigslist and using Craigslist to find potential romantic dates. There will also be a brief section specifying a few precautions individuals should take when interacting with others online.

Using Craigslist to Network

Craigslist is an excellent place for networking for those who know how to find others with which they wish to network. The discussion forums on Craigslist provide the most obvious location for Craigslist users to network. By reading through the postings on a subject of interest, an individual will likely find others who share their interests and may be interested in further conversation. Each post on a discussion forum includes a contact email address for the individual who posted the remark. This may be a private email address or an anonymous email address provided by Craigslist. Other users of the forum can use these email address to contact those they wish to speak to further or can respond publicly on the discussion forum.

Finding Dates on Craigslist

Many turn to Craigslist to find potential romantic partners. Much like newspapers and dating services where individuals can either read advertisements left by others or post their own advertisements seeking potential matches, Craigslist also offers this type of opportunity. The personals section of Craigslist offers a variety of options for both heterosexual and homosexual adults. It is important to note that Craigslist does place some restrictions on the postings which are allowed in the personals section beyond the terms of use for the website. These additional restricts include restricting use of the section to those over the age of 18 and preventing individuals from impersonating others in their advertisements.

Craigslist Precautions

The dating scene, in general, is one which requires a great deal of precaution. The need for precautions is amplified in situations where the potential dates are being met through an online resource such as Craigslist. This is because the Internet allows individuals a certain degree of anonymity allowing them to misrepresent themselves either intentionally or unintentionally.

The most serious potential for danger which exists in using the personals section of Craigslist is that the other person may be someone who has the potential to harm the other person physically. The potential for this type of situation can be mitigated by setting a few ground rules. First it is important to arrange for face to face meetings in a busy, public location as opposed to a secluded location. Also, giving out information such as address and phone number should be avoided. This will help to prevent those with malicious intent from finding the individual.

One final precaution for those using Craigslist to meet potential dates is to keep an open mind about the other individuals you might meet. It is possible for an individual to meet a perfect match right away but it is more likely for individuals to receive a series of responses from those who do not meet the posters expectations.

Finding Jobs through Craigslist

Craigslist.org has quickly become one of the most worthwhile resources for those who are in the market for a new job. There are many online resources for job seekers but Craigslist is one of the most extensive. Those who know how to use Craigslist properly can make their search for a new job as narrow or as broad as they wish. This makes it possible for job seekers to enjoy a wide variety of search options which can help them to find the job of their dreams. The advantages Craigslist offers to members of its community is a secure search environment, the ability to narrow the search down to a specific location, a variety of employment options offering flexibility and a large community featuring employers of all sizes.

Trust the Security Craigslist Offers

One of the major benefits of searching for a new job through Craigslist is the ability to contact potential employers through a secure environment. Most individuals who post a job listing through Craigslist supply an anonymous email address for job candidates to respond to with pertinent information. This email address is supplied through Craigslist which gives job seekers the security of knowing their response will go through the secure Craigslist email system. The downside to this system is employers may not know the name of the employer before they make their initial contact. This can be troublesome especially for potential employees who are concerned about their present employer finding out they are seeking a new job.

Craigslist also offers security to job seekers by carefully reviewing job advertisements for content. Craigslist even urges members of the community to report questionable job advertisements. Users are able to flag these advertisements for further review by Craigslist staff. Craigslist then reviews the advertisement carefully to determine whether or not the advertisement may remain or should be deleted. Examples of advertisements which may be deleted are those which appear to be scams. Such advertisements often promise users a great deal of money for very little work in a short period of time. Although there is still the potential for misleading or false advertisements to appear on Craigslist the precautions they take help to minimize the number of these advertisements circulating within the community.

Find the Right Job in the Right Location

Another advantage to searching for a new job through Craigslist is the ability to narrow down a search to a specific region. Craigslist not only allows users to search for available positions by state but allows users to further refine this search by selecting major cities within the state to include in the search. This is significant because users who live in a particular area may only be interested in jobs within a certain radius. Even job seekers who are considering relocating to a particular state may only be willing to relocate to certain parts of the state.

Find Flexibility through Craigslist

Another advantage Craigslist offers to the job seeking community is flexibility in employment options. There are an increasing number of employees who are seeking more flexible employment options. Options such as telecommuting and contract employment appeal to many potential employees. Most job search websites do not include options for telecommute positions, contract employment or other flexibility options. However, on Craigslist these are prominent parts of the search feature. Both employers and employees realize Craigslist is the place to go when you are either an employer looking for employees capable of working offsite or you are an employee looking for telecommute, contract or other flex options.

Who is using Craigslist? Everyone

One final advantage to searching for a new job through Craigslist is an impressive amount of available positions. More and more employers are beginning to realize how widely Craigslist is being used and are also beginning to realize they cannot afford not to place their available positions on Craigslist. Available jobs positions appear on Craigslist communities from small Mom and Pop companies to multi billion dollar corporations. Companies of all sizes realize they cannot afford to miss out on the wealth of potential employees who are flocking to Craigslist in search of exciting new job opportunities.

Finding Everything You Need on Craigslist

Craigslist is an extensive community offering a variety of products and services as well as forums for likeminded individuals to discuss issues of importance to them and those who share opposing viewpoints to express their opinions as well. Craigslist also receives approximately four billion page views per month making it clear that there are many people who already realize the value of Craigslist. However, there are many who don’t quite understand Craigslist yet. This article will focus on answering three important questions related to Craigslist for those who do not fully understand what Craigslist is and how they can use it.

What Is Craigslist?

One of the most elementary questions many people have regarding Craigslist, is what is it? Craigslist is essentially akin to a combination of a newspaper’s classified section combined with the editorial page and a job seekers website all offered online for easy access. Craigslist is an online community which features an extensive classified section including sections for sales of a variety of products and services, sections for job advertisements and even a personals section. Additionally, Craigslist offers locations for individuals to post resumes and a discussion forum where a variety of subjects can be debated and information can be shared.

Sound confusing? It really isn’t. A quick visit to the Craigslist.org website will make it immediately clear how much useful this online community really is to people seeking all types of information, products and services. Not only does Craigslist offer such a wealth of information but it also conveniently divides this information into geographical regions making it simple to search for products and services offered in a specific area.

How Can Craigslist Help You?

Now that you understand what Craigslist is, you may still wonder how it can help you specifically. There is no one simple answer to this question. The benefits you can gain from Craigslist will depend on what you are looking for from this community. In this section we will discuss some of the relevant uses of Craigslist for those who are seeking to purchase products or services, find a job or meet friends or romantic partners and in the following section we will discuss how Craigslist can be beneficial to a business.

There is a section on Craigslist specifically for those who are looking to purchase or sell an item. Here those who have items for sale can post an advertisement in an appropriate category and receive responses from those who are interested in this item. Additionally, there is a section for individuals who are seeking a specific item to post an advertisement specifying the item they are looking for and the price they are willing to pay for this item.

Craigslist can also be an excellent place to find a job. Craigslist offers a section for job seekers to review job advertisements as well as a section for job seekers to post their resume. One of the major advantages to searching for a job on Craigslist is it offers a variety of flexible options such as telecommute positions and contract positions as well as full time and part time employment.

Craigslist can also help individuals meet platonic or romantic friends. There is a personals section on Craigslist where individuals can post advertisements or view advertisements in search of a friend or date. As with any online dating situation, care should be taken to ensure meetings with these potential friends or dates are safe. Arranging initial meetings in public locations or bringing a trusted friend along can help to make these meetings safer.

How Can Craigslist Help Your Business?

Business owners can benefit from using Craigslist. As previously mentioned, Craigslist receives approximately four billion page views per month so advertising on Craigslist makes it easy to reach a large audience with minimal effort. Business owners can use Craigslist in a number of ways. The most obvious use is to post advertisements touting products and services offered. Another way business owners can use Craigslist is to check out competitors on Craigslist and learn more about how they are reaching potential customers.

Earning a Living with Craigslist

Believe it or not, it is entirely possible for savvy individuals to earn their living through Craigslist. More and more individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit are realizing there are a host of opportunities for those who are willing to work hard to earn a living through hard work, learning about online communities such as Craigslist and effectively marketing themselves and their skills or products to those who might be in the market to invest in services or products the individual has to offer. Unlike conventional jobs where there is a set salary for services rendered and an unofficial cap on the earning potential those who offer their services online as an independent contractor have no such cap on their earning potential. However, there are also no guarantees on the amount which will be earned.

In general there are two ways to make a living with Craigslist. This may include offering services as an independent contractor on a contract basis or offering products or services as a small business owner. Alternately, individuals can utilize Craigslist to secure a permanent full time job through the job posting section on Craigslist. However, for the purposes of this article we will discuss the possibilities open to independent contractors and small business owners on Craigslist.

Craigslist for Independent Contractors

Those who offer their services as independent contractors on a contract basis are finding Craigslist to be an excellent location to offer their services or respond to advertisements from those seeking services. An increase in the amount of work being outsourced by both small businesses and large corporations has prompted many savvy individuals to realize there is a market for them to take advantage of these outsourcing opportunities. They can use Craigslist in their effort to do this by placing advertisements for services offered as well as by responding to advertisements seeking contract employees.

There is a section on Craigslist specifically for services offered. Under the topic of services offered there are a number of different categories. The contractor can place a posting under the most appropriate category to reach their target audience. There is also a category for small business advertisements which may be used if there are no appropriate categories for the type of services offered. However, it might be more difficult to reach a target audience by placing an advertisement in such a general category.

Independent contractors can also gain business opportunities by responding to advertisements seeking contract employees. In searching for a job on Craigslist individuals can begin with a location and then browse through different types of job by category. The easiest way to find a contract position is to use the search feature and check the contract box to include this term as a part of the search criteria. This will ensure the search results returned include only contract positions.

Craigslist for Small Business Owners

Small business owners can utilize Craigslist to reach a larger audience and grow their business. Those who have a small business have a couple of opportunities to use Craigslist to their advantage. The most obvious way to promote a business on Craigslist is by posting an advertisement in the appropriate category under the for sale or services sections of the community. This can be very effective because Craigslist receives more than four billion page views per month meaning there is a large potential audience using Craigslist.

Small business owners can also use the discussion forums portion of the Craigslist community to generate greater profit for their business. However, small business owners should use a great deal of caution to ensure their promotional postings are not viewed as spam. There is a distinct difference between posting information related to your business in a way that is informative to the reader and spamming the boards with useless posts intended solely to promote your business. Spamming is not only likely to be overlooked by readers but also runs the risk that the Craigslist moderators will delete your posts or take more severe actions against you.

The Benefits of Advertising on Craigslist

Savvy businesspeople and Internet marketers who market on Craigslist are able to gain a great deal of benefits from this advertising option. Craigslist is an online community where users can exchange information, buy or sell items, seek jobs or even find friends or romantic partners. There are a number of benefits to advertising on Craigslist. Two of the most important benefits are the affordability and the ability to reach a large audience. This article will focus on these two benefits and will also offer advice on ensuring your advertising is not just reaching a large audience but is reaching your target audience.

The Price is Right

Consider the cost of advertising on Craigslist versus advertising on other websites and there is simply no comparison. The vast majority of Craigslist postings are available free of charge to those who use the website. Only a limited number of advertisements including job advertisements in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York and brokerage listings in New York are charged a fee for posting advertisements. Even these advertisers are only charged a nominal fee for their advertisements.

This means all commercial advertisements for products and services are posted free of charge. Affiliate marketing, which offers business owners the ability to only pay the affiliate when the advertisement generates web traffic, a sale or a lead is an excellent bargain but even that is no match for the free advertising offered on Craigslist. Advertising on Craigslist becomes even more financially appealing in comparison to other advertising option where the business owner is charged for each time the advertisement appears whether or not it results in a sale being made or even a lead generated.

Reaching a Large Audience with Craigslist

In addition to affordability another benefit to advertising on Craigslist is the potential to reach a large audience. Craigslist receives approximately four billion page views per month from approximately ten million website visitors. This is appealing because it allows users to reach a large audience with only minimal effort.

Craigslist already has a large following and many Internet users already turn to Craigslist for whatever they are looking for before searching other resources. Having such a large audience means half of the work is already done for advertisers. They already have high traffic to the website, now they just need to write an eye catching and engaging advertisement that will attract customers.

A Large Audience is Not Necessarily a Target Audience

Craigslist certainly has a large pre-existing fan base of regular users but this large audience does not necessarily ensure advertisers will have a target audience just waiting for them to post their advertisement. Craigslist is an extensive online community and finding members of the target audience is more important than reaching the entire community.

Business owners can certainly invest a great deal of time and effort placing their advertisement throughout the different sections of the website but this is not likely to be effective. Craigslist is divided into a number of different sections and categories for a specific reason. This is to make it easier for users to find the information they are seeking. For this reason business owners should focus on placing their advertisement in sections which are likely to be visited by members of the target audience. Additionally, placing advertisements in multiple sections may result in the moderators of Craigslist interpreting the advertisements as spam and deleting them. Whether the advertisements are deleted as spam or rendered ineffective they are not likely to convince members of the target audience to purchase products or services.

Can Craigslist Improve Your Business?

The answer to this question is yes and no and maybe. It all depends on the way in which the business owners utilize Craigslist. Savvy Internet marketers who are able to identify the target audience and create sales copy which entices the reader may find advertising on Craigslist to be incredibly profitable. Conversely Internet markets that do not do their research and take a spamming approach to advertising on Craigslist are not likely to see significant financial gains.

There is certainly an opportunity to gain financial benefit through advertising on Craigslist. Advertising for all products and services is free on Craigslist making it cost effectively. Additionally, Craigslist already receives extensive traffic with approximately ten million visitors generating four billion page views each month so there is no need to drive traffic to the website. While Craigslist offers so many advertising benefits, these benefits may be wasted if the advertiser does not do his research or evaluate the competition.

Research before Posting on Craigslist

Advertising on Craigslist is similar to advertising in other forms of media. Despite the existing heavy traffic flows to the website, successful marketing campaigns require extensive research. This research should provide the Internet marketer and his staff with insight into where post the advertisements to most effectively reach the target audience, how to word the copy of the advertisement to make it most appealing to the target audience and which relevant keywords should be included in the advertising copy to make it likely for members of the target audience to find the advertisement easily when searching for products and services offered by the company.

Research of this capacity can be conducted either online or offline. One of the most effective forms of this type of research is to have members of the target audience fill out market surveys. The answers provided by the participants should give the marketer a good idea of what the target audience is seeking. Incorporating this information into the marketing campaign can make it noticeably more successful.

Evaluate the Competition on Craigslist

The search feature on Craigslist gives an Internet marketer an excellent way to evaluate the competition. Studying the competition is important because it can help you to learn how you can be more successful. This increased success can be a result of determining successful aspects of the competitor’s marketing strategy and implementing these strategies as well as determining faulty aspects of the competitor’s marketing strategy and avoiding these strategies.

To get a good idea of the competitors who are advertising on Craigslist, use the search feature to search for keywords relevant to your own products and services. You will likely receive search results including advertisements from competitors. Next, carefully analyze these advertisements to determine how your can not only create better products and services at more affordable prices but also write more engaging advertising copy. Many wise Internet marketers have the reasoning skills necessary to properly analyze the advertisements for competitors but they often falter when taxed with the dilemma of creating better advertisements. This is when the services of a professional sales copywriter with search engine optimization (SEO) skills becomes a vital part of the equation. This writer can use his SEO training as well as his knowledge on the subject of writing advertising copy to effectively entice members of the target audience to either purchase products or services or at least investigate these products or services further.

How Do You Use Craigslist?

The beauty of Craigslist is it can be used in a variety of ways. Those who use Craigslist do so in many different ways. Some of the most popular uses of Craigslist include advertising, meeting people and finding jobs. This article will discuss these three distinct uses of Craigslist.

Advertising on Craigslist

Advertising products and services is one of the many valuable uses of Craigslist. Those who are hoping to generate a profit from the sale of their products and services often turn to Craigslist for advertising for a number of reasons. The two most significant reasons are affordability and a large existing audience.

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.

Finally, advertising on Craigslist is appealing because there is no need to generate traffic to the website. Craigslist already receives approximately ten million visitors per month who generate approximately four billion page views per month. There is no denying advertising on Craigslist has the potential to reach a massive audience.

Meeting People on Craigslist

Another one of the many uses of Craigslist is to meet people. The personals section of Craigslist is the most obvious section designed specifically for meeting people. Here individuals can read or post advertisements seeking either platonic relationships or romantic relationships of different sexual orientations. The personals section of Craigslist is restricted to individuals over the age of 18. Additionally there are restrictions beyond the normal terms of use place on the advertisements. Specifically individuals are prohibited from impersonating someone else when placing an advertisement.

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.

Finding Jobs on Craigslist

Many people who use Craigslist are those who are seeking new jobs or career changes. The job posting section on Craigslist is quite extensive and the available jobs are broken down by a number of different categories making it easier for users to find their dream job. Additionally, there is a search feature in the jobs section which enables users to search for a particular word or phrase in one of the job categories. Users can also search specifically for jobs with certain criteria such as telecommute capabilities, contract positions, internships, part-time positions or positions with non-profit organizations.

Job seekers can also post their resumes for consideration on Craigslist. Although the resumes section of Craigslist is not as well organized as other sections, those who know how to write an eye catching resume can still attract attention. The keys to attracting attention in the resume section is to create a descriptive and attention grabbing title and to fill the content of the resume with relevant keywords to make it easier for those who search for these keywords to find your resume.