Craigslist Post Flagged Immediately
Reason Why Your Craigslist Ads Flagged Immediately And …
Craigslist is a melting pot for just about anything — from the hottest and newest items on sale to the most relevant job postings in your area. It’s an American classified advertisements website that showcases numerous local classified ads for over 450 cities just in the US. Originally a community electronic newsletter that was based in San Francisco, Craigslist has grown into a major website hosting thousands of local classifieds coming from around the world. The site was founded by Craig Newmark in an effort to provide its users with a means of connecting with other people within their respective communities. You can post your ads in most classified categories without paying a cent, and you can even browse and respond to ads for FREE. However, several reports from users indicate that there’s a rampant issue going on in the site that prevents them from posting their ads. A lot of them experienced problems regarding Craigslist ads flagged immediately. For the most part, this can be quite frustrating, especially if you’re new to the platform. Luckily, we’re here to help you get around that problem. Let’s find out why do ads get flagged on Craigslist and how you can address them. 1. Location and IP Address Do Not Match Whenever you access websites or post on Craigslist, some information about you is attached to your web request. Some good examples are your browser’s information and IP address. This is also the case when you post ads on Craigslist. Your IP address allows websites to determine who you are through your location. Therefore, the reason why your Craigslist postings keep getting flagged or blocked is because your IP address and given location don’t match. Just think of those times when you visit a restricted website that can only be accessed in a particular demographic area—the same goes with your Craigslist postings. When the system detects that your IP address and location don’t match, your post will be flagged or blocked. This is because the website may interpret the request as a suspicious activity. Solutions: To solve this problem, it’s best to post using geolocation or residential IPS. Some proxies can ensure that both your IP address and location match without compromising your online security or privacy. You can get around this by creating more accounts using multiple dedicated IPS & posting through these proxies. Also, you can use the same title and description multiple times to post the ads. 2. Using The Same Title and Description Over and Over Although you may think that reusing previous posts is a good idea to save more time, think again! If you keep on using the same title and description over and over again, then your Craigslist post may be flagged for removal since your listing may appear “spammy. ” Solutions: To avoid this problem, learn how to make unique ads or job postings that can catch your customers’ attention. You can also use a professional Craigslist posting service to help you come up with a proper posting that doesn’t sound spammy. Make sure that the posting titles and descriptions vary from post to post. However, the words you use should also be accurate and catchy at the same time while encouraging users to pay for your services or buy your products. 3. Using the Same Images for Different Postings Just like the titles and descriptions issue, the photos that you use for your ads should be fresh and clean to avoid getting your Craigslist ads flagged immediately. Using the same images for different posts won’t just have your ads flagged, but doing so will also make your ads less effective for your audience. Solutions: One helpful tip you can follow is to add text over high-contrast photos. While the text overlaps the image, make sure that the former blends well with the background. Moreover, it should also be readable since users tend to ignore ads that appear somewhat confusing to the eyes. Additionally, the color of text and the main image should also be considered to achieve a pretty cohesive photo that minimizes the risks of getting your Craigslist posting flagged for removal. For example, white fonts should not be used for light-colored backgrounds since they tend to look faded. You can darken the image to solve this problem. In addition, images should at least have an image ratio of 600 by 450 pixels. This makes the images large enough to be clearly seen but not large enough to slow down the loading speed when viewers click on your ads. 4. Posting Numerous Ads Within 48 Hours One of the best tips on how to post Craigslist Ads without getting flagged is to avoid overposting using the same account within 48 hours. As emphasized previously, Craigslist tends to flag users that spam the website with the same ads repeatedly. Creating one ad within 48 hours is the safest route to avoid Craigslist ad flagged immediately. This gives enough time between your posts to avoid being considered spam. Solutions: However, should you need to, you can still post multiple ads in a day by using different accounts. While this may seem like an arduous task, your virtual scheduling assistant can help you deal with it efficiently. One of the perks of setting up a new Craigslist account is that you can post several ads at a time. However, you should note that the items or services listed should vary from one post to another. This means that businesses with a wide range of products can benefit from this feature the most. 5. Choosing the Wrong Ads Category Miscategorized posts are one of the most common mistakes of many posters when promoting their business on Craigslist. Unfortunately, this seemingly innocent mistake can get your post flagged or removed since it is against the website’s Terms of Use. Another tip to prevent Craigslist ads from getting flagged is choosing the correct category for the products or services you want to promote. For example, if you are offering painting services in your city, then it’s best to choose the “Services Offered” category instead of posting it in the “For Sale” section. Solutions: Aside from preventing your ads from being taken down, correctly categorizing your Craigslist ads can help enhance your business’s visibility. For example, when someone is looking for a brand new laptop, they can easily find your ad when they click the “For Sale > computers” category. Another example is when someone is looking for a laptop repair service, they can easily find your ad when they click the “Services > computers” category. On the other hand, it will be almost impossible to find someone who would be willing to buy this product if you list this item in the housing category. So, make sure to pick the appropriate category for your ads to boost your sales and prevent your Craigslist ads from getting flagged. Check out this video can guide you in the process 6. Using Forbidden or Spammy Words Craigslist takes spammy/prohibited words seriously. This is why it has often flagged or removed similar ads posted from different geographic locations. It also condones the use of offensive words that violate the website’s terms and conditions. Solutions: To avoid Craigslist ads getting flagged, make sure that your content is unique and original while complying with the website’s Terms of Use. For example, in many cases, using images or logos owned by other companies or persons may cause your listing to be removed from the website due to copyright infringement. In addition, threats and harassment, illegal activity, and sexually explicit content are also banned from the website. So make sure that you’re well aware of what’s allowed and what’s not when posting your ads on Craigslist. After all, Craigslist’s primary purpose is to help connect other people by providing a platform that will help them find valuable things that will make their lives better. It never encourages users to promote anything against the law. It’s in this situation where a professional content writing service can come in handy as they can help you curate the right content while still adhering to Craigslist’s terms. 7. Attaching Marketing or Affiliate Links Adding marketing or affiliate links to your Craigslist ads may seem like a smart idea, but this can actually result in your ads being taken down. This is because Craigslist doesn’t allow the inclusion of clickable links that will direct viewers to a different platform in their classified ads. Solutions: You should also note that Craigslist is only intended for sellers to reach prospective customers and advertise their products. It is not meant to be an affiliate marketing tool to boost your website. Instead of redirecting your audience to other platforms using affiliate links, the best way to find success on Craigslist is to create high-quality content that will persuade users to pay for your products or services. Or, if you must post an ad that contains links, then you can get away with it by adding them on the images instead. 8. Competitor Flagging Your Ads Another reason why your ads are getting flagged is because other users/competitors report your ads to the platform for violation of terms. In most cases, competitors will report your ads multiple times using different IPs. This is especially true if your postings affect them on a personal level or if they simply want to taint your business’s image. Unfortunately, your competitors may also do this without any valid reasons to gain an edge in the competition. Sometimes, some users also think that you are violating Craigslist’s terms and conditions in your ad, prompting them to flag your ads for removal. Solutions: If your ads have been flagged several times, it’s probably time to minimize your daily postings per day or try to post on a different time and city. You may also reach out to your competitors in your area to eliminate any misunderstandings. 9. Browsing History If you want to post multiple times on Craigslist, it is best to clear out your browsing history before listing your products or services. As previously stated, you can be easily tracked by the site’s system through your IP address, so if they detect multiple posts coming from the same IP address, your ads will be flagged and considered spam. Solutions: Therefore, it’s best to clear the list of web pages that you have previously visited to prevent this from happening. Doing so will give your browser a fresh start and make it tougher to classify your ads as spam because there are no traces of your previous activity on the website. Or, you can work with a Craigslist ad posting service to make it easier for you. Conclusion Overall, Craigslist is an innovative platform that allows users to post advertisements regarding just about any product or service they can offer. However, there can be some intricacies within the platform, especially when it comes to flagging. Hopefully, the solutions we provided above can help you get around those issues. If you want to prevent your ads from getting flagged even further, you can go as far as hiring graphic design artists to do banner design for Craigslist ads. Alternatively, you can hire virtual assistant services will help you make the most of it to boost your sales.
5 Strategies to Prevent Getting Flagged on Craigslist
The Costs & Benefits of Craigslist Advertising
There’s no question that car dealers see huge benefits from advertising their inventory on Craigslist. Dealers who post their new and used cars on Craigslist can successfully drive direct traffic to their website and gain leads from telephone calls and online contact forms. But Craigslist marketing can also cost you: dealers have to find time to manually post their cars and optimize how regularly they re-post. Preventing listings from getting flagged is another major problem for many managers, and it becomes costly for dealerships to repost ads on a daily basis. On top of getting your posts flagged and removed by random Craigslist users, you also have to be wary of competitors who may use black hat tactics like a program to automatically flag Craigslist posts. To avoid having your Craigslist posts flagged, follow these best practice strategies.
Strategy #1: Spread Out Your Craigslist Posting Over Several Days
Depending on your target area, every one of your posts stays live between 7-45 days. For dealerships with a large inventory of cars, it’s best to set up a schedule to spread out your Craigslist posting over several days. This practice regulates the frequency of posting, and prevents flooding Craigslist with your posts, which is often the key reason why listings are flagged for removal or “ghosted”. When a post is ghosted, it means Craigslist receives the listing but does not post it live on the website. A post can also get flagged or ghosted if you list a car that already has a live ad, so it’s best to keep track of your vehicles over a period of time before you post it.
Strategy #2: Post Less Than Your Full Inventory
If you’re trying to post your entire inventory on Craigslist, then your posts will most likely get flagged. Smaller car dealers can get away with listing their entire inventory on Craigslist if they have anywhere between 20 to 100 cars and distribute their posts across different areas and over several days. Larger auto dealers using Craigslist will need to patiently post a fraction of their full inventory during each period, and list a maximum of 80% of their used inventory.
Strategy #3: Use Multiple Unique IP Addresses
Craigslist automatically monitors the IP addresses of where posts originate, so if they notice that too many posts are coming from the same IP, then those listings will get flagged for removal. Craigslist does this to prevent one person from spamming their site with too many ads at once. Many car dealers at single locations only have one IP address to work with, so using the same IP address to post on Craigslist is often the cause of flagged posts. To aggressively advertise on Craigslist, you will need use multiple unique IP addresses. You can do this manually, or make use of an automated Craigslist posting service to do it for you.
Strategy #4: Post At Random Times and Strategize for High Traffic Days
Aggressive competitors from the same area may try to use an automated Craigslist flagging program to have your listings taken down. But to use these programs, they’ll have to find and insert the specific URL of the listing into the program. When you post early in the morning or late at night, you make it more difficult for people to directly target your posts. You can post at random times before high traffic days like Friday, Saturday and Sundays to avoid getting flagged by competitors. This also helps you target the days when many customers are on Craigslist searching for cars.
Strategy #5: Use Non-Identifiable Text and Vary Your URLs
The only way an automatic flagging program works is if it has your Craigslist post URL. Others can find your Craigslist posts by doing direct searches for your dealership’s name in the body of your listings. If you include your dealership’s name in either a URL or text-based content within your posts, then those listings have a chance of getting targeted by anyone trying to flag your posts. Instead, use image-based templates that include your dealership name, phone number, and location. Car buyers searching for specific car models can still see everything in your ad, but make it harder for anyone specifically trying to search for your dealership.
The Complete Solution: Using an Automated Craigslist Posting Service
These five strategies can dramatically decrease how often your Craigslist posts are flagged. The longer your listings stay live, the less time you spend posting each and every car in your inventory. Auto dealers that have a large inventory will naturally see higher costs to listing their cars on Craigslist, because it takes more time to deploy these strategies to make sure your posts stay online. For this reason, many large dealerships have chosen to pay for Craigslist posting services. The best Craigslist posting services are systems that help make sure most of your inventory is posted without getting removed or ghosted. Larger dealers who want to optimize selling cars on Craigslist often find that these distribution services are more cost-effective compared to manually listing and monitoring posts one car at a time.
Autofusion only posts on Craigslist for car dealerships.
6 Ways to Avoid Ghosting on Craigslist – Knock CRM
It is undeniable that Craigslist is an essential channel for multifamily property managers because it is a free channel that prospects regularly visit as they look for new apartments. However, it may not seem so “free” when leasing agent time is spent posting and that post is flagged or deleted by Craigslist – a practice known as “ghosting. ” When a post is ghosted, your ad will be visible from your account but will be hidden from public view. Unfortunately, when it comes to posting to Craigslist, there are many things completely outside of anyone’s control. Ghosting happens to be one of them, but we have pulled together some helpful information on how to avoid this. Please keep in mind these are just tips and there are no guarantees – but this will give you the best shot of your posts being seen by prospects! Things to be aware of when it comes to Craigslist flagging and moderation: There is a very active moderation community on CL. These are Craigslist users that review posts, looking for any content that (they perceive) violates the Craigslist terms of use: There are paid services that specialize in flagging posts (their goal is to flag all posts so only their customer’s posts are the only ones left! ) Craigslist utilizes their own manual and automated moderation tools. The exact methods they use are private, but see tips below There is a wide belief that users who have their posts flagged and removed have a lower flagging threshold in the future. This makes it very important to prevent getting these 6 suggestions to avoid your craigslist posts being flagged. 1. Don’t post the same/similar unit more than once per 48 hoursYou are only able to post to the same city / category once every 48 hours for the same item. If the price range is close / identical, it could be perceived as posting the same item. 2. Don’t post repetitive content. This includes:The same body of the ad, including a description or special. You should also avoid posting the same set of photos. Just re-arrange the photo orders, and don’t use more than 8-10. 3. Don’t promote your community, instead promote your unitCraigslist is a marketplace to buy and sell, not advertise. So, ads that aren’t specific in what they are selling, or if there is a “bait and switch”, a post may get flagged for removal. 4. Don’t use spammy or salesy wordsWhile such language doesn’t violate Craigslist Terms of Use, spammy language is often cited as a reason for community moderators to flag posts. 5. Don’t leave out key informationWhile there are no rules on what is required in an ad (other than what is required in the posting process), community moderators often flag posts that are not descriptive of the item (unit) being offered. 6. Don’t over-stylize your adsThis includes using multiple font sizes, bold fonts, underlined fonts, italics, and unnecessary capitalization. While stylizing ads doesn’t violate Craigslist Terms of Use, over-stylized posts may be perceived as coming from a template, which may attract more nclusionFollowing these six steps will give you the best chance of your posts being seen by prospects looking for a new apartment. If you want to learn more about how to better optimize Craigslist content to improve conversion within the channel, check out our post on how to Up Your Craigslist more tips like these, sign up for Knock’s newsletter.
Frequently Asked Questions about craigslist post flagged immediately
Why are my Craigslist ads being flagged immediately?
Craigslist automatically monitors the IP addresses of where posts originate, so if they notice that too many posts are coming from the same IP, then those listings will get flagged for removal. Craigslist does this to prevent one person from spamming their site with too many ads at once.
How do I stop getting flagged on Craigslist?
Follow these 6 suggestions to avoid your craigslist posts being flagged.Don’t post the same/similar unit more than once per 48 hours. … Don’t post repetitive content. … Don’t promote your community, instead promote your unit. … Don’t use spammy or salesy words. … Don’t leave out key information. … Don’t over-stylize your ads.
What happens if your Craigslist post is flagged?
Free classified ads sufficiently flagged are subject to automated removal. Postings may also be flagged for removal by CL staff or CL automated systems. Millions of ads are removed by flagging monthly, nearly all of which violate the CL terms of use.
