How To Stop Craigslist Ghosting
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.
Ghosting Problems on Craigslist – Azcentral
Ghosting is more than a problem for many business owners and entrepreneurs trying to get the word out — it’s also a mystery. But simply put, a “ghosted” ad is one that you can’t see. You went through the effort to create your Craigslist ad, and everything seemed fine, except that your ad is nowhere to be found on Craigslist. While it’s an unusual issue, you can resolve it by trying a few solutions. The Ghosting Mechanism Craigslist staff run an algorithm that identifies spam ads or any ad that violates its Terms of Use. If the algorithm picks up your ad, the ad is placed in the Craigslist underground or basement and doesn’t see the light of day. Craigslist does not tell you that your ad has been identified by the ghosting algorithm, as it does when it flags an ad. The only way to know if your ad has been ghosted is to search for it on Craigslist. If you don’t see your ad after about 15 minutes since posting, your ad might have been ghosted. Reasons For A Ghosted Ad The algorithm ghosts ads for a number of reasons, primarily to keep the site clean and remove duplicates. If your ad is ghosted, you may have posted the same ad more than once in a 48-hour period. In addition, ads are ghosted if you post the ad in multiple markets or categories; post ads that differ only slightly in content or post a large quantity of ads in a short period of time. Actions such as these match the behavior of spammers, and they easily attract the attention of Craigslist’s algorithm-driven monitors. Resurrecting A Ghosted Ad Before trying to post your ad again, wait 48 hours since your last posting. Otherwise, Craigslist views another post from you as a violation of their Terms of Use. You can also delete the ghosted ad, especially since it’s not live on Craigslist. Deleting the ghosted ad clears it from the site so that when you post the ad again — with a 48-hour break — Craigslist doesn’t read the ad as duplicate, or spam, content. Prevention Prevent your ads from being ghosted by avoiding strings of special characters in your ad titles, such as “$$$” or “~~~” or anything besides a letter or number. Craigslist may recognize such characters as something that spammers use to draw attention to their ads. Also, limit how many outside links you place in your ad, if any at all. Putting HTML links in a Craigslist ad makes your ad an easy candidate for being ghosted as it appears to be a spammer at work. References Resources Writer Bio Aaron Charles began writing about “pragmatic art” in 2006 for an online arts journal based in Minneapolis, Minn. After working for telecom giant Comcast and traveling to Oregon, he’s written business and technology articles for both online and print publications, including and “The Portland Upside. ” Image Credit Images
How to Flag Postings on Craigslist – Small Business – Chron.com
If you see an inappropriate post on Craigslist, the popular classified advertising site used by individuals and businesses, you can flag it for removal. Do so whether it’s affecting you personally or interfering with your business. A Craigslist flag marks Craigslist advertising as inappropriate, and if enough people flag the ad, it will be automatically removed. You can also contact Craigslist about inappropriate content – or recommend posts for Best of Craigslist, a kind of Craigslist Hall of Fame. Understanding a Craigslist Flag Craigslist is a widely used classified advertising service with local websites in dozens of cities across the United States and the world. Users post ads for everything from job openings to yard sales to rooms for rent, many of them posted for free. While the site has plenty of legitimate and helpful content, it can also attract scammers and people offering illegal services, as well as products and services that just aren’t allowed on the site. For instance, Craigslist advertising isn’t allowed to market guns, burglary tools, people’s personal information or the opportunity to participate in affiliate marketing programs, even if they’re legal. If you see a banned or illegal post on Craigslist, you can flag it. To do so, click the link in the post that has the word “prohibited. ” Craigslist doesn’t promote exactly how many people in what situations need to flag a post for it to be removed, but doing so will help get the inappropriate post off the site. If you’re not sure whether a post is permitted or not, check the Craigslist Terms of Use page and the prohibited items list. Other Options for Banned Content Clicking the flag button isn’t your only option for inappropriate content on Craigslist. You can also contact the company if you see someone spamming, or over-posting, on Craigslist; if you see someone posting fraudulent material; or if someone is harassing you. Fill out a form linked from the Craigslist frequently asked questions page to report such activity. Craigslist also suggests that you can report scams or illegal activity to the authorities where you are, including to the U. S. Federal Trade Commission or your local police. The company advises being wary of giving financial information or wiring money to anyone you contact through its service and not to accept potentially fake cashiers checks or money orders. You should also be cautious of renting an apartment sight-unseen on Craigslist, in case it’s a scam, and avoid any reference to a Craigslist voicemail service, which the company doesn’t actually provide. Also, whether you’re buying, selling, renting or hiring on Craigslist, you should take steps to stay safe, including not being alone with previously unknown buyers or sellers. Copyright and Intellectual Property If a Craigslist post is infringing on your copyright, you can report it to Craigslist under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by email or postal mail. Include details of the post and infringement, and a statement under penalty of perjury that it’s violating your rights. Users who repeatedly violate copyright can be banned from the site. Mistakenly Flagged Posts If you post an ad on Craigslist and you believe it was inappropriately flagged, there is a forum you can post on for advice and guidance from Craigslist staff and other users. Depending on the situation, you may receive guidance on how the post violated the rules so you can avoid such problems in the future or get help having it reinstated. Best of Craigslist In addition to flagging a Craigslist post as inappropriate, you can flag it for the Best of Craigslist hall of fame. To do so, simply click the “best of” link near the bottom of a Craigslist post. These can include posts that are funny, heartwarming or otherwise memorable. The company advises you to note that voting for a post for the “Best of Craigslist” collection doesn’t offset flags against it or otherwise protect it from removal, and notes that posts that get repeatedly nominated for “Best of Craigslist” for no particular reason can be removed. The “Best of Craigslist” posts are also subject to review by site staff.
Frequently Asked Questions about how to stop craigslist ghosting
How do I know if my Craigslist ad is ghosted?
Craigslist does not tell you that your ad has been identified by the ghosting algorithm, as it does when it flags an ad. The only way to know if your ad has been ghosted is to search for it on Craigslist. If you don’t see your ad after about 15 minutes since posting, your ad might have been ghosted.
Does flagging on Craigslist work?
If you see an inappropriate post on Craigslist, the popular classified advertising site used by individuals and businesses, you can flag it for removal. … A Craigslist flag marks Craigslist advertising as inappropriate, and if enough people flag the ad, it will be automatically removed.
What does ghosting mean on Craigslist?
Ghosting refers to any ad you have placed on the website that is visible from your Craigslist account page and from your confirmation email, but doesn’t appear in the category page. … Getting flagged can result in subsequent ads being ghosted, as can any violation of Craigslist’s Terms of Use.
