Classified ads or “small ads” are a proven and powerful method of advertising that has been popular in magazines, online, and within other publications, e.g. free ads newspaper or Pennysavers for several centuries.  Free ads are a really ancient form of communicating; as a matter of fact, in all likelihood it’s older than you would have ever expected.  The first classified ads appeared in 1704 in a publication known as the Boston News-Letter.

Like most forms of printed media, the free ad has worked its way to the Internet.  Many companies now offer free classifieds such as Craigslist, E-Bay, Kijiji and Gumtree while other webmasters focus primarily on local classified ads.  Craigslist was one of the first online classified sites, and has grown to become one of the largest classified resources available.

Classified ads differ from standard ads or business models in that it allows anyone to solicit sales for products and services.  These small ads can produce a great impact.   You are able to market an extensive mixed bag of product or services under categories such as pets, accounting, cars, clothing, jobs, for sale, real estate and much more.   Free classifieds encompass the internet’s landscape from the United States to Canada, Asia, Europe, and beyond.

In 2003, the market for classified ads in the United States was $15.9 billion (newspapers), $14.1 billion (online) according to market researcher Classified Intelligence. The worldwide market for classified ads in 2003 was estimated at over $100 billion.  The Kelsey Research Group lists online classified ads as being worth $13.3 billion, while Jupiter Research provides a conservative appraisal of $2.6 billion (2005) and the Interactive Ads Bureau lists the net worth of online classified revenue at $2.1 billion (April 2006).

Newspapers are continuing their downward trend in diminished classifieds profits as online classifieds produce increased numbers year after year.  Classified ads at some of the bigger newsprint chains had dropped as much as 19% in 2007 whilst traffic to online classified sites had grown as much as 24%.

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