Are Your Craigslist Posts Doing Their Job?
That which isn’t measured isn’t managed.
Such is the case with Craigslist ads. Craigslist’s recent decision to disallow html means that many of your posting tool’s tracking capabilities won’t work, so you’re left to do it yourself. That’s not a bad thing. Manual audits ensure that posts are done, and done properly.
Here’s how it’s done:
From the Craigslist city page, type the property name and search ‘All Housing.’ If your posts don’t include your property name, search for the phone number in the ad.
Can you find the ads? Are your properties posting frequently enough? Are they posting correctly? That means completing all fields, including the correct location; appropriate photos; full, map-ready address, etc.
If you have a lot of properties, keep track with an Excel spreadsheet. Put the properties down column A and the days you track in a row. When you do the audit, record how many posts you find per day. Excel can even automatically calculate your day and post totals. (If you want a pre-formatted spreadsheet, just email ellen@4walls.net.)
Keep your Craigslist posts consistent — they’re good for 1-2 leases per month when done right. But the only way to be sure is to audit manually, of course. It’s boring, but like many of the basics, it works.