I get a much better response and conversion rate from paid classifieds than I do from free classifieds. These days free classifieds just don’t get a very good response. In fact I got zero response from the last few free classified ads I placed and you’ll hear this from many other marketers. But you may be saying “Well you didn’t lose anything because it didn’t cost you anything.” But that way of thinking is a big mistake because time is your enemy when it comes to marketing and you can’t afford to waste it doing things that don’t get results.

Even if they’re free! Lately free classified ad sections have just become like one big spammy mess! Barely anyone reads free classifieds because they figure that if the person who placed the ad doesn’t have enough money to pay $5 for a paid ad, then they may not be trustworthy.

Paid classified ads really do separate the beginners from the advanced marketers. And to some extent paid classifieds even separate a certain amount of con-artists from legitimate offers. I’m not saying everyone who runs free classifieds are scammers, but I would say I’ve come across a lot more scams in the free ads than regular paid ads.

So the bottom line is that paid ads simply get taken more seriously. And you always get what you pay for!