Customer Reviews

craigslist 4 Everyone

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had never really used Craigslist before I picked up this book so I really didn't have anything to compare it as to it's accuracy or usability. After all, a well designed Web application SHOULD be usable even without any directions, right? Well, some aren't and some are just so plain that it looks like a laundry list of everything you DIDN'T want to know about a location; or maybe everything you DID want to know but didn't know how to find.

After visiting Craigslist online I found that it is rather like looking at a laundry list, or maybe just a spreadsheet of things you may want to find about a location. But after reading this book I learned that there are lots of very useful things you can use Craigslist to find and being useful is a good thing for a Web application or it will soon no longer to on-line.

I found this book very easy to use with explanations well illustrated and no "geek-speak" to speak of. In fact, using this as my guide, I was able to find a potential client listed that I would never have found anywhere else.

So if you have ever wanted to know what all Craigslist can do for you, then pick up this easy read.

I loved it. Fairly short, sweet, and simple. This little jewel of a book will introduce the reader to the multi-purpose online tool for job search, advertising, social networking, public relations, and sales. It is split into the following three sections and comprised of 15 chapters:

>>Craigslist 101 (1-3)
>>Posting on Craigslist (4-12)
>>The other side of Craigslist (13-15)

There are all kinds of listings one can take advantage of on Craigslist: community, housing, for sale, services, jobs & gigs, resumes, and personal. And they are all free (or at least mostly). The site is not just a job board, as many people erroneously believe. I view the site as an awesome marketing tool for the frugal online marketer. But I probably should not qualify that last sentence with the word "frugal" because it is really a great resource for everyone.

If you are into Internet Marketing and social media marketing and use Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter, then I highly recommend you consider incorporating Craigslist into your arsenal of online tools. By reading this book you will easily learn about the full range of Craigslist's options for yout to exploit. 5 stars!

Whether you're a newbie to Craigslist or a veteran like me, you need to read Craigslist 4 Everyone. I have been using Craigslist for years and I had no clue about most of the valuable information I read about in this book. They show you everything in a simple Step-By-Step method including tips and tricks I never knew existed. Plus lots and lots of screenshots showing you exactly what they're explaining. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who uses Craigslist for anything from buying to selling, rideshares, dating even house swapping. That's right I said house swapping. Check it out it's really cool.

This is a well-researched book, but the level of detail is somewhat excessive, e.g., all the history of craigslist and how it came to be. Not really necessary in a user's manual. Just paging through the book as I write these words, I found five pages of "common real estate industry terms." Does someone posting a real estate listing or perusing the listings on craigslist really need all this? I think not. I'd've liked to see more -- and better -- html formatting instructions. This topic gets exactly one page, with no screenshots to show the results of using specific codes. The "community" metaphor is a little strained, e.g., describing how to navigate craigslist as "getting around town," or specific sections of the home page as, for example, "the town square." We get it, it's an online community; no need to belabor the point. One big gripe is the tiny screenshots. Given the number used in this book, it would definitely have benefited from a larger format to accommodate larger screenshots.

Did you know that craigslist is one word? Did you also know that it's not capitalized? The reason is that the founder of craigslist, Craig Newmark, didn't capitalize either the name of his site, or any of the link names anywhere on his site. In fact, when you visit the site, you'll notice how plain the site is.

Some might even call it ugly. Who cares? The truth is, this site is consistently ranked in the top 50 most trafficked sites in the world, and the top 20 for the United States. This site gets a HUGE amount of traffic, and if you are a small business owner who is looking for free, and targeted traffic, you can't afford to ignore this site.

This book will easily help you harness this traffic, and the best part is that the information in this book is pretty much evergreen, which means that it's classic. Unless Craig completely changes his business model, the information contained in this book will always work.

In this book, you'll find the following sections:

Part I - craigslist 101
Part II - Posting on craigslist
Part III - The Other Side of craigslist

No matter what you are trying to sell on craigslist, you'll want to read the first section. This section covers safety and helps you protect yourself from spam, as well as helping you understand how craigslist actually works.

Depending on what you are selling will determine which chapters you read in Part II. Everyone will want to read Chapters 4 and 5 as these chapters will explain how to create listings that get results. Chapters 6 through 12 explain the different sections on craigslist, like For Sale, Housing, etc. and shows you how to post appropriately in each of these sections so you get better results.

(If you are a business person promoting your business, you are only allowed to promote in the services section. However, the writer clearly explains how to get the most from listing here.)

The final section explains techniques to help you get the most from your buying experience. You'll also learn how to find what you're looking for and not get scammed in the process.

What I liked about this book is that the author gives you plenty of instruction on how to use craigslist properly. There's no hype, and these techniques will work for anyone who is willing to follow them. In other words, the techniques are what search engine marketers would call "white hat," and these techniques will get you results.

The one thing I was unclear on after reading this book is how many ads you can post and how often. After re reading Chapter 4 though, I found the answers I was looking for. That's another good thing about this book. You don't have to read the whole book to get started quickly, so if you're trying to get rid of that old couch in your living room, you can actually read the book and then write and post an ad in a couple of hours.

Whether you own a business or not, if you plan to use craigslist, this is the book you'll want to read first. It contains plenty of clear instruction that will keep you from getting banned from the site, and you'll get better results from your ads. Well worth reading.

Jinger Jarrett, Author
Internet Marketing For Free: The Guide: Internet Marketing To Go!

If you aren't using craiglist to sell, buy or promote, your event, your business or yourself, I think you maybe missing out on one of the most effective, inexpensive tools on the Web...and this book is one of the best resources to tell you how to most efficiently leverage your energy on craigslist.

Ironically, while I think craiglist is one of the most effective, inexpensive ways to sell or buy items on the Web, find employees or employment, get updates on events, or find people of like interests, in addition to promoting your business or commercial endeavors, there are very few good "How To" books on the subject. Lloyd's book is the best I've found as a well written, informational guide on how to get the most from the international phenomena that is craigslist. The book is created in a unique way so as not to intimidate the beginner, but also to "fill in the blanks" or suggest new ideas for those who have some experience using craigslist. With all of the visibility and buzz about social media and networking, which usually promotes Facebook, LinkedIn and other clearly commercial type services, I think craiglist is still one of the most underrated, cost effective [usually free or very close to free in all cases] online communities for participating and transacting personal and business activities, and Ms. Lloyd's book is, quite simply, the best beginner/intermediate primer on how to get the most out of, and leverage visibility on, this overwhelming popular and effective craiglist community.

I would recommend anyone to read this book if using craiglist. More thorough explaination. Great gift for friends or just for yourself.