Straight off the bat, I’ll say I’ve sold well over 6 figures worth of goods and services on this amazing little classifieds site. Signing up for an account in 2011, I originally started with what most people would associate the platform with; household goods, furniture etc.. As I got a little deeper and Gumtree started to grow, I realised there was likely potential to do a little more with it. So, I started experimenting with ads in different categories. Ads for welding machines (brand new), ads for business services, freebies that I could look to on-sell, ads for donations for fundraising events I was doing. Just thinking back… I had completely forgotten about how much I’d actually done on this platform. It is a gem.
So with this post, I want to share a little of how I’ve managed to generate some success with it, tips, techniques and strategies that I’ve found to have worked exceptionally well. Let’s dive in…
Choosing Products & Services to Market on Gumtree
Selling Goods..
First off, we have goods. Typically when we think of selling goods via an online classifieds site, we think of the old junk we have lying around, perhaps cars, bikes etc. Well, what about the products your business produces? Gumtree can be a great place to sell brand new stuff and you can essentially turn your profile into a store. The site has been particularly useful for selling power tools, safety gear etc.. for a client of mine.
Whatever product you stock, I guarantee there’ll be a category for it. Don’t assume this only works with low price points either. Put everything you have on there and see what gets attention and what doesn’t. Even it doesn’t get immediate results, there’s no harm in leaving ads up long term. It’s not like it costs anything.
Offering Services..
Services is where the platform really shines. You can offer anything… Years ago, when I was travelling around a lot, I used to arrive back home in desperate need of quick cash. I put up ads for anything you can think of.. dog walking, flyer deliveries and now I continue to market the services Hudson Media provides such as digital marketing and website design. It really works for things you probably wouldn’t expect.
Wanted
Gumtree also has the option to create ‘wanted’ ads. These can be used to secure services (e.g website design), goods or even employees. I have used the job listings section on several occassions to get workers for various projects I’ve been working on. Just be aware that it will take a bit of sorting to get the right candidate you are after. It tends to be a volume approach for many prospective employees on there. If you happen to be one of those who sends out bulk resumes with no customisation whatsover, please stop. I’m more likely to consider someone who writes a short email directly related to the job than someone with the perfectly crafted resume who has obviously put no thought into their application.
Tip 1: Posting Multiple Ads
As with any online marketing, the key to success is firstly ensuring you get in front of your potential customer. To maximise the chances of this on Gumtree, it’s a good idea to post the same ad in multiple categories and if possible, locations.
Let’s say I offered website design services (which I do) and wanted to advertise them on Gumtree.
When I went to post an ad, the suggested category is graphic and web design, which makes sense. I’d post an ad in there.
I’d also create another ad and post it in Services for Hire-> Other Business Services.
Now be warned, Gumtree will not post your ad if it’s an exact replica of another. You have to change the title and the text around enough so it won’t trigger the replica ad response. It doesn’t require a lot but make sure it’s a little different.
Next, because you can design websites remotely, I’d also post the ad in multiple locations. You can run an ad for Perth, one for Adelaide, one for Melbourne… there’s no limit.
Again, make sure the ad is varied in its content enough.
You can get truly creative with this. For instance I could post an ad specifically targeting real estate agents that want websites. I could choose the real estate services category and create a custom ad based on what they may require. The possibilities are endless.
Paid Advertisement or Free?
Before you’ve posted your ad, Gumtree gives the option to promote your ad further, at a price.
Then, once it’s posted, you have more options again…
I have no idea how they work out their pricing but I’m assuming it’s a supply and demand equation. The categories that have more ads being paid for, the higher the price of each option.
Admittedly, the only paid advertising I’ve used with Gumtree is the Top Ad feature. This has generated some pretty decent results, particularly in categories that are busy and your ad drops down several spots quickly.
I’ve never paid for the bump, as I always delete the ad and then repost it to get the same effect while saving $5. Since it takes about 3 minutes, I recommend you do the same.
Tip 2: Images are Key
Perhaps not absolutely key, but they are incredibly important in drawing interest to your ad in the first place. Along with an attention grabbing headline, your images help your ad stand out from the crowd a little. Here are a few things I’ve noticed;
- Genuine images work better than stock images
- The more pics the better. Try and get at least 5 for a service. Get a product from all angles.
- Posts with no images get very little response.
Get your camera out and start snapping. Run your photos through a basic editor before uploading them. The images also need to be less than 2mb. Anything around 500×500 pixels is perfect.
Case Study
Now I better show you that all this stuff actually works with a real example. I used to run a flyer delivery business so let’s go with that one. It actually came about as a result of a Gumtree ad so it’s fitting.
Now I had 1 simple ad running which I re-posted once a week. Took me about 5 minutes a week and didn’t cost a cent.
Over the course of a year, I would’ve averaged 1 lead per fortnight. At least 60% of these converted. These are people that are actively looking for this service and have come across my ad. Several turned into regular work. Several of them resulted in $1,500+ jobs. I would have to look back over my records to get exact figures but I would conservatively estimate this 1 ad brought in $20,000+ worth of work. $0 spent, perhaps 5 hours throughout the whole year re-posting the ad. Pretty good deal I’d say…
This can be replicated throughout a range of industries and services, just stay consistent with your re-posting, make sure your ad doesn’t drop too far down in the category and make it clear and to the point.
If you’re not utilising Gumtree in your online marketing strategy, you’re missing out. Get yourself an account and start advertising!
Very interesting and informative post. Thanks so much for the suggestions, I hadn’t thought of using Gumtree this way before for my business. Sounds like a good avenue to explore!