If you want to buy or sell something online there are literally hundreds of thousands of sites to choose from. Recently the emergence of free classified [http://www.parzoo.com] websites have proved a very effective way to get your items sold or to find that rare treasure you've been searching for for months.

When placing a classified ad there are a few steps you should take to really make your ad stand out and insure your item gets sold.

Preparation:

Choose a site: There are 100's of classified website out there today. You should choose one that has a good communication system that allows potential buyers to contact you without giving out your email address. A classified website with a great communication system is [http://www.ParZoo.Com]. Their messaging system gives you the ability to communicate with buyers directly from their site without having to open up your own email.

Take Photos: A picture is worth a 1000 words. Never is this more true then when trying to sell something online. Your photos should be taken up close, from different angles and show as much detail as possible. The more photos you can post the better.

Choose Key Words: Most classified websites [http://www.parzoo.com] have word searches and most buyer use this search feature to locate the items they are looking for. Also since classified websites generate a lot of unique web pages, search engines like Google and Yahoo love them and index them often. This means there is a good chance that your ad could end up on one of the major search engines. So, what you want to create a list of all the key words that someone may use if they were looking for your item on Google.

Write a Description: The best thing about online classifieds is that they usually give you a large word count in order to write your items description. You want to include as many details and be as descriptive as possible. Be sure to use all of the key word you came up with in your description and explain how payment is to be made and how the buyer will receive your item. Always write in complete sentences and with proper grammar.

Write a Title: Your title should be short and to the point. Include the name of the item, how old the item is or its condition and the price.

example: 2002 Ford Focus -$1300
Like New Love Seat $600

Now you want to place your ad on the website. This is normally a pretty simple process. Most site will require you to open a free account. Once you do, you will have to choose the appropriate category for your item. Next you will fill in the ad form with the information you prepared and upload your photos. Submit the information and your ad should become live in a few minutes.

Now that you have a classified ad running, there are a few things you can do to make your ad more visible which will increase the chances of you selling your item.

Featured Listings: This is a great and quick way to have people see your ad. Featured listings are generally found on the home page of the site or at the top of the page of each category. Most featured ads do have a fee associated with them.

Create Back Links: Once you have an ad running most sites will give you your own unique web page and URL with your ad on it. You can place that URL as a link back to your listing on your own website or blog, your social networking page or in the signature of your email. You can do this by placing a little bit of HTML code in the place you wish the link to appear.

If you take the time to do the preparation and follow through explained here, you will find your in-box full of buyers making you offers.