Craigslist can be a powerful avenue for selling your used car inventory—but those ads won’t write themselves. It takes strategy and a little effort to write Craigslist ads that get the job done. And all too often, dealers jeopardize their ad efficacy by falling prey to common errors and mishaps.

In this post, we’ll run you through five of the most common Craigslist errors—and offer some tips for avoiding them.

Making Your Text Difficult to Read

Your ad copy should always have proper spelling and grammar—but on an even more basic level, it should be easy to read. That means not typing in all caps, and it means avoiding unwieldy run-on sentences.

Don’t just dump a bunch of copy into your Craigslist ads. Take some time to sculpt your message, review, proofread, and fine-tune.

Writing Titles That Mislead

The basic rule for titles: They should make it very clear what you’re selling. If you’re advertising a used Toyota, the word Toyota really needs to be in the title.

Remember that some Craigslist users will search by title and filter out any ads that don’t include certain keywords. That’s why listing the specific car you’re selling is always a smart idea.

Using Bad Photos

Some of the worst Craigslist ads we’ve seen either have bad, blurry photos, or in some cases have no photos at all!

Make sure that all of your ads:

• Include photos!
• Have a lot of bright color.
• Ideally, have a backdrop other than your dealership showroom (somewhere outside, surrounded by greenery, is ideal).
• Show off the most appealing features of the automobile.

Failing to Include Details

Buyers want more than just the make and the model. Also make sure you list any modifications that have been done to the car. If you’ve just put on a brand-new set of tires, list that. If there are after-market add-ons that come with the car, list those, as well.

The bottom line: Don’t be stingy with detail.

Not Branding Your Dealership

One more Craigslist mistake is focusing so much on the vehicle that you forget to market your dealership.

Remember that you’re not just trying to sell people on the car. You’re trying to sell them on you, and to give them a reason to trust you with their automotive needs. Make sure you always include a few selling points for your dealership.