Tag: online newspaper classified ads

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Newspaper Classified Ads: The Unsung Heroes

Contrary to popular belief, newspaper classified advertisements as we know them have existed since the 1600s. However, the evolution of this form of advertising can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian civilisation, where, in around 2000 BC the Egyptians invented outdoor advertising. In around 59 BC, the Romans published the ‘Acta Diurna’, or the “Daily Acts”. 

The first evidence of handwritten news sheets dates back to China in 206 BC. These news sheets were produced by the government and called ‘tipao’. However, it wasn’t until the 1600s that public posters stuck to posts and walls for lost property became commonplace. 

The first newspaper advertisement was published in the Boston News-Letter in the year 1704, even though the first printing press in the United States arrived in 1638 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Over the centuries, the importance of advertisements has only grown. Newspapers, being publications that contain written information about currently ongoing events, have always been in high demand. Newspapers today offer a rich selection of content for readers, catering to each and every taste. Likewise, newspapers have a dedicated section for classified advertisements with the ads arranged according to their ad category, such as matrimonial, property, education, retail, public notice, lost and found, computers, services, etc.

Newspaper Classified Ad

In recent years, more and more people have chosen to go digital, consuming news online on personal devices such as mobile phones and tablets. This has cast doubt on the future of newspapers, especially considering more and more newspapers are now available online, either offering a truncated version of the print publication online, or offering online subscriptions by blocking articles with a paywall. 

Even though there is no doubt that digital is indeed the way forward, newspapers aren’t going extinct anytime soon. Definitely not in India, at least.

For Indians, newspapers have always been an integral part of the household. Elders in many Indian families cannot imagine their breakfast without poring over the latest headlines or doing the daily crossword. Newspapers in India have been treated as a lot more than just a bunch of sheets of paper. They are regarded as reliable and authentic sources of the latest news and a host of other information on a variety of topics. It is no doubt that classified ads are still among the most popular forms of advertising today.

releaseMyAd has been in the advertising industry for more than a decade and is thoroughly conversant with the ins and outs of classified advertising. You can leverage this highly lucrative medium to reach out to your target audience by booking a classified ad online on releaseMyAd’s easy-to-use ad booking platform. With its strategic ad placement techniques and a strong network of advertising partners located across the country, releaseMyAd guarantees you the lowest rates for all your advertising needs.

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How to Compose a Good Classified Advertisement

Classified advertisements are divided into Classified text ads and Classified Display ads. Classified text ads publish in standard running text format and charge as per character, word or line. Enhancements like color, underline, bold, tick etc can be added to classified text ads. Classified display ads are charged as per sq cm and contain image, color, logo etc. Both are specifically published in the Classified page of the newspaper. 

releaseMyAd is the most cost effective way of booking classified ads online. It is India’s number one ad booking platform which provides customers the most easy and hassle free experience of advertising.

I am going to share some tips and ideas about writing a successful classified advertisement here.

  1. Appropriate newspaper selection: Selecting the appropriate newspaper is the basic need to successfully publish a classified advertisement. Choose a local or national newspaper according to your need for advertisement.
  2. Preferred edition selection: Edition needs to be selected according to the target reader. For eg, if you want to sell a flat in Delhi then selecting Delhi edition of any newspaper is the best option. Thus you can get the maximum response.
  3. Specific category selection: Before publishing an classified advertisement in a newspaper you must know what is the best suited category for your advertisement. Selecting the perfect category helps to get the proper response because readers can easily open that particular section and see the ad without wasting much time.
  4. Ad creative composition: For personal/ individual requirements such as matrimony, selling property, selling automobiles, or change of name, newspaper classified ads are a more suited solution. 

Composing ad matter is the most important job in terms of the effectiveness of the published advertisement. It is very important to maintain proper space, punctuation and spelling for generating a sense of authenticity, dependency among readers. In case of matrimonial ads, it is very necessary to mention age,  height, educational qualification or professional details and sharing if any special preferences are there like divorcee, non-divorcee, separated, NRI, physical disabilities and medical conditions etc.

  • While composing a name change ad, one must keep in mind to clearly mention the old name and new name in the matter.
  • While composing Lost and Found advertisements, mentioning your contact details allows the public to return the lost object if found by anyone. 
  • In the Obituary and remembrance ad do not forget to mention the name and date of death of the deceased person and strictly not mention the reason of the death because that is not acceptable in most of the publication. Obituary and remembrance ads are usually published in classified display format. releaseMyAd has their expert designer team to compose the creative in such a way that will surely catch the eyeballs of readers.

While composing an ad matter, the most common mistake people make is they skip mentioning their contact details. It is very important to mention that for obvious reasons otherwise people won’t be able to get in touch with you or your product or service. 

  1. Selecting the release date: After creating your ad creative the next stage is selecting the insertions, i.e; publishing dates. You can choose one or multiple insertions. releaseMyAd provides offers on release date time to time for their clients.
  2. Upload necessary documents: To publish some classified ads publication requires certain documents. It is mentioned in our website. So after selecting the release date in case of certain ads you have to upload the documents which are required. For eg, to publish a name change ad, one needs to provide a notarized affidavit.
  3. Payment: Last step is making the payment. You can make the payment by Debit card/ Credit card, Net banking, UPI, Cash deposit, Cheque deposit. A confirmation mail will be sent to the client’s registered email address after payment. 

For more information feel free to call or WhatsApp our helpline number 9830629298  or write us to book@releasemyad.com.  We have our 24*7 chat system to help you with any query which one can avail by visiting our website.

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The History of Classified Advertisements

Classified advertising is a form of advertising which is commonly visible in newspapers, magazines, periodicals and over the internet. They are short advertising messages, generally grouped under specific headings (known as classifications, classes or categories), in a separate section, and may be charged or distributed free of cost. 

Newspaper Classified Ad

Generally, termed as “want” ads, classified advertisements are relatively cheaper as the content is short and are charged on the basis of characters, words or lines. The following is a brief history of classified advertisements :

  • Public Notice Carving :

The oldest form of classified ads can be traced back all the way to 2000 BC, when the Ancient Egyptians invented outdoor advertising as they carved public notices into steel. They also made use of papyrus to create sales messages and various wall posters.

Later, in around 59 BC, the Roman Empire started publishing Acta Diurna (Daily Acts) or government announced bulletins, as ordered by the then Roman general, Julius Caesar. They started carving the notices in stone or metal (since these were the most commonly used materials back then) and posted them in public places.

  • Handwritten News Sheets :

During the Imperial China period, court officials made use of news sheets, referred to as “Tipao”, which were produced by the government. This was during the late Han dynasty. Tipao, which literally meant “reports from the official residences,” were a publication issued by both the local and the central governments in imperial China. These publications dated as early as 206 BC – 220 BC (Han Dynasty).

News Sheets were handwritten on silk and strictly meant to be read by government officials only.

  • Public Poster Advertisements :

The first handwritten notices date back all the way to the 15th century. These notices used to appear in various public places, nailed on numerous posts and walls in England.

During the mid 1600s, notices for lost property had become extremely common. Also, it was during this period when the handbill emerged in England. The handbill used to be a small printed ad, notice or announcement distributed by hand.

  • Newspaper Classifieds :

The form of classified advertisement which is known to us today, was first recorded in the year 1704, when the very first newspaper advertisement was placed in the Boston News-Letter, on the lookout for a buyer for an Oyster Bay, Long Island, Estate. This ad literally marked the birth of newspaper classifieds. About 14 years later (in 1718), the weekly Jamaica Courant followed the trend in Kingston.

By 2007, about 6,580 daily newspapers in the world selling around 395 copies a day already existed. The newspaper industry continued to grow until 2008, when economic recession posed a setback to the entire world. The worldwide economic crisis, coupled with the rapid growth of internet-based alternatives, saw a serious decline in newspaper advertising and circulation of diurnal newspapers. In fact, most papers had closed business while others had cut back operations.

With the continuation of increase in online classifieds, newspaper’s revenues from classified ads continued to drop. In 2007, classified advertising for some of the largest newspaper chains had dropped by a good 14-20 percent, while traffic to classified websites grew by 23 percent, clearly showing how online classifieds were gaining more popularity than the newspaper classifieds.

According to NAA, between 2002 and 2012, classified advertisements suffered a major decline accounting to around 71 percent (from $15,898 to $4,626 in revenue). This decline was mostly attributed to the emergence of web-based classified alternatives.

  • Online Classifieds :

By the year 1995, the internet disruption of classified ads started. Two new companies were established in 1995: AdOne and Craigslist. AdOne is known to be one of the oldest classified websites in the world.

Craigslist is another site held responsible for popularizing online classifieds. Craigslist is a classified ad website where the ads are classified into different sections. Today, there are hundreds of alternatives and free online classifieds to choose from.

  • Social Classifieds :

Multiple social networks like Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, and others started offering a platform for social classified ads. These social networks enabled their users to promote sales for products and services within the social network.

In May 2007, about 3 years after the launch of Facebook, the Facebook marketplace was introduced, allowing users to post classified advertisements without being charged. These free ads fell within the following categories – Housing, For sale, Jobs, and Other.

In March 2009, a new version of the Marketplace application was launched. Oodle, an online marketplace based out of California, powered the new version.

  • Classifieds on Mobile Phones and Tablets :

With the introduction of smartphones and tablets, posting and searching on online classified platforms became a growing trend. Currently, there are over 300 mobile apps for classified advertising on the iPhone and Android alone, competing for a strong clientele base. Responsive websites like www.releasemyad.com adopt any device, irrespective of the size or orientation. The mobile application further enhances the process of booking classified advertisements online.