Platforms such as Craigslist have greatly changed how people find and use classified ads, providing a digital alternative to conventional print methods. These websites simplify the process of looking for jobs, homes, cars, and other daily necessities. They’re also commonly used for buying or exchanging second-hand items. Craigslist is still considered one of the most popular and widely recognized platforms in the online classifieds space.

This article delves into how to build a classified website from the ground up. It covers the core functionality of these platforms, walks through the key development stages, discusses various ways to generate revenue, points out typical obstacles you may encounter, and shares useful tips for launching a successful classified site.

What is Craigslist?

Craigslist is a classified advertisement website operating in 70 countries and 700 cities. It was established in the 1990s during the early rise of the Internet.

How To Make a Website Like Craigslist

To create a website like Craigslist, identify your target groups and define categories or classes you want to include. Design a simple and comfortable user interface to surf and post ads. Develop strong advertising management, search functionality, and user communication. Test well before launching the site.

Tech Solutions

If you want to create a website similar to Craigslist, consider two main options:

Out-Of-Box Solution

Out-of-the-box software consists of pre-made libraries or plugins that can be installed on a website.

Most classified advertisement websites are developed using PHP, and many of them also utilize WordPress.

Building a classified advertisement website entirely on WordPress can be an effective strategy for quickly validating an idea and attracting investments; however, it may struggle to accommodate a large number of real users. It’s important to remember that all successful classified advertisement websites are built solely on WordPress.

Custom Development

If you’re considering how to create a Craigslist-like website, it’s important to first determine whether you have validated your idea and if you’re prepared to commit to a long-term project. If you are ready, opting for custom development would be a better choice. This approach allows you to start fresh and tailor the website to meet the specific needs of your users.

Given the large number of users that similar websites must accommodate, it’s wise to select a technology capable of handling significant traffic. Several programming languages can effectively manage high loads, including PHP, Java, and Ruby (specifically, Ruby on Rails).

Main Features of Craigslist

User-Friendly Design

Our Craigslist clone app will help you improve your existing classified ad app. This will make it easier for people to find you online, resulting in more frequent visits to your site.

• Easy access to the screens

• Provide navigational support to the users

• Decreases the overall loading time of the screens

Popular Stores

A store will be classified as a popular ad app when it has the most reviews. This ensures that the best stores come up first in any search list or site.

• Most reviewed store

• Having high reviews

• Popular among the business

Post Classified Ads

Classified ads are an excellent way for businesses to showcase their offerings and connect with potential buyers. Customers can browse through various listings, make purchases, and leave ratings and reviews for the products or services they encounter.

• Post classified ads

• In a specific category/country

• And sell your products

Dynamic Filters

One of the best features of our classified app script is that users can easily set their preferred categories and filters for ads. This will enhance their experience on mobile devices.

• Price-based search

• Category/Location search

• Review-based search

Chat/Call Feature

One of the best features of our Craigslist-like classified ads is the ease of communication between users. This option enables sellers and buyers to converse with minimal effort.

• Share Location and image

• Can call the seller for fast communication

• Block the user

Review/Rating Feature

Buyers have the ability to rate sellers on our app, making it easier to identify the best ones. Additionally, buyers can leave reviews for the products they’ve purchased. This not only assists other shoppers in making informed buying decisions but also helps them filter for the top sellers.

• Gives rating

• Gives review

• And the seller can reply to their comments

Choose the Right Technology Stack

The technology stack you select will significantly impact your app’s performance, scalability, and reliability. Below is a breakdown of the components:

Frontend: Utilize frameworks like React Native for cross-platform development or use Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android development.

Backend: Consider using strong backend frameworks like Node.js, Django, or Ruby on Rails to manage users, listings, and payment processing effectively.

Database: Choose strong backend frameworks like Node.js, Django, or Ruby on Rails for effective user management, listings, and payment processing.

Cloud Hosting: Utilize cloud hosting services like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure for enhanced scalability and reliability.

A proper tech stack guarantees your app runs efficiently and scales with your growing user base.

Development Process

The development phase includes front-end and back-end work, which involves integrating required APIs for payment gateways, maps, and location services.

Frontend Development: Concentrate on developing the mobile interface with essential features like listing management, search functionality, and communication tools.

Backend Development: This involves setting up user authentication, managing listings, implementing payment systems, and developing backend APIs.

API Integration: Incorporate external services such as payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal, integrate location maps using Google Maps API, and enable push notifications.

Create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) by starting with essential features, then develop additional functionalities based on user feedback.

How Does Craigslist Make Money: Monetization Models

While most startup founders were focused on the traditional approach of attracting major venture capital and investors in Silicon Valley to monetize their businesses, Craigslist took a different path. The founder, Craig Newmark, revealed in an interview with Inc. that his intention was never to generate billions from the platform. Instead, he aimed to create a free service, which is why he refused to allow banner ads.

Although Craigslist was the original platform and set the tone for the industry, subsequent classified advertisement websites sought to monetize their businesses.

This is why different revenue models for classified ad websites have emerged:

Posting Fees

Users are charged for each advertisement they post.

This monetization model has a significant drawback: customers may be reluctant to pay for ads that may not yield successful results.

A potential solution is to either charge a small fee for each ad posted or to allow users to post a limited number of ads for free each month, charging them for any additional postings. For instance, Oodle allows free postings, but there is a cap on the number of free ads based on the listing category. The same policy applies to OLX.

Transaction Fees

Customers are required to pay a fee for each transaction when making purchases on the platform. While this monetization model is not the most popular among classified advertisement websites, it has become more common over the past 20 years as the market has evolved.

One notable example of this shift is OfferUp, which charges buyers a percentage fee for using the platform and for payment transactions facilitated through its integrated payment provider, Stripe.

Premium Features

A website offers a range of additional features for a fee, such as traffic statistics, the ability to import all products via XML, and options to filter ads by category.

This revenue model is typically aimed at standalone businesses looking to sell on the platform under their own brand name. In this scenario, classified ads allow businesses to create a dedicated account where they can track their sales and manage their own business page on the website. For instance, OLX utilizes this approach to monetize its platform.

Featured Listings

A website can earn revenue by allowing Google Ads or AdSense to place their banner ads on it for a fee.

While this method can generate income, it is often perceived as spammy and intrusive, which customers can easily recognize. Consequently, it is best to combine this approach with another revenue method. One example of this is Quikr, which features listings prominently.

Market Analysis of Classified Advertisement Websites

The era of newspaper advertising is nearly over. Classified advertisement websites have taken the place of traditional newspaper ads. With these websites, individuals can post an ad in just a few clicks.

There are several reasons why people choose to switch to online advertisements: the ability to write lengthy ads for free, use images, sell internationally, and easily search and filter ads.

Craigslist is not the only classified advertisement website available. Many websites offer services similar to Craigslist, but it remains the most popular due to its low costs and presence in 70 countries.

Craigslist was the first successful website for classified ads, establishing a benchmark in the industry. However, this hasn’t deterred others from putting forth their best efforts. Many have succeeded as well, introducing unique features that you can discover later in this article.

Let’s begin with a list of the most popular and successful classified advertisement websites in history.

How did Craigslist start?

The story of building a classifieds website like Craigslist began with its launch in 1995. It all started with a single email sent about two upcoming events in San Francisco to around 12 people. To everyone’s surprise, that email was widely shared, and people began reaching out for more information about future events.

Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, continued to send emails on various topics, including events, buying, and selling. As time went on, the demand for subscriptions to these emails grew, making it increasingly difficult to manage the email distribution.

Recognizing the need for a more efficient solution, the idea for a website emerged. This led to the creation of Craigslist. Prior to its launch, there were only a few websites that allowed advertisements, but they charged fees. The goal of creating Craigslist was to provide people with free access to post ads online.

Final Words

Although the market for online classified ads began to emerge over 20 years ago, it continues to grow and evolve. Each Craigslist-like website aims to find its own niche in the classified advertising industry.

If you plan to be part of the increasingly competitive landscape of classified websites, it’s essential to create unique features that cater to your target audience. However, be careful not to overlook any important features that are crucial for a classified advertisement website.

For inquiries or more information, feel free to contact us.