Craigslist changed their format - any workarounds for this?...

15 replies
I see now that you can do the "http://" thing all you want, and it will no longer give you a hyperlink on craigslist -- reader must copy and paste link to go to the link.

Is there any way around that new limitation? Some kind of html code, maybe?
Any way to set up a true hyperlink in a CL ad?

Please advise.

Thanks!

-- TW
#changed #craigslist #format #workarounds
  • Profile picture of the author JosephC
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  • Profile picture of the author MidnightMarketing
    Hmmm, that's new. I didn't realize that until now but then again, I don't use Craigslist much. Maybe if you type up your url on your ad, use a shortened url so that it's not too hard for the reader to manually type up the url in their browser
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    • Profile picture of the author dana67
      I don't use Craigslist much either. Even when you follow all the rules, people still seem to flag posts for no reason. There really are better places to promote in my opinion.
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      • Profile picture of the author craigsposterpro
        We advise all our posting clients to embed any links within images which accompany their text content. Using any html code even for simple text formatting such as bolding or bullet points will increase your flagging and ghosting risk.

        As was earlier mentioned, Craigslist is getting stricter about filtering out spammers and any posting footprints they may commonly use. Even trying to spell out your links to outsmart Craigslist will backfire on you. So, keep it simple by embedding links and email addresses in your ad images.
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        • Profile picture of the author TimothyW
          Originally Posted by craigsposterpro View Post

          We advise all our posting clients to embed any links within images which accompany their text content. Using any html code even for simple text formatting such as bolding or bullet points will increase your flagging and ghosting risk.

          As was earlier mentioned, Craigslist is getting stricter about filtering out spammers and any posting footprints they may commonly use. Even trying to spell out your links to outsmart Craigslist will backfire on you. So, keep it simple by embedding links and email addresses in your ad images.
          I'm not sure what you're talking about by embedding links within images.
          I do know CL is also no longer allowing images (as such) -- but they do still let you put *PICS* into *the ad's pic section* ( so there's no more embedding images right in the ad (text) part any more)

          So, when your ad gets posted, it says "pic" (NOT "img" -- that's no longer allowed)
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          • Profile picture of the author agmccall
            Originally Posted by TimothyW View Post

            I'm not sure what you're talking about by embedding links within images.
            I do know CL is also no longer allowing images (as such) -- but they do still let you put *PICS* into *the ad's pic section* ( so there's no more embedding images right in the ad (text) part any more)

            So, when your ad gets posted, it says "pic" (NOT "img" -- that's no longer allowed)
            I guess you will just have to convert your images to pics. Really?

            al
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            "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

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          • Profile picture of the author craigsposterpro
            Just semantics really. All I mean is displaying your links within your images.
            Same for any email addresses. That is how you can inform people of your site link and contact info without risking ghosting or flagging. Hope that clarifies.

            Originally Posted by TimothyW View Post

            I'm not sure what you're talking about by embedding links within images.
            I do know CL is also no longer allowing images (as such) -- but they do still let you put *PICS* into *the ad's pic section* ( so there's no more embedding images right in the ad (text) part any more)

            So, when your ad gets posted, it says "pic" (NOT "img" -- that's no longer allowed)
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            • Profile picture of the author TimothyW
              Originally Posted by craigsposterpro View Post

              Just semantics really. All I mean is displaying your links within your images.
              Same for any email addresses. That is how you can inform people of your site link and contact info without risking ghosting or flagging. Hope that clarifies.
              Oh -- I thought you were talking about clickable images.
              If you (just) put the website address *in* (as text in/on the pic),
              that's not only not clickable -- it's not even cut and paste-able!!

              -- TW
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              • Originally Posted by TimothyW View Post

                Oh -- I thought you were talking about clickable images.
                If you (just) put the website address *in* (as text in/on the pic),
                that's not only not clickable -- it's not even cut and paste-able!!

                -- TW
                Craigslist no long allows your web address on the images as well. Thats also a reason for flagging now.

                If you want it on your image, eliminate the http://www part, and then put it on the images in varying positions.

                About clickable links, you are correct, you can put them in your bodies, but they need to be copied and pasted in the browser by the customer.

                Ping me if you need any further assistance.
                Skype: craigslistposting.center
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      • Profile picture of the author DURABLEOILCOM
        Originally Posted by dana67 View Post

        I don't use Craigslist much either. Even when you follow all the rules, people still seem to flag posts for no reason. There really are better places to promote in my opinion.

        Curious can you share the better places?
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      • Profile picture of the author Coffee Cup
        Originally Posted by dana67 View Post

        I don't use Craigslist much either. Even when you follow all the rules, people still seem to flag posts for no reason. There really are better places to promote in my opinion.
        Better? And free too?
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  • Profile picture of the author buysellbrowse
    Under prohibited, Craigslist lists "postings or email the primary purpose of which is to drive traffic to a website". That means, your links are not welcome on CL. They make it abundantly clear they absolutely do not want you to promote your website, and go to great lengths to dissuade you from doing that. Why persist?
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    • Originally Posted by buysellbrowse View Post

      Under prohibited, Craigslist lists "postings or email the primary purpose of which is to drive traffic to a website". That means, your links are not welcome on CL. They make it abundantly clear they absolutely do not want you to promote your website, and go to great lengths to dissuade you from doing that. Why persist?
      I have posted 3 ads a few days back at CL but didn't know that website links are in prohibited list. Though my ads didn't contain any links.
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  • Profile picture of the author TimothyW
    Also - what I mainly want to do (and have done, and continue to do) is have a link to a YT video.

    So, not exactly a link to a website.

    But, also, if I'm advertising in the services section, then I should be able to have a link to a video or my website, so the potential customer can get more info.

    If I'm in the services section, then I *AM* trying to promote my business -- and CL knows it. So I don't see what their objection should be to including links in that case.

    So far, the ads I've put in have gotten properly posted, even though they contain links to videos and my sites.

    The only difference now seems to be that those links are no longer clickable, as they used to be.
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