7 Rules for Writing Ads That Actually Get Responses
Most people write ads the way they'd text a friend. "Selling my old laptop, good condition, message me." That gets zero replies.
Here are 7 rules that change that.
1. Front-load the most important information
Buyers scan. Your first line should answer: what is it, what condition, what price? Everything else is secondary.
Bad: "Hey so I've had this for about a year and I'm moving so I need to get rid of it, it's an iPhone."
Good: "iPhone 14 Pro 256GB โ Deep Purple, 98% battery, no scratches. PKR 185,000."
2. Write the title like a product listing, not a sentence
Include: brand, model, spec, condition. In that order.
"Samsung 65" QLED TV 2023 โ Excellent Condition, Original Box" beats "TV for sale" by 400% in click-through.
3. Answer the questions buyers always ask
Before they message you, buyers want to know:
- Why are you selling?
- What's wrong with it?
- Is price negotiable?
- Where are you located?
Answer all four in the description and you'll get higher-quality inquiries.
4. Price just below round numbers
PKR 19,500 gets more clicks than PKR 20,000. PKR 49,000 gets more than PKR 50,000. This is well-documented buyer psychology and it works online just as much as in retail.
5. Use photos that show flaws, not just features
A photo showing a small scratch with the caption "only damage" builds more trust than six perfect photos with no mention of it. Buyers who see the scratch in your photos don't feel cheated when they receive it.
6. Write for the buyer's outcome, not your item's history
You don't care about the history of what you're buying. You care about what it does for you.
Bad: "I bought this desk three years ago from IKEA when I moved into my apartment."
Good: "Sturdy IKEA LINNMON desk โ holds dual monitors, has cable cutout. Perfect for a home office setup."
7. End with a specific call to action
"Message me" is weak. "Call or WhatsApp between 10am-8pm" is strong. Give people a specific next step and they're more likely to take it.
Follow these seven rules consistently and your response rate will be 3-5x higher than average. The buyers are there โ your job is just to not get in your own way.