The second step in placing an ad is selecting the pictures of the vehicle you want to use in your listing. Remember the hypothetical situation from step 1? Using multiple pictures in your listing can give the potential buyer loads of information about your vehicle before the buyer even reads the first word about it.
You must choose the correct combination of pictures to display with your listing for maximum effect. If you followed the directions in step 1, you should have at least 15 to 20 pictures to choose from. Group the pictures into categories depending on the angle (for example: front, left, rear, right, front right, rear left, under the hood, interior, etc.). Then select the best picture from each category and discard the rest.
Now you should have a group of about 7 to 10 high quality pictures. Comb through these pictures and select the ones that, if displayed together, would show the most detail about your vehicle. The goal is not to overwhelm the potential buyer with tons of photos showing the same details, but to display great photos of different areas of the vehicle that convey the overall condition of the vehicle.
A great example of photos to use is: front driver's side, rear passenger's side, under the hood, interior, and any after market add-ons to the car. You should use at least 4 photos with each listing, but feel free to use more.
After you select the correct photos, you need to edit them. Most auto classified web sites have a maximum file size for photos you can upload with your listings. The highest quality settings for digital cameras can be anywhere from 1 MB to 5 MB per photo and greater depending on the camera. So what do you do if the photos you take exceed that size? You have to edit or resize them. But before you do that, you need to know how images are displayed on computer monitors as opposed to print.
High quality images displayed on the web are actually low quality when printed. Computer monitors display images at 72 DPI. A good quality printing will be 300 DPI or greater. A photo displayed on a monitor at 600 pixels (8.33 inches) wide will only be 2 inches wide if printed on paper. To get a good quality 8.33 inch print on paper, the photo will need to be at least 2500 pixels wide. This is a big difference in file size (and download time).
The optimal size for photos on the internet is approximately 600 pixels wide by 400 pixels high. If your camera can't take pictures this size, even in the lowest quality setting, you will have to manually resize them. To do this you need an image editing program. Most computers have at least a simple image editing program on them. If your computer doesn't have one, you'll need to download one from the internet. You can find free and low cost image editing programs by going to www.download.com and searching for "image editing software."
However, you can skip the image editing step if you find a car classifieds site, like VINclassifieds.com, that automatically resizes the photos upon upload so they are the optimal size for the internet. This could eliminate the need for you to manually resize your photos before upload.
Choose the right pictures for your classified ad and viewers will set up and take notice. Look for the next installment titled "Sell Your Car Online: Step 3, Using the Right Information to Help Sell Your Automobile." Happy selling.
The third step in placing an ad is selecting what information you want to use in your listing. Most auto classified web sites have information fields that are either checkboxes or blank textboxes for short answers. Here's the danger. If you don't give enough information, you may lose potential buyers. They may think that the missing information is an attempt to hide what's wrong with your car or truck. The solution is to answer ALL information fields that are applicable to your vehicle.
So, what type of information do you display with your listing? The most important information that must be included in your listing is: make, model, year, mileage, engine type, and transmission type. When searching for a car or truck to buy, especially a used car or truck, this is the information that the potential buyer must know before taking the next step, contacting the seller. This information will determine whether the buyer is even interested in the vehicle to begin with.
Secondary information which should be included in your listing is: body style, drive train, and VIN number. You should always include the body style (2dr, 4dr, SUV, truck, etc.) and drive train (FWD, RWD, 4WD, etc.) in your listings. It is a great idea to also include the VIN number. A growing percentage of buyers and dealers are using CarFax.com to gain information about vehicles. If the buyer is serious about purchasing your car, he/she can research the VIN number through CarFax.com without the added inconvenience of calling you first.
Next in the line of important information are the accessories or options your vehicle has. This is the information that can separate your vehicle from the rest of the pack. List all the options your vehicle has. Whether it has power windows, CD player, ABS brakes, DVD player, or a power sun roof, the buyer needs to know the accessories or options on your vehicle. List them all. Even if the classified ad system you use doesn't list the accessories in a selectable list, include them in the description field.
You must not forget to include your contact information. List your address as well as your phone number. If the buyer is interested in your vehicle, he/she could call or drop by for a test drive if close enough.
As a summary, you should include the following in your classified ad (listed in order of importance): - Contact address and phone number - Make - Model - Year - Mileage - Engine type - Transmission type - Body style - Drive train - VIN number - Accessories or options
There's no such thing as listing too much information about your vehicle, so type away and tell as much about your car or truck as possible. The worst thing that can happen is that the potential buyer will spend more time viewing your listing and less time viewing someone else's listing. Isn't that what you want?
Choosing the right information for your classified ad can set your automobile apart from the rest of the pack, at least in the buyer's mind. Look for the next installment titled "Sell Your Car Online: Step 4, Writing a Compelling Description of Your Automobile." Happy selling.
Derrick Walker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cars, Cars and SEO Articles. Derrick Walker is founder of . VIN Classifieds displays cars for sale by individuals and car dealers.