Advertising on OfferUp is a great way to drive awareness for your local business. But what’s the best way to maximize your results? We asked our team of experienced OfferUp Ads Account Managers exactly what makes ad campaigns successful on the app. Here are their top 5 tips to help you get the most out of your advertising.
1. Target specifically, but not too narrowly
It’s a given that a cell phone retailer won’t get the best results advertising in the “Sports and Outdoors” category. So while it’s important to appear in the correct category (such as cell phones in Electronics & Media), you should also be careful not to be overly specific on the exact keywords that would cause your ad to appear.
After all, you could catch the eye of customers who are shopping for electronics gifts in general - but maybe they’re trying to come up with ideas or they’re narrowing the list. You’ll still appear for “cell phone” searches, but have the opportunity to attract a whole other group of potential customers.
A bonus note - 80% of OfferUp users search within a 30 mile radius of home. Think about how far people would realistically drive to come shop with you. Is there a toll bridge they won’t cross? Set your ads to show in the correct radius, but don’t be too restrictive that you’ve made your market too small. And DEFINITELY make it clear that you’re local!
2. Think outside the box to connect to the right customers
Rather than restricting yourself to “people shopping for <the thing I’m selling,” consider who might have a use for your products or services, but may not be looking for them right now.
Do you sell ATV parts? Who uses an ATV, and what else are they interested in? Is it only powersport enthusiasts? Or could it also be landscapers and outdoor enthusiasts that use them at work and recreationally? What would they be looking at while using the OfferUp app?
Likewise, a handyman business could reach tool-shopping homeowners that realize their DIY project is more than they can handle. Landscapers, gutter cleaners, and window washers could promote their “spring cleaning” specials where people are looking for yard tools, patio furniture, and even barbecue supplies.
3. Put your best foot forward
Remember that old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words?” In advertising, bad photos don’t sell, and neither do poorly worded ads. Use the tips below to create your own high-performing ads, or ask your OfferUp account manager about using our in-house design team.
Images matter. Use visually appealing, high-quality images that show what your business offers. There are several free and inexpensive stock photo sites you can use if photography is a challenge. (Just make sure the photos are approved for commercial use.)
Keep it short and sweet. While OfferUp doesn’t have a strict limit on ad text, clever ad copy that’s easy to read and gets your point across quickly and effectively typically performs best. If you need some advice, just ask your account manager for suggestions!
4. Get to the point
Select your Call to Action (“CTA”) according to your advertising goals and what you want your potential customers to do. When customers know what to expect and what they should do, advertisers typically get better results.
Do you want to sell more products on OfferUp? Send shoppers to your profile page.
Do you want people to visit your website? Invite them to click through.
Do you want customers to call you and schedule or get more information? Set up a “Click to Call.”
5. Test and measure
Practice makes perfect. You can test budgets, ad creative, and targeting to figure out the mix that gives you the best results. Just make sure you’re not changing multiple things at once, because it will be hard to pinpoint just what influenced your results. (Don’t forget to set up a UTM code to track website visits that come from OfferUp!)
Budget: A higher daily budget means more impressions, and if you’re targeting correctly, could mean more clicks (and conversions).
Ad creative: Try creative with different images, brighter colors, different headlines, and variations on your CTA to find the best-performing ads.
Targeting: Test a few categories without keywords, then see if targeting those same categories with keywords performs better. Adjust your keywords to make sure you’re reaching the right customers.
As you’re testing, make sure you’re tracking your results in your OfferUp Ads Portal reporting.
Learn more
When in doubt, reach out to your dedicated OfferUp Account Manager! We’re here to help answer questions and guide you to your best results. Here are some other helpful resources.
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