Advertising on Craigslist seems like the easy answer. You post an ad, get calls, and book jobs.
But the most successful contractors are not just posting on Craigslist and hoping for the best.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- how to post Craigslist ads that work
- which categories and keywords matter
- the common mistakes so you can avoid them
More importantly, I’ll show you what it actually takes to dominate your local market.
Spoiler: Craigslist should only be a starting point. What comes next is where the real growth happens.
Why Contractors Still Use Craigslist in 2026
Craigslist offers direct access to your target audience without spending a dime. No minimum ad spend, no complicated dashboards, just you and potential customers.
But if you don’t know how to advertise on Craigslist properly, your post gets buried faster than a nail in fresh drywall.
Setting Up Your Craigslist Account
First things first: you need a Craigslist account.
- Head to craigslist.org and click acct in the top right.
- Create an account using your email address. This is where leads will land, so use an email you actively check.
- Verify your email. Craigslist will send a confirmation link that you need to click.
Use a business email if you have one. It looks more professional when people contact you. “contact@omahaelectrician.com” beats “omahaelectrician@gmail.com” every time.
Crafting Your Perfect Craigslist Ad
Your Craigslist ad needs to grab attention, build trust, and make contacting you the obvious next step.
Writing a Title That Gets Clicks
Your posting title is the first (and sometimes only) thing people see. Make it count.
❌ Bad title: “Plumbing Services Available”
✅ Good title: “Licensed Electrician – Same Day Service – Free Estimates in Omaha”
A good title has a specific location, value propositions, and tells people exactly what you offer. Try to include relevant keywords naturally, like the service you provide and your city.
Keep it under 70 characters if possible. If it’s too long, it’ll get cut off in search results.
Creating a Description That Converts
- What do you do?
- Why should they choose you?
- How do they contact you?
Here’s a template you can use:
- Opening paragraph: Introduce your business and what makes you different. Maybe you've been in business for 15 years, and you offer a satisfaction guarantee.
- Your services: List your actual services. Use bullet points to make them easier to scan.
- Credentials: If you're licensed, bonded, and insured, mention it. People want to know you're legit.
- What to expect: Tell them your process. Do you offer free estimates? Do you do commercial work or just residential? Do you offer 24/7 emergency service? How quickly can you start? This removes uncertainty, making potential clients more likely to call.
- Call to action: Tell them exactly what to do next, for example: "Call Mike at [phone number] for a free estimate today."
Keep paragraphs to two or three sentences, max. Nobody wants to read a novel on Craigslist.
Adding Quality Images
Photos of successful past projects separate the pros from amateurs. Try to include at least 4-6 images.
Homeowners can spot fake photos easily, so show your actual work: that beautiful deck you built, the kitchen renovation that turned out perfect, or a truck with your business name on it.
Before and after shots are a great idea because people love seeing transformations.
Don’t forget to edit images before uploading, making sure they’re well-lit and in focus.
Choosing the Right Category and Location
You want to post the ad under the services section.
Then, pick the subcategory that fits best:
- farm+garden: perfect for landscapers and lawn maintenance companies
- household: great for electricians, painters, and plumbers
- skilled trade: for other services that don’t fit the other two categories
Don’t post in multiple categories, thinking you’ll get more views. Craigslist flags that as spam, and your post can get deleted. Pick the right category and stick with it.
If you service three cities, make separate posts for each area. A homeowner isn’t likely to scroll through ads for another city.
Check out Craigslist’s posting guidelines to avoid getting flagged. They’re pretty strict about spam, and you don’t want your account banned.
Keywords That Actually Work on Craigslist
Let’s talk about the best keywords for Craigslist ads.
People searching Craigslist use simple, direct terms. Think “roof repair,” not “residential roofing solutions.”
Add keywords to Craigslist post naturally throughout your description:
- Your service type: plumber, electrician, roofer, painter
- Your location: city, neighborhood, county
- Special offers: emergency, 24/7, free estimates, licensed
- Project types: residential, commercial, new construction, remodeling
Don’t stuff your Craigslist keywords. Instead, use them in your title and description naturally.
If you’re a kitchen remodeler in Austin, TX, something like “Experienced kitchen remodeling contractor serving Austin and surrounding areas” works well.
Tips to Make Your Craigslist Ads Stand Out
- Feature your phone number prominently: Some people use Craigslist's email relay, but many prefer to call. Put your contact info at the top and bottom of your ad.
- Mention your asking price or rate structure: Even if it's just "starting at $X" or "free estimates." People want numbers.
- Double-check everything before you publish: Grammatical errors can make you look unprofessional, so pay attention to the details.
- Post consistently: Most Craigslist ads expire after 30 days. To succeed, it’s important to post regularly (especially during busy seasons).
- Respond fast: When someone reaches out, respond within an hour if possible. The first contractor to respond often gets the job.
- Avoid spam triggers: Don’t post the same exact ad multiple times. When writing the ad, steer clear of excessive caps, exclamation points, and walls of text with no breaks.
- Test different approaches: Try different titles, change your description format, and use different photos with every ad you post. You’ll learn what generates more responses and refine from there.
- Link to your website if you have one: Even a simple site builds credibility. If you don’t have a website, a Facebook or Instagram page is better than nothing.
Common Mistakes Contractors Make on Craigslist
- Being too vague: "We do everything!" tells people nothing. Be specific about your services.
- No photos: If you can't show your past work, people assume you don't have any.
- Posting and ghosting: You can't just post once and forget about it. Craigslist advertising requires consistent effort.
- Ignoring safety: Craigslist scams are unfortunately common. Never meet strangers at weird locations or accept sketchy payment methods.
- Copying competitors: Craigslist will flag duplicate content, so write your own ads.
- Forgetting to renew: Your ad won't stay up forever. Set reminders to repost when ads expire.
Taking Your Online Presence to the Next Level
It doesn’t hurt to advertise your contracting business on Craigslist. But these days, just posting free ads on a declining platform like Craigslist is not enough.
If you want to dominate your local market, you need a complete online presence that works together like a well-oiled machine.
Local SEO Changes Everything
When someone’s kitchen floods or their AC dies, what do they do?
They pull out their phone and Google “emergency plumber near me” or “AC repair [your city].”
Local SEO optimizes your Google Business Profile, so you appear in the top three map results. Contractors who rank there get the calls.
Your website matters, too. The top contractors in your market have websites that showcase their previous work and answer customer questions.
They build trust before the first conversation even happens.
High Accuracy Paid Ads
On Craigslist, you can’t target who sees your ads. You’re basically posting into the void, hoping the right person sees it.
Google Ads and Facebook Ads let you target exactly who you want. You can set your budget, track every dollar, and see exactly which ads bring in jobs.
When someone Googles “kitchen remodeling contractor in [your city]”, your ad is right there at the top.
Instead of waiting for people to find you, you’re putting yourself in front of them at the exact moment they need your services.
The Power of Effective Branding
Real business growth comes from becoming the contractor people know and trust. That means consistent branding across your website, social media, trucks, and business cards.
When someone has seen your logo three times, guess who they’re calling when their deck needs replacing?
Not the random Craigslist ad they scrolled past. They’re calling the business they recognize.
The contractors who actually dominate their markets use all of these together. They’re not picking between Craigslist, SEO, or paid ads. They’re running a coordinated strategy where everything reinforces everything else.
How to Advertise on Craigslist FAQs
Post at least once a week. In competitive markets, daily posting keeps you at the top of search results. Just make sure each ad is unique to avoid spam filters.
If you actually service those areas, yes. Create separate posts for each city with location-specific details. Don’t just copy and paste the exact same ad everywhere. That gets flagged as spam.
Never give out sensitive financial information, and meet in public places for initial consultations when possible. Check out the FTC’s consumer protection resources for more safety tips.
Not usually. Some categories in certain cities require a small posting fee, but for contractors offering services, it’s typically free.
Absolutely. Simply log in to your account, find your post, click edit, and make the changes you want. Note that editing resets your post’s timestamp, which can help it get more views.
Partner with Contractor Marketing Experts
You got into contracting because you’re good with your hands, not because you wanted to become a digital marketing expert.
At Contracting Empire, we specialize exclusively in helping contractors dominate their local markets. We handle their branding, local SEO strategy, ad campaigns, website updates, and beyond.
Our clients aren’t spending hours reposting Craigslist ads. They’re booked solid with quality projects from customers who found them through professional marketing that runs on autopilot.
Craigslist might get you a job here and there. But if you’re serious about growing your business and charging what you’re actually worth, you need a real marketing strategy.
Ready to grow your business the right way? Let’s build you a marketing system that actually works.