According to the findings of an April 2009 survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, the number of online adults who have used online classified ads has more than
doubled in the past four years. Almost half of internet users say they have ever used online classified sites, compared with 22% of online adults who had done so in 2005. And, on any given day about a
tenth of internet users (9%) visit online classified sites, up from 4% in 2005.
Use of
Online Classified Ad Sites (2005-2009) |
advertisement advertisement Year | % of Online Adults Who
Have Ever Used Online Classifieds | Use Online Classified on a Typical Day |
2005 | 22% | 45 |
2006 | 30 | 4 |
2007 | 32 | 6 |
2009 | 49 | 9 |
Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, March-April 2009 |
The growing importance of such sites to internet users reflect the changes in the audience for classified ads, both those who place them and those who make purchases, that have
devastated a key revenue source for traditional newspapers.
Newspaper
Classified Ad Revenue (1980-2008) |
Year | Revenue in
Million $ |
1980 | $4,222 |
1985 | 8,375 |
1990 | 11,500 |
1995 | 13,742 |
2000 | 19,608 |
2005 | 17,312 |
2008 | 9,975 |
Source: NAA Business Analysis & Research, May 2009 |
In the world of online classified advertising, Craigslist is by far the most
used website in the United States. In March 2009, classified sites averaged 53.8 million unique visitors, up 7% from February. Craigslist had 42.2 million unique visitors in the month of March.
The free, no-frills, user-generated and self-policing classified ads site has grown tremendously since its start in 1996 in San Francisco. As of April 2009, Craigslist had established itself in
over 500 cities across 50 different countries.
Classified ads sites are a one-stop-"shop" for everything from jobs to apartments to furniture to movers to puppies. However, users
don't buy anything directly on classified websites, they use the sites to set up meetings, and transactions are conducted in person or by mail, a characteristic which separates online classifieds
from auction or shopping websites like eBay and Amazon.
And, some demographic information about Online classified advertising users:
Online Classified Ad Use by Age |
User (Age) | % Ever Using Classified Site | % Using Classified Site on a Typical
Day |
All Internet Users | 49% | 9% |
18-24 | 49 | 11 |
25-34 | 62 | 16 |
35-44 | 57 | 10 |
45-54 | 48 | 7 |
55-64 | 35 | 4 |
65+ | 26 | 3 |
Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, March-April 2009 |
Online Classified User Demographics |
User | % Ever Used Classified Site | % Using Classified Site on Typical Day | Increase in Classified Use 2005-2009 (% Points) |
All Internet users | 49% | 9% | 27 |
Gender |
Men | 51 | 12 | 28 |
Women | 47 | 7 | 25 |
Race |
Whites | 49 | 10 | 26 |
Blacks | 44 | 8 | 27 |
Hispanics | 49 | 10 | 28 |
Education |
< High school | 40 | 7 | 24 |
High
school grad | 45 | 8 | 28 |
Some college | 49 | 12 | 25 |
College grad + | 54 | 9 | 26 |
HH Income |
< $30,000 | 42 | 6 | 23 |
30-49.9 | 47 | 9 | 29 |
60-74.9 | 56 | 13 | 31 |
75 + | 56 | 12 | 26 |
Community Type |
Urban | 47 | 10 | na |
Suburban | 47 | 10 | na |
Rural | 32 | 4 | na |
Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, March-April 2009 |
More information on the Pew Internet Report can be found here.