When browsing classified ads generally, it’s necessary to be aware of sophisticated tactics that frequent advertisers employ, often chaps with big budgets to spend. What they’re offering may be inferior to occasional advertisers with low budgets, in terms of value for money. Browsers need to look past gaudy colours and expensive photographs therefore, that are deployed skilfully to divert them along predetermined paths.

Browsers need to be aware too that ‘trade’, ‘paid-for’ ads are likely to monopolise best page positions. Moreover, several versions of more expensive adverts may appear on different pages, in different positions, at different times, to weaken browsers’ defences. Sometimes it’s hard to see past all window dressing, to find out what’s really on offer and judge whether professionally presented offers really meet browsers’ needs, time scales and budgets.

Some advertisers – occasional and frequent alike - make boastful claims containing superlatives, subjectivity and exclamation marks. Such posturing may also monopolise unwary browsers’ attention. Instead, browsers should be attracted by, and interested in, unpretentious presentations of fact; presentations that explain benefits of goods or services; presentations that satisfy emotions underpinning browsers’ need to browse.

Whilst listing buying criteria and deciding which product to buy, coarse and fine filtration of classified ads is important. So is ability to sort and re-sort adverts, perhaps in reverse order. Fixed, alphabetical listings are okay but not always best. Browsers need to compare like offers and this is easier if important information is provided in consistent formats, and in close proximity. Standardisation on metric measurements for example, would be useful.

The reverse engineering of browse results is important in other regards. For example, browsers might want to see adverts from particular locations only. Classified ad websites with database technology are increasingly allowing browsers to create unusual classes: user-determined classes like ‘UK Postcode NN8 2ZH’, not just source-determined classes like ‘Motors’.

With their brains in gear, browsers should be able to note down essential and desirable properties; maybe a specific product’s make and model number. At this point, they can switch to Search mode, to find best price, availability and supplier.

For sources of classified ads, this article suggests a number of presentational qualities that support worthwhile browsing, some of which only apply to printed sources, some only to websites:

* Make edition information clear, especially if editions cover special interests. * If sources are large in volume, provide page indexes to all classifications. * Enforce high typography, page format and English standards that support text scanning and skimming. * Provide sufficient ‘white space’, even amongst ‘free’ and cheap ads. * Allow small guys to compete with big guys; strive for fair and open competition. * Curb boastful ads; ask for evidence that pretentious statements are honest and truthful. * Provide tools to filter, sort and reverse engineer browse results.

Good content opens up a whole new aspect of usability to your website. Informative articles, user manuals and step-by-step how-to’s are just a few examples of smart website content. Anyone can sell me that widget. But who can show me how to use it?

Think this type of service doesn’t matter? Think again. Even brick-and-mortar businesses are recognizing advertising benefits of information and have begun expanding their services to provide free instruction that compliments their applications. One look at home improvement industry and you’ll see what I mean.

The brilliance of this marketing bonanza is that you don’t have to be an award-winning author to capitalize on content. There are freelancers galore ready and willing to write your words or you can tap into surplus of free content already out on web. But tap you must, before your competitor’s beat you to it.

The bottom line? If you build it, they might come but if you teach it, they're more likely to stay.