How to upload a successful advert on FarmAds
12th December 2022
FarmAds provides a free platform to sell your excess machinery, equipment or livestock, and there are certain steps you can take to make your ad stand out and achieve a faster sale.
If you are a private farmer, you can buy and sell agricultural machinery, equipment or livestock free of charge on FarmAds.
However, to make your ad stand out and gain an edge over the thousands of users advertising on FarmAds, you need to follow some basic rules. Taking the time to make your ad as good as possible will not only help sell your machinery faster, but may also land you a better deal.
Below, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of creating an advert on FarmAds and reveal our top tips on how to lure in prospective buyers.
Follow these steps to create an advert on FarmAds:
- Log into your account
Once you have selected the ‘Advertise Online’ option, the site will prompt you to log into your account. If you don’t already have one, creating an account on FarmAds only takes two minutes!
Remember, you can also advertise in the classified section of Farmers Guide magazine for free. Our long-standing publication is mailed to over 30,000 farmers and contractors in the UK and overseas, giving plenty of exposure to your advert.
- Confirm your contact information
This section should be auto-filled based on your account, but if not, please fill in your name, display name for the ad, and email address.
- Add a short but descriptive title
When giving a title to your ad, less is often more. A good title is concise but still contains all the key information to arise the interest of buyers.
Key details to include when advertising farm machinery/equipment are the make, model, manufacturer year and hp (tractors). When selling livestock, good information to include is the breed, colour, pedigree, sex, and life stage.
While lengthy titles may be less attractive to buyers, they are often more likely to show up in search results as they contain more keywords. Therefore, longer titles may be preferable when selling more unique items to help the listing appear in more search results.
Keep in mind that writing more than 45 characters will mean that part of your title will not be visible when browsing. As such, you have to strike the right balance and only choose the most essential keywords to include in your title.
- Write a detailed description
Your ad’s description is your opportunity to find the right buyer for your item. Without being too wordy, include as many details as possible about your machinery or livestock to increase the chances of a quick sale.
Basic information to include here is your machine’s service history, engine hours if applicable, maintenance details and any special features your machine may have.
A useful tip is to make your description easy to navigate; if your text is rather long, break up paragraphs with a line of empty space in between. A description that’s more pleasing to the eye is more likely to be read from beginning till the end, increasing your chances of success.
Keep reading to find out how to make your ad’s description stand out from the crowd!
- Select a category
To select a category for your ad, click on the space below the prompt and choose the most appropriate option for your item. If your ad doesn’t fit into any of the categories, select ‘misc’ for miscellaneous.
- Add specifications and price your item
Specifications are optional, but the more you fill in, the easier it will be for buyers to find what they are looking for.
The next prompt will ask you to confirm your contact information so buyers can see where the item is located and get in touch via phone. We have removed the message function from FarmAds to protect both buyers and sellers from fraud.
Read more about how to avoid scams when buying farming equipment online here.
Listing a price is highly recommended as it can increase the number of inquiries you receive. However, there is also an option for buyers to contact you for a price. In addition, you can indicate whether you’re open to offers, which will show up next to the price of your item.
- Choose high-quality images
Images are a must if you want your ad to be successful within a reasonable timeframe. You can upload multiple images up to 8 MB each to support your advert, and the use of more than one image is recommended. For best results, make sure your images are in focus and show your item(s) in a presentable state on a bright, sunny day.
On FarmAds, you can also add a product video to your advert, which is a great way to show off your machinery in operation.
- Hit upload!
Once you’ve chosen your advertising package, set an expiry date, and agreed to our terms and conditions, your advert is ready to go live on our platform with a click of a button! Your listing will then be instantly visible to thousands of FarmAds users and no further action is required from your side.
If you have any questions or ran into an issue with your advert, you can contact our dedicated team through the live chat feature between the hours of 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can fill out the form on our Contact Us page or call us on 01473 691888.
How to make your advert stand out on FarmAds
Follow these simple but effective steps to make your ad stand out and sell faster on FarmAds:
- Be accurate but concise in your description
While it is important to provide buyers with the necessary information about your item, aim to do this in a collected and concise manner.
There is no need to waffle on about how great your machine or livestock is and how it will pay for itself in the long run. Most buyers already know why they are looking for a certain type of machine or animal and will find a wordy description off-putting.
At the same time, make sure you include useful details about your farm machinery or equipment, such as:
- Full service history if known
- Hours in operation
- Operating type
- Optional extras
- Any attractive features
- Warranties if applicable
- Number of owners
- Any modifications/changes made to the machine
- Reason for sale
Other than general details, make sure you highlight anything that gives your machine a competitive edge. Things to call out could include ‘low mileage’, ‘only one owner’, ‘new tyres fitted’, ‘never been damaged’ etc.
While low mileage is clearly attractive to buyers, more miles are not necessarily a bad thing if the seller can show records of regular service. Also, be sure to highlight any modifications or special services your machine has received in your ad.
If selling livestock, basic details to include are:
- Breed
- Pedigree
- Registered society
- Date of birth
- Animal’s purpose
- Worming and vaccination details
- Reason for sale if relevant
When selling livestock or farm equipment privately, it’s paramount that you describe your item(s) accurately and your ad doesn’t contain any misleading information. Failure to do so can not only lead to the buyer returning the item, but can also result in prosecution.
Finally, try to avoid using overly salesy language such as ‘these pigs give the very best pork’, or using cliches like ‘first to see will buy’, ‘head turner’ and ‘drives beautifully’. Also, refrain from the use of block capitals as this can make your advert harder to read.
- Include eye-catching photos
Taking the time to capture high-quality images of your item is perhaps the most important aspect of creating a successful advert. No matter how detailed and convincing your description is, if your photos are unremarkable or poor quality, buyers are likely to lose interest very quickly.
First impressions matter, which is why your primary photo should stop scrollers in their tracks. Avoid simply copying pre-existing photos of your machine from the internet, as this can make your advert look like a scam.
Many advertising sites like Auto Trader have found that ads with good photos sell much faster, which is all the more reason why you should set aside time to take some quality photos.
To get the most out of your photoshoot, be sure to:
- Choose a bright, sunny day when there is plenty of light
- Clean your machine thoroughly
- Take photos from several angles, preferably from eye level
- Check your machine is in focus
- Take photos of any damaged areas
- Showcase both the outside and inside of tractors/trailers
- Improve the photos with an editing software or ask a friend for help
Uploading more than one image is highly recommended when selling farm machinery or livestock so buyers can be confident in what they’re looking at.
- Be transparent from the get-go
Being honest about your item is not only a legal requirement, but can also make the selling process much smoother. Trying to hide any damage to your item or presenting it as a bargain is usually a fruitless endeavour as the buyer will find out the truth sooner or later.
What’s more, you can also end up endangering people if you’re not honest about the true condition of your vehicle.
Since the faults of your item are most likely reflected in the price, revealing them won’t necessarily put you at a disadvantage. Instead, you will come across as a candid and trustworthy person who is a pleasure to conduct business with.
