classified ad section for website

abbadox

I have a animal related website and have recently added a free classified ad section for people looking to buy/sell or give away a pet and have been unable to get it started. I am looking for ideas/advice on how to get some activity going in the section. 

abbadox

There are two primary sites in my niche that also have a classified ad section but both of them charge for listings and I want to make mine free so I feel that would be my edge over the competition, as far as Craiglist goes my niche does not apply very well to it, I am speaking of a very focused classified section.  My competition sites are very active and have hundreds if not thousands of paid ads yet I have been unable to get anyone to start posting within the section.  My website is already getting over 25 thousands uniques a month and much of it very targeted from Google and Yahoo search.  I need someway of getting an initial ad base so when my visitors see the section with activity instead of an empty board I think they will just natually start to participate.

blondieblue

Why not share with us the site ... maybe it will inspire some ideas as to best market the classified ads feature.

abbadox

I left the url off the post because it was my first one on this forum and I did not want it to appear as just a spam post.

blondieblue

Well, without the information of the site you are referring to .. there is no true way to offer suggestions, input, or opinions.
Feel free to post the url.