Top Essential and Optional Features for Classified Websites

Features are value additions with the core process. In a typical Online Classified website, the core functionality is posting an Advertisement and well defined Search system. In modern days we can see more and more features coming out as additions with modern classified websites. Here we shall discuss on some essential and optional features for both Users and Administrators of any Classified website.

 

Essential Features for Classified Website Users:

1. One Page Advertisement Posting Form : This form must have customizable fields to support your niche classified site and very easy to submit.
2. Focus on Search : Search box is the heart of the classified website, so it must be bigger than other normal websites and properly placed in an easily accessible location.
3. Location based Search or Geo-location System: Categories or Sub categories must be divided based on proper location, because everyone prefers buying or selling near locality than travelling a far distance.
4. Responsive : It means the site must work on any internet enabled devices. Most of classified website users prefer to use these websites on their Smartphones and on the go.
5. SEO friendly: Every advertisement should be properly indexed by google with the help of Metadata and proper keywords automatically.
6. Contact Advertiser Form: It is a core feature of Classified websites.
7. Easy Navigation and Account Management: Simplified navigation and user account management is a must.
8. Comment System: Either be it Social Commenting or Guest Commenting, it is essential for consumers to communicate with sellers publicly to get answers for some Frequently Asked Questions.

Optional Features for Classified Website Users:

1. Photo: Now almost all leading classified websites support photo posting.
2. Filters: Filters for shorting is essential for continent searching. Filters are generally used for Location, Price, Date or Age of Ads, Sub-categories, Contact Verification and other specific custom fields.
3. Messaging or Chat: Real time Chat or Personal Messaging between buyer and seller is becoming essential feature now a day.
4. Android / iOS App: Some regular users might find apps are useful ways to accompany a classified website.
5. Multilingual : If it is a local classified site then an option of local languages helps users.
6. Social Share : Social sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp etc. features
7. Report and Favourite : Report of an inappropriate Ad to admin and if the Buyer likes an Advertisement he can add it to Favourites list.

Essential Features for Classified Website Administrator:

1. Solid Backend: Detailed backend management features to manage every functionality like Category, sub-categories, location, ads management etc.
2. Spam Detection and Management: Implementing some verification systems like SMS and Email verification to reduce spam advertisements or use of Captcha.
3. Membership : If you are planning to monetarize then there must be Membership Levels for FREE and Premium Members with details management options.
4. Payment System : Support for various Payment Gateways and Multiple Currencies if it is going global.
5. SEO Management: SEO Friendly Links, Location subdomains, Customize page title, meta keywords and description for all pages, Google Sitemaps, Canonical URLs.
6. Backup: Instant or scheduled automatic database backups for emergency failure protection.
7. Security Features: Prevent Contact Details like Phone Scraping, Email Copy Protection, Limit login attempts, Login History, IP Blocking, Email Blocking, Forbidden Words
8. Bulk import & export: Possibility to import and export all or selected Ads in single click and Send Bulk Emails
9. Detailed Statistics: Admin Dashboard must give real-time updated insights of your classified site.

Optional Features for Classified Website Administrator:

1. Customizable Homepage: It must be attractive but not overloaded with information.
2. Related Ads Listing: Ads from same categories are displayed in various location beside or below the main advertisement.
3. Other Features: Video Posting, Affiliate accounts, Allow login with username or just email address, Allow login and registration using Facebook, Google and OpenID accounts, Allow visitors to post ads without an account, Allow subscriptions, Email Alerts, Hide phone field, Different Listing plans based on City or Category, Featured Ads, Highlighted Ads, Seller Profile Page, Recurring payments, Compare listings etc.

These are the most required and optional features of a modern Online Classified Website. There are several custom Classified Scripts are available online some of them are Open Source and some are Paid or Hosted Scripts. Also there are numerous Template/Themes and/or Plugins/Extensions are available for most popular CMS’s like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and others. It is very complicated task to choose among these different alternatives out there.

We have plans to review them one by one however if you are starting any type of Classified site then you must keep in consideration these points below:

Important thinks to remember while choosing an Online Classified Script

1. Open Source or Closed Source
2. Self Hosted or Hosting Bundled with Script
3. Programming Platform and Hosting Compatibility
4. Scope of Upgradation on the basis of Cost, Time, Complexity, Affordability
5. Integration or API compatibility with other Third party applications
6. Support terms form Developer regarding Installation, Upgradation and Customization
7. Refund Policy (if any)
8. Licensing Policy (On How many Domains and Sub-Domains)
9. Carefully look Add-on or Additional Themes and Functionality (Most Demos are set using all the Features and Functionalities but Additional Chargers may require to avail them)
10. Read Reviews, Comments, Testimonials and Support Portal (if available) as much as you can on various sites about the particular Script you have finalised for use on your Classified Site.

Here we have compiled some best Classified themes based on WordPress. Start your niche classified website today with any of these themes and merely starting from lowest budget.

Top 3 Handpicked WordPress Classified Themes:

1. Classifieds by Templatic

This Classified Listing theme is combined with Business Directory  theme which was also build by Templatic. This WordPress theme building company has made some awesome themes focused around Classified and Business Directory.

The main Notable Features of this theme are:

• In includes Business Directory  theme which can also gives you freedom to create a Business Listing Directory website rather than Classified Listing Website.
• It includes “Mobile App View”. That means without making additional Apps for Android and iPhone you can easily use this theme to browse on Mobile devices. This system is better than Responsive because it gives more speed delivery of content.
• Users can directly contact by Email with click of a button.
• Nice looking Ads Slider on Homepage and Category Icons.
• Different customizable “Tags” like “Sell”, “Old”, “New”, “Exchange” can be attached with Ads listing
• Money making systems like “Ads Package”, “Recurring Membership”, “Featured Ads”, “Category-wise Ads Price” and “Google Adsense” code placement supported.
• org friendly On-page SEO supported by popular SEO Plugins like Yoast SEO.
• Compatible with most popular WordPress Plugins for enhancing different special features like WPML for Multilingual support, “Woocommerce Booking” for Reservation and Booking system, “WPBakery Page Builder or Visual Composer”, “WooCommerce” for Shop, “WP Super Cache” for Caching and more.
• Other useful features like “Ads Review and Rating”, Different “Custom Fields” creations are build-in but you can also extend them by 30+ extra FREE and Paid Addons from them. Also it supports 15+ Payment Gateways beyond PayPal.

Classifieds by Templatic Demo and Details

 

2. ClassiPress from AppThemes

ClassiPress Classified Ads theme for WordPress is built  by AppThemes  a San Francisco, California based Company. ClassiPress is one of the oldest Classified theme combined with rich features and options.

This theme is a flagship product of the company and has some really fantastic features like below:

• Three Pricing models – Free, Fixed, Percentage Based or Mix them all. Also, you can set Category based pricing packages.
• Full Custom Fields support
• Geolocation based Radius Search
• Monthly Membership Packages
• Tons of small and useful features added by experience from time to time

A great thing to mention, they have a “Privately Owned Marketplace” which contains over 279 Plugins/Addons and Themes which works with their Themes and WordPress. You can literally make any kind of customization for your Online Classified Business.

Check ClassiPress Demo & Details

3. Dolce Classified Ads Theme

We are mentioning Dolce Classified  theme for one of the most popular feature they have in build-in their Classified Script. That is “Private Messaging” System. It has great Messaging system which works like “Real Time Chat” between users. Buyers and Sellers can chat indefinitely with each other. Also, they have other most common features.

Notable features like below:

• Powerful Custom Form Builder to build any type forms needed for Ads posting.
• Modern style and Fast Loading
• Auto/Car Classified System inbuild
• Lifetime Updates and You are allowed to use the theme on an unlimited number of domains.

We like it for simplicity and most preferred options and features it has to create a simple and effective classified ads site.

Check Dolce Classified Demo & Details

 

*Bonus: Classified Ads Script by Joomla-Monster

Did you hear about Joomla? It is another OpenSource CMS like WordPress and quite useful to build Custom made CMS for extensibility. Team Joomla-Monster from Poland has created this beautiful Classified Software with different variety. The most feature rich and customisable Classified Script based on Joomla.

You can choose from different type of 20+ pre-defined Templates to make different Classified Sites like: Car Classified, Ads Classified, Coupon Classified, Offers Classified, Real Estate Classified, Jobs Board, Business Directory and more.

The best thing to remember is “You can get all Templates and Extensions as a Bundle and use them on Unlimited number of Sites”.

Notable Features are:

• Complete management of Ads, Category, Extra fields, Location, Ads Duration, Tags, Types etc.
• Different new types of Monetisation options like for extra picture, video, number of character in description, extra Label for distinguishing and GoogleAds with other traditional monetisation options
• Multilanguage, Social and SEO friendly
• Fully responsive
• Can use Auction System for Ads
• Lot more customization possible.

Check Joomla Classified Script Details!

Build your own classifieds website in just few clicks. Our recommended Classifieds Scripts and themes comes with powerful, versatile & powerful features. These are the best Classified Script and best classified software to create your own profitable classified ads script website. All Classified Scripts are a reliable, easy-to-use classified ads software.  Subscribe to our blog for more product reviews and support.

We would like to know about various Classified Scripts or Platforms you are using or know about. Please comment them below as we are eager to know and update these posts to be helpful for various users.