How to write an ad that actually generates messages

Last week I got a message in a sellers group: 'I've been posted for ten days and zero responses. What am I doing wrong?' I asked them to send me the ad. The phone was good, the price was fair, the photos were decent. The description said: 'Samsung S23 phone, excellent condition, call.' That was it.

That's not a description. It's a title with a verb at the end. And it's the most common mistake in classified ads in Colombia: the product can be good and the price can be fair, but if the description doesn't do its job, the buyer walks past without writing. If you want to see real options right now, you can see available jobs in Colombia Move — posting is completely free.

This article gets straight to the point: how to write the description that actually generates messages. With a practical formula and concrete before and after examples. If you have a posted ad that isn't getting responses, this is the highest impact change you can make today.

Why most descriptions don't convince

A classified description has one very specific job: convince the buyer who is already interested that it's worth writing to you. It doesn't have to convince a skeptic. It doesn't have to do the work of the photos or the price. It just has to move the buyer from 'I'm interested' to 'I'm going to write.'

The buyer who gets to read your description already saw the photos and the price. If they liked both, they're almost convinced. What they need now are answers to the questions they still have. If those answers aren't in the description, many keep looking — not because they don't want to buy, but because asking takes effort and there are twenty more ads below.

If you already checked the photos and price but the ad still has no response, it's worth reading first why ads don't receive messages in Colombia — that article covers the complete diagnosis. This one covers the specific solution for the description.

The four questions your description has to answer

Not all apply to all categories, but covering three of the four always makes a difference:

1. Why are you selling it?

'Selling because of travel', 'we moved to a smaller apartment', 'I bought a new one and don't need two'. A single sentence eliminates the silent distrust the buyer has before writing. If you don't explain why you're selling, the buyer assumes something — and what they assume is almost never favorable.

2. What's the real condition?

'Good condition' says nothing because everyone writes it. Be specific: how long you've had the product, if it has any minor details, if it's been repaired. For a phone: 'screen with no scratches, bezel with a small dent in the lower corner that doesn't affect functionality.' That sentence builds more trust than ten 'excellent condition' because it's verifiable.

3. What does the price include?

The buyer assumes things are missing unless you tell them. If the phone comes with original charger, box and headphones — say it. If the apartment has parking included and administration isn't charged separately — say it. If the sofa includes the cushions — say it. What you don't clarify, the buyer mentally deducts from the price.

4. Is there anything practical I should know before contacting you?

I'm not talking about hidden defects, but logistical information: 'I only deliver on weekends', 'I don't ship, pick up in Laureles', 'fixed price, non-negotiable'. This saves time for both and filters out curious people who won't buy.

Before and after: real examples by category

Here's the difference in practice. Four categories, same product, two very different descriptions:

Used phone

The second description anticipates five questions before the buyer asks them. The buyer who arrives already knows if they're interested — and when they write, they write seriously.

Apartment for rent

For rentals, the description has to answer everything the buyer needs to know before calling. How much do I pay total? Is it furnished? Does it accept pets? Do I need a guarantor? If you don't have that level of detail, people call to ask — or simply don't call.

Furniture or appliance

The key here is mentioning the minor defect (the discoloration) before the buyer gets to see it. It seems counterproductive, but it builds disproportionate trust relative to its size. The buyer who knows what to expect arrives with the right expectations — and almost always buys.

Vehicle

The 'fixed price' at the end isn't arrogance — it's a filter. It eliminates people who will offer half and waste your time. The serious buyer respects it; the one who isn't a serious buyer moves to the next one.

The tone that builds trust without sounding like a salesperson

The ideal description sounds like a real person talking to another real person. Not like a newspaper ad from the nineties.

Avoid: '!!Unique opportunity!! Top quality item, DON'T MISS OUT.' That triggers alarms for the modern buyer. Better: a direct tone, without unnecessary exclamation marks, with concrete details. 'Selling because I bought a new one' sounds more honest than 'unique opportunity due to cash needs.' Specific phrases always sound more truthful than grandiose ones.

And if you have something to clarify — a small defect, a restriction, a condition — put it in the description. It's better for the buyer to know before contacting you than during negotiation. Transparency doesn't scare serious buyers; on the contrary, it attracts them.

If the listing is a property, it's also worth reviewing how to take photos that sell a house or apartment in Colombia — photos and description work together, not separately.

The mistakes people always repeat

Some patterns constantly seen in listings with no response:

Copy and paste the same description for all listings without adapting the details to the product. A refrigerator doesn't need the same description as a cell phone.

Writing in sustained capitals. It feels like shouting, not confidence. Nobody wants to negotiate with someone who seems angry.

Not mentioning the exact neighborhood, or only mentioning the city. 'Bogotá' is not a location — the buyer has to ask you, and many don't.

Asking people to write 'for more information' without giving any. That creates unnecessary friction. If the buyer has to ask the basics before they can evaluate if they're interested, many won't bother.

Not mentioning business hours. The buyer who writes at 11 at night and doesn't get a response will have bought somewhere else by the next day. If you can't respond at night, put it in the description.

Frequently asked questions

❓ How long should a listing description be?

Long enough to answer the key questions: why you're selling, actual condition, what's included in the price, and delivery conditions. In practice, between 80 and 200 words is enough for most products. One well-written paragraph beats three paragraphs of filler.

❓ Should I put the price in the description too?

You can omit it if the price field already shows it. But if you have conditions around the price — 'fixed price', 'includes installation', 'with invoice the price varies' — mention it in the description to avoid misunderstandings.

❓ Is it better to have many photos or a good description?

Both are important and do different things. Photos decide if the buyer enters the listing. The description decides if the buyer writes. They're not interchangeable: one weak section cuts the process before it reaches the next step.

❓ What do I do if the product has a defect?

Mention the defect in the description, with precision. Not to discourage the buyer, but so they arrive with correct expectations. Buyers who discover a defect they didn't know about usually leave or bargain aggressively. Those who already knew and came anyway, bought.

❓ Is it worth updating a listing that's had no response for days?

Yes, especially if the description was generic. Edit with more detail, update the photos if you can, and if the platform allows, renew the publication so it appears in the top results again. Many listings that didn't get responses in the first week start generating messages after a well-done edit.

Do you have a listing that's not generating messages? Tell us what you're selling in the comments. And if you don't have your listing posted yet, at colombiamove.com/publicar you can do it free — no commissions and with your own store visible on Google.