Craigslist has been successful for long enough now that we can easily recognize some of its benefits over the printed newspaper industry. But a recent Pew Internet study really drives the point home, noting the debilitating affect web-based classifieds has on the classifieds revenue for newspapers.

Pew points out that 49% of Internet users use online classifieds, which is more than twice as many as noted in 2005.

Several aspects of web-based communication has overrun printed media, especially newspapers. And with other advances on the mobile front, from cell phones to the Kindle, it’s easier than ever to spread information across a mass of people. The ability for newspapers to take advantage of web-based trends has been dismal overall, and the revenue structure for printed media is suffering a great deal as a result.

So what happens when sites like Craigslist become even more social? The Pew study really draws on the fact that printed media is becoming less and less relevant in the grand scheme of things, and the power of the Internet is prevailing. As Internet users become more comfortable with social networks, and social networking platforms find better ways of effectively delivering information within a given social graph, the ability to provide additional value around something as simple as classifieds will become an actuality.

Interestingly enough, some of this value will inherently come from deeper integration with traditional media and mainstream forms of communication. This integration actually increases the credibility of certain systems, even a web-based classifieds site.

Finding better ways to further simplify the process of posting and searching classifieds, along with the eventual physical interaction between the two parties involved, are all things that can be enhanced by integration with social media. Whether it’s a mobile alert for proximity purposes or recommendations based on actual purchase history from within a given product category, the marriage of social media, classifieds and traditional media will be an interesting and powerful aspect of our future.

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