How to write an adult ad that gets replies

People browsing ads decide in a few seconds whether to message you or move on. It's not the raunchiest or longest ad that wins, but the one that makes it clear straight away who you are, what you're looking for and why it's worth replying. Here's how to write an adult ad that works, with no tricks.

A title that says what matters

The title is the first thing people read in the list. It should say in a few words who you are and what you're looking for, ideally with your area. “Hi”, “Looking” or a row of exclamation marks say nothing and get ignored.

Concrete titles work better, such as “Couple in Bologna looking for a switch to get to know slowly” or “Curious beginner looking for a patient dominant”. Avoid writing everything in capitals, which comes across as shouting, and exaggerated promises, which create expectations that are hard to meet. On Corda Rossa the title can be up to 80 characters: more than enough.

Who you are and what you're looking for

Before you write, be clear about what you really want: a chat, a friendship, a meeting, a relationship, someone to share a specific experience with. The clearer your goal, the more relevant the replies will be. Then you can follow a simple outline:

1. Introduce yourself in two or three lines: approximate age, area, whether you're writing as a single or a couple, how much experience you have.
2. Describe what you're looking for in your own words: the type of person, relationship, dynamic.
3. Say what you offer: availability, interests, the way you like to get to know people.
4. Add your non-negotiables: limits, things you're not looking for, important preferences.
5. Finish with the next step you prefer, for example a few days of chatting before a coffee.

Eight to ten lines is often about right: enough to give an idea, not so much that it's tiring. On the site the text can be up to 2,000 characters, with a minimum of 30.

Honesty and the right tone

Honesty always pays. Old photos, a fudged age or inflated experience come out at the first meeting, and by then trust is lost. If you're a couple and have particular arrangements, say so. If you're a beginner, say so: many experienced people appreciate someone who wants to learn at their own pace.

As for tone, write as you'd speak to someone you respect. An ad full of demands, prohibitions and “time-wasters need not apply” comes across as distrustful and drives away precisely the most serious people. Even a dominant role can be described with firmness and elegance, without aggression. Reread before posting: two minutes spent on typos and confusing sentences make a good impression.

What to avoid

Some mistakes lose you replies, others get your ad rejected:

• Contact details in the text: phone numbers, email addresses, social media usernames, links. They're not allowed in public text: share them using the site's features, only with the people you choose.
• Requests or offers of money, gifts, top-ups, expenses or “tributes”: any form of payment is forbidden, as is any paid service.
• Copy-paste: the same text posted several times or in several categories looks like spam, and is forbidden. An ad written for the occasion works better.
• Vulgar language or explicit descriptions: as well as not working very well, they attract the wrong people.
• Information about other people without their consent, starting with your partner.

Ads are checked before publication: if something's wrong, you get an explanation and can correct the text. However, three rejections in 30 days for requests for payment lead to your account being suspended.

The right category

Corda Rossa has 27 categories, from BDSM to fetish, from couples to men seeking men or women seeking women, right through to the marketplace for items. Choose the one that really matches what you're looking for: people browsing it expect relevant ads, and an ad in the wrong place gets few replies and may be removed.

You can have up to three active ads, one per category. Each stays published for 30 days and can be renewed in its last week. If you're looking for different things, write different ads, each in its own category. Region and province help people nearby find you, and ads are visible only to members.

Profile, photos and private albums

Anyone who finds an ad interesting usually opens the profile of the person who wrote it. Take the same care over it: who you are, what you're looking for, your area and a short description consistent with the ad all build trust.

A profile photo is optional and doesn't have to show your face: many people choose a detail, a silhouette or an object that represents them. What matters is that it's real and yours. Photos are checked before publication, and explicit nudity isn't allowed in the profile photo or in albums visible to all members.

For more intimate images there are private, friends-only or chosen-members albums: only the people you decide can see them, and you approve access requests one by one. Before uploading a photo, check the background too: windows, paintings, recognisable tattoos or familiar places can reveal more about you than you'd like.

Reply with respect

A good ad brings messages, and how you reply matters as much as what you wrote. A “thanks, but it's not for me” takes a few seconds and is always appreciated. But you're not obliged to reply to everyone: silence is an answer too.

When you're the one writing, read the ad carefully and start from there: a personal first message that shows you've read it is worth more than ten identical ones. If you get a no, don't insist. If someone is disrespectful you can block them and report their profile, and in your account settings you can choose whether to receive messages from all members or only from your friends. And when you've found what you were looking for, delete the ad from the “My ads” page: you'll spare yourself and others pointless messages.

Before posting, take a look at the Corda Rossa rules: they explain in a few lines what you can and can't write, and save you a rejection. Then write calmly, reread and post. The right people show themselves through how they write, and the same goes for you.