Have you ever heard of Facebook Marketplace? Facebook Marketplace has evolved into one of the most popular e-commerce channels out there, with an average of one billion users per month. Does this sound like a place you and your business might want to be? Learn more about all the different ways your business can advertise on Facebook Marketplace, and why this marketing tactic may or may NOT be right for you!
Using a Personal Profile
Some business owners or salespeople will use their personal Facebook profiles to place listings within Facebook Marketplace. At the bottom of the listing, the owner or salesperson will list the business address and contact information. This method is common in real estate and automotive sales.
However, there are a few reasons why we recommend against this method. Buyers on Facebook Marketplace will often message the seller directly for information, regardless of the instructions to contact the business directly. This can make accurately collecting leads for your CRM difficult. Secondly, if staff are using their personal account to conduct sales, there is no way for your business to effectively manage these conversations.
Facebook Shops
Through the Commerce Manager platform, businesses can create digital catalogs of their products that can be connected to a Facebook Shop. This allows consumers to shop for products without leaving Facebook. Recent changes to the Shops platform have made it mandatory for businesses to provide a checkout method directly on Facebook.
This change has made the Shops platform a less appealing tool due to the required Facebook processing fees and additional eligibility requirements. To be eligible, businesses must provide financial information such as bank account details, partner with a verified commerce partner, and other private information.
If your business already uses one of Facebook’s verified commerce partners, such as GoDaddy or Shopify, then Facebook Shops could be a great tool to add! However, if your shop does not use one of the verified commerce partners or sells products at a physical location, we would recommend using a different method.
Running an Ad Campaign
Ad campaigns managed through Facebook Ad Manager allow your business to place ads within the Facebook Marketplace platform. These ads will appear on the side panels of the page or within the product listings themselves. As long as your ads fit the dimensions of a Facebook Marketplace posting, the ad form can be carousels, a single image, or videos. This method allows you to effectively collect leads without the extra steps needed to sell directly through Facebook.
We know how difficult it can be to stay in the loop of constantly changing social platforms and trends! Our experienced team is here to help you navigate the ever-changing world of social media. Contact us today to see how we can help you create a social media strategy that drives results!