Facebook Marketplace 101: Did you know there are more than 2 billion monthly active Facebook users? That’s a lot of potential customers. In fact, if you’re selling a product or service, it might be the perfect place to advertise your business and drive traffic to your site.
Luckily, with the release of its new dedicated e-commerce app , Facebook now has an entire section for businesses that sell products. This feature is called Marketplace and it could be great for your business. Let us explain why and how to use Marketplace as part of your marketing strategy.
What is Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook Marketplace is a place where users can buy and sell goods, services, and tickets from people in their communities. It’s also a new way for businesses to advertise and drive sales.
With Marketplace, you can create a detailed profile and publish your products or services, like a yard sale or a car for sale, then see who’s interested and respond to inquiries so you can make the sale. With Marketplace, you can:
- Share your products or services with people who are nearby.
- Respond to the people who are interested.
- Create an ad to promote your products or services.
- See who’s seeing your ad and how they are interacting with it.
How to use Facebook Marketplace
Let me first off, clarify some false opinion on facebook marketplace. Yes, this is pertinent so that facebook marketplace newbies will know what facebook marketplace is all about. For those of us who may not be aware, there is nothing like you need to make sure your company is verified on Facebook before you can start using facebook marketplace for buying and selling.
Also, there is mothing like you will will need to make sure you have a Business Manager account and make sure your company name is listed correctly.
Another is that there is nothing like to click on “Create Marketplace Item” to be able to create a listing on facebook marketplace.
Yes, to use facebook marketplace to sale your products, you will first off, login your facebook account and then do the following:
- Locate and click marketplace at the left column of the facebook newsfeed
- Once taken to the facebook marketplace platform, locate and click create new listing
- Next, depending on what you want to sale, you can either click item for sale, vehicle for sale or house for sale or rent.
- Now, if you click item for sale, you will be taken to the next page. On that page, you will need to add your item photos. Bear in mind that you can add many as ten photos
- Next, add the title of your listing
- Add price
- Select your item category
- Select your item condition
- Now, add a concise description of your item
- Afterward, you can choose to select your meetup preference. Interestingly, you can either select public meetup, door pickup or door dropoff
- You can also choose to boost your listing after publish
- Another thing is that, you can decide to hide your listing from your facebook friends.
- Once you are done, click Next
- Lastly, follow the onscreen instructions to post the listing.
Bear in mind that as listed above, you will be asked to provide information about your product, including its image, description, category, and price. It’s best to start off with one item at a time. You can always add more products later.
Once you’ve created your item, you can promote it on your page. You can also promote it on your personal Timeline. You can select what days and times you want your ad to show up. This will help you control costs, as you will be charged for each ad.
When promoting a product, make sure you provide as much information as possible. Include the price, image, and description. Also, include your company name, hours of operation, and address.
This will help buyers find you more easily and make sure they know how to contact you. Remember to include your business hours. This will make it clear when customers can expect to receive their items.
Facebook also lets you include push notifications. This is a great way to keep your customers informed about new inventory and sales.
It is important you select the category that best describes your product. For example, if you’re selling clothes, select “Apparel” or cloths.
On the other hand, if you’re selling a service, select “Services”. After that, you can choose from a variety of options to make your post more visual and engaging.
You can add a photo, or even a video of your product in action. Next, fill in the details about your product. Facebook will use this information to create your ad. The last step is to set a price and make a sale!
Why should you care about Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook Marketplace has a ton of potential, especially if you’re already reaching your target audience through advertising on Facebook. The platform already has more than 2 billion users, so it’s a logical place to start searching for customers.
You can also create a storefront on Facebook, which gives your customers another reason to visit your page. Because Facebook is a social network, you can use it to target ads to people based on their interests and demographics.
That means you can reach potential customers who aren’t yet looking for your products. For example, if you’re selling sports equipment, you can target sports fans. If you’re selling makeup, you can target people who like beauty blogs.
Facebook Marketplace is the fastest-growing section in Facebook, so it’s a great idea to get in early and establish your presence on the platform. According to research from Soldsie, 65% of people turn to Facebook to shop.
That number jumps to 82% for people aged 18-24. More than half of all people who shop online have purchased items from Facebook. In addition, 78% of people who use Facebook Marketplace plan to increase their purchasing in the coming year.
That means that people are actively looking for new items to buy, and Facebook Marketplace could be a great place to reach them. You can also use Marketplace as a way to sell your items offline. For example, you can use Marketplace to find a buyer for your old furniture or car.
6 Tips for Marketing on Facebook Marketplace
If you want to get the most out of Marketplace, there are a few important things to keep in mind.
- Make sure you have a clear, professional image. This is your first impression on potential buyers, so it’s important that it’s clear, attractive, and relevant to your business. You can use your company’s logo or slogan, but make sure it’s appropriate. Facebook doesn’t allow you to use nudity, promotion of hate, or illegal activities in photos.
- Make sure your description is thorough. Include the brand name and type of item, as well as its condition and any repairs it might need. Be clear and honest about your pricing, as this is one of the first things potential buyers will see.
- Be sure to respond to questions promptly. This will show customers that you’re invested in their satisfaction and ready to resolve any issues they might have. Make sure you have sufficient inventory on hand before posting items for sale. This will help you avoid disappointing customers and losing sales.
- Make sure your product is relevant and high quality. Facebook Marketplace is a place for people to buy and sell things from people in their community. Your product needs to be relevant to your audience.
- Take pictures of your product from multiple angles so potential buyers can see it from every side. Make sure the pictures are clear, bright, and well-lit. Describe your product accurately and honestly to avoid any returns.
- Include information like size, material, and color. Provide as many details as possible. Be sure to respond to customers promptly and courteably. Be careful when setting a price. If you set the price too low, you might end up with lots of returns. If you set the price too high, you might not sell any items at all.
7 Pro Tips for Success with Facebook Marketplace
As we’ve discussed, Facebook Marketplace is a great place to sell your products, but it’s also important to keep in mind that it’s still a social network. If you want to see success with Marketplace, you’ll need to remember these pro tips for success.
- Stay professional. Facebook Marketplace is a great place to sell your products, but you don’t want to come across as pushy or sales-y. Instead, you want to provide helpful and useful information to your customers.
- Be responsive. Customers will turn to Facebook Marketplace for a wide variety of reasons. Some will have a question about your product, others will want to purchase it right away, and some will want to cancel their order. Make sure you’re available to them 24/7 so you can respond in a timely manner.
- Interact with your customers. This is just as important on Facebook Marketplace as it is with any other social media platform. Remember, Marketplace is a social network, and people want to feel like they’re interacting with real people.
- Be friendly, helpful, and respond to questions as they come in. This will help you build a positive reputation on Marketplace and attract more customers to your store.
- Location matters – Target the right location. If you’re selling a product, you can select a location to target people near you. If you’re selling a service, you can select a location to target people who are near your business.
- Boost your post – Boost your posts to reach more people in your community. You can target your ad by age, gender, interests, and more.
- Create a compelling ad – Your ad needs to stand out in a sea of posts. Use relevant keywords, compelling headlines, and a clear description. Be careful not to mislead your customers.
Know Your Audience Beforehand
Before you get started, you should know who your target audience is. Facebook Marketplace allows you to customize your ad by location, age, and gender, so you can target customers who are most likely to buy from you. Facebook also allows you to target your ad based on interests.
You can choose from a wide range of topics to see which ones your customers are interested in. You can then add these interests in your ad to reach more customers. Once you know your target audience, you can create a Facebook ad that’s relevant to them. Choose an appropriate category for your product and include helpful details.
Include product information like size, material, and color. Include pricing information, delivery information, and return policies. Make sure your ad has a compelling headline and description. Keep in mind that anyone can click on your ad and visit your Facebook Marketplace listing.
What are the rules for selling on Facebook Marketplace?
- You must be located in the region where facebook marketplace is available
- You can only sell items that are permitted under Facebook’s guidelines.
- You can both sell both old and new products.
- You can’t things that are not physical products on facebook marketplace
- You can’t see things that has before and after pictures on facebook marketplace
- You can’t sell healthcare related items
- You can’t sell animals on facebook marketplace
- Your item description must match with the photos
- Services are not allowed on facebook marketplace
Also read: Facebook Marketplace Rules And Regulations
It is important to note here that facebook marketplace rules applies to the following:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Facebook Buy and sell groups
- Facebook Page shops
- Instagram Shop
What are the do’s and don’ts of the Facebook Marketplace?
- Do – Be honest in your description when selling products.
- Don’t – Don’t be misleading when selling products.
- Don’t – Don’t try to break any of Facebook’s rules.
How do I sell on Facebook Marketplace for beginners?
If you’ve never sold anything online before, it can be daunting. Here are a few tips to get you started: Choose a product that has high demand. If your product isn’t in high demand, you won’t be able to sell it.
Don’t sell anything that you aren’t comfortable with. Don’t sell anything that is illegal. Don’t start with a high-priced item. Start with a low-cost item to get your feet wet.
If you’ve decided that Facebook Marketplace is the best place for your business, follow these tips to make sure you’re ready for your first sale.