Facebook Marketplace is an increasingly popular feature of Facebook that allows users to buy and sell items locally. For digital marketers, Facebook Marketplace represents a major opportunity to connect with customers and promote products and services.
What is Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook Marketplace allows Facebook users to browse listings of items for sale in their local area. Sellers can create listings for free and buyers can search for items using filters like location, price range, and product category. Interactions between buyers and sellers occur within Facebook Messenger.
Listings on Facebook Marketplace span a wide range of categories including vehicles, furniture, clothing, electronics, real estate, and more. The marketplace is optimized for mobile usage making it easy to browse and purchase items on the go.
Key stats about Facebook Marketplace
- More than 1 billion people visit Facebook Marketplace each month
- 800 million people visit Facebook Marketplace each month via mobile
- More than 300 million people list items for sale each month
- 1 in 3 Facebook users in the US use Facebook Marketplace
- The average user spends over 28 minutes per month browsing Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace has seen massive growth since launching in 2016 and is on track to overtake Craigslist as the most popular online marketplace in the coming years.
Benefits of Facebook Marketplace for buyers
There are several key benefits that Facebook Marketplace offers to buyers:
- Convenience – Listings are integrated directly into the Facebook app making browsing and contacting sellers seamless.
- Selection – Facebook’s massive user base means more sellers listing more items across more categories.
- Safety – Buyer and seller profiles are tied to real Facebook accounts bringing more trust and accountability.
- Prices – More informal selling means lower prices compared to traditional online marketplaces.
- Messaging – In-platform messaging removes the need to exchange personal contact information.
Benefits of Facebook Marketplace for sellers
Facebook Marketplace also offers several advantages for sellers looking to offload items:
- Exposure – Over a billion monthly visitors provides a huge customer base of motivated local buyers.
- Ease of use – Creating listings and connecting with interested buyers is simple and fast.
- Free – Facebook does not charge any fees or commissions on transactions.
- Convenience – Managed directly within Facebook app and messaging.
- Flexibility – Sellers can create listings for one-off items or operate like full storefronts.
Opportunities for digital marketers
The scale and continued growth of Facebook Marketplace presents exciting opportunities for digital marketers and businesses in several ways:
Sell products directly
Businesses can create seller profiles and list their products for sale just like an individual seller would. Everything from boutique clothing items to handmade crafts can be listed.
Promote services locally
Service-based businesses like contractors, cleaners, tutors, etc. can list their services to get discovered by customers in their area. Listings can be targeted by location.
Share discount codes and promotions
Within listings, sellers can share special discount codes and promotions to incentivize buyers and raise awareness for a business.
Interact directly with the local community
Facebook Marketplace provides a way to engage directly with people right in your target geographical area. Localbrick and mortar businesses can form valuable connections.
Generate leads and upsell customers
Interest and engagement in listings can identify promising sales leads. And post-sale interactions allow for customer upsells and driving repeat business.
Research the local market
Monitoring local buying habits, competitor activities, price points, and customer needs provides useful market research at scale.
Tips for digital marketers on Facebook Marketplace
Here are some top tips for digital marketers looking to maximize success on Facebook Marketplace:
- Complete the business verification process for a seller profile
- Fill out the business description section fully
- Link to your business website and contact info
- Follow Facebook’s commerce policies and standards
- Respond to buyers promptly and professionally
- Price competitively based on local market research
- Refresh listings frequently to stay at top of search
- Advertise top listings using Facebook Ads
- Offer exclusive discounts only through Marketplace
Driving sales through Facebook Marketplace ads
Facebook Ads can be used to promote Marketplace listings and drive more sales. Here are some tips for running effective ads:
- Target users within 5 to 10 miles of your location
- Show ads on Instagram and Messenger as well as Facebook
- Test different images, pricing, etc. with A/B split testing
- Highlight discounts or time-sensitive promotions
- Retarget buyers who have engaged with listings
- Coordinate ads with seasonal peaks and inventory availability
- Track sales and engagement metrics to optimize
Examples of top-performing Facebook Marketplace ad formats
| Ad Format | Description |
|---|---|
| Collection Ads | Showcase multiple listings in one ad unit with a uniform look and feel |
| Carousel Ads | Display multiple images or videos for a listing in a scrollable carousel format |
| Instant Experience Ads | Provide an immersive preview of a listing without leaving Facebook |
Measuring Facebook Marketplace performance
There are several key metrics digital marketers should track to assess Facebook Marketplace efforts:
- Listings created
- Listing views and reach
- Interactions and messages
- Click-through rate on ads
- Ad engagement rate
- Link clicks
- Sales closed and revenue
- Follower growth
These metrics should be monitored over time and used to identify opportunities to improve listings, ads, targeting, pricing, and more.
Tips for tracking Facebook Marketplace data
- Use Facebook Business Suite to access data and insights
- Integrate Google Analytics for website traffic stats
- Track sales in a CRM platform or spreadsheet
- Conduct periodic surveys for customer feedback
- Compare metrics week-over-week and month-over-month
Optimizing listings for maximum visibility
Optimized listings can garner more visibility in Marketplace search results. Here are some best practices:
- Include high-quality photos shot on a white background
- Write detailed titles and descriptions highlighting key information
- Set competitive prices benchmarked to similar listings
- Select the most specific product categories and filters
- Highlight any discounts, promotions, or special offers
- Refresh listings frequently to bump them higher in rankings
Advanced optimization strategies
- A/B test listing content like titles, descriptions, and images
- Stagger listing refresh times across days and hours
- Leverage remarketing and lookalike audiences for ads
- Coordinate promotional posts across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger
- Analyze competitor listings for opportunities to differentiate
Top Facebook Marketplace categories
Certain categories tend to see higher engagement on Facebook Marketplace. Top performing categories include:
| Category | Opportunities for Marketers |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | Car dealers can list inventory and offer test drives |
| Housing | Realtors can promote new listings and open houses |
| Furniture | Furniture brands can offload floor models and overstock |
| Fashion | Clothing boutiques can market unique styles |
| Electronics | CE retailers can feature certified refurbished and open box deals |
| Toys & Games | Toy brands can build awareness before holidays |
Compliance tips for Facebook Marketplace
When marketing on Facebook Marketplace, it’s important to adhere to Facebook’s commerce policies. Useful tips include:
- Submit required business verification documents
- Follow rules around prohibited, regulated, and restricted products
- Disclose affiliate relationships
- Accurately represent inventory availability
- Abide by Facebook’s fee structures for special categories
- Use compliant images with proper licensing
- Moderate user-generated content on business profiles
- Develop an approval workflow for creating listings
- Comply with local regulations around sales tax, permits, etc.
Examples of top brands using Facebook Marketplace
Here are a few leading brands seeing success on Facebook Marketplace:
- Ikea – Lists open box and discounted furniture items locally.
- Lowe’s – Allows contractors to promote services and connect with projects.
- Opendoor – Enables browsing and booking home tours for real estate.
- Ford – Showcases certified pre-owned vehicle inventory by zip code.
- Patagonia – Resells used Patagonia apparel items across locations.
Conclusion
Facebook Marketplace provides digital marketers with an unparalleled opportunity to connect with motivated local buyers at scale. By leveraging Marketplace for listings, advertising, lead generation, and customer interactions, businesses can drive real growth. Following Facebook’s commerce policies and tracking key metrics are vital for Marketplace success.