There are a few key reasons why your Facebook Marketplace listing may not be getting views:
Your item is priced too high
One of the most common reasons a Facebook Marketplace listing doesn’t get views is that it’s priced too high. Facebook Marketplace shoppers are looking for great deals and bargains. If your item is priced higher than comparable listings, it likely won’t attract much attention.
To fix this:
- Research similar items on Marketplace to see what the average selling price is
- Consider lowering your asking price if it’s far above the standard range
- Be flexible on negotiating price with interested buyers
How to research comparable listing prices
To get a sense of the typical price range for items like yours on Marketplace, follow these steps:
- Search Marketplace for listings of very similar items in your local area
- Take note of the prices on the first few pages of listings
- Calculate the average asking price for comparable items in good condition
- Use this as a baseline for considering an appropriate price for your item
When it may make sense to lower your asking price
As a general rule of thumb, if your listing price is more than 20% higher than the average price of comparable items, lowering your asking price could help attract more interest.
Some examples of when you may want to consider dropping your price include:
- Your item is in lower demand or older model year
- Your item has some cosmetic flaws or defects
- Similar items have been posted more recently at lower prices
- Your listing has been up for several weeks with little engagement
Your photos are low quality or unclear
High quality, visually appealing photos are key for Facebook Marketplace listings. If your photos are blurry, poorly lit, cropped oddly, or don’t accurately depict the item, it can deter views.
Tips for taking great Marketplace photos:
- Take photos in bright, natural lighting
- Capture multiple angles and sides of the item
- Get close up, detailed shots showing any flaws
- Clean the item beforehand to make it look as attractive as possible
- Stage the photos in a clean, uncluttered space
Ideal number of photos for Marketplace listings
Listings with more photos tend to perform better. Aim for 5-10 photos if possible. The optimal number of photos includes:
- Main photo showing the entire item
- 4-5 additional photos highlighting details
- 1-2 photos of any defects or flaws
- 1-2 photos for context (e.g. person wearing clothing item)
Your title and description need keyword optimization
Optimizing your Marketplace listing title and description with relevant keywords can help more buyers find your post in searches.
Tips for optimizing your listing content:
- Incorporate keywords like the brand name, item type, color, size, etc.
- Include key details about condition, features, specs, dimensions, etc.
- Use keywords frequently, but naturally within sentences
- Highlight keywords using capitalization, bold, or italics
- Include local area name if relevant, e.g. “Nintendo Switch – Miami”
Keywords to include for common item types
| Item Type | Relevant Keywords |
|---|---|
| Electronics | Brand, model, specs, megapixels, connectivity options, accessories |
| Furniture | Brand, materials, dimensions, style, color |
| Apparel | Brand, size, fabric, style, condition, gender |
| Sporting goods | Brand, size, type, sport/activity |
| Home goods | Brand, dimensions, color, material |
Your listing’s category or location may be incorrect
To maximize visibility, it’s important to select the most accurate categories and location for your Facebook Marketplace listing.
Tips for proper listing categorization:
- Pick specific subcategories when possible, not just the high-level categories
- Only select categories that directly apply to your item
- Double check that autos & vehicles listings have the make, model, year selected
- Consider re-categorizing if you chose incorrectly when first posting
How to change a Facebook Marketplace listing’s category
To edit your listing’s category on Facebook Marketplace, follow these steps:
- Go to your Facebook Marketplace account
- Click on your listing to open it
- Click the 3 dots icon in the top right
- Select “Update Details”
- Update the Category and Subcategory as needed
- Click “Post” to save changes
You can also verify that your listing’s location is accurate. If you selected a city or ZIP code that doesn’t match your actual item location, consider updating it for better visibility to nearby shoppers.
Your account or listing was restricted
In some cases, a Facebook Marketplace listing may get little or no reach due to restrictions placed on the account posting it.
Listings may underperform if the account has:
- Been reported for policy violations
- Faced restrictions for spammy or repetitive posts
- Low feedback rating or history of buyer complaints
- Low follower count or engagement rate
To resolve account restrictions:
- Review Facebook Commerce Policies and ensure you comply
- Avoid posting duplicate listings in a short span
- Build up your seller rating by providing great service
- Grow your followers and interact with them to increase legitimacy
How to check if your Facebook account is restricted
You can check if your account has faced any limitations by going to the Facebook Help Center and reviewing any alerts or notifications about restrictions. Areas to check include:
- Notifications tab
- Commerce restrictions
- Ads restrictions
- Page quality tab
If restrictions are temporary, continuing to follow policies should resolve them over time.
There is low demand for your item type or category
Certain products simply have fewer interested buyers on Facebook Marketplace. If you’re listing a product type that has limited demand, it will likely get fewer views.
Some item categories that generally have lower demand include:
- Specialty industrial machinery or equipment
- Large appliances like refrigerators or ovens
- B2B goods or supplies
Consider these alternative sales channels for lower demand item types:
- Industry-specific marketplaces or auctions
- Classified listings sites like Craigslist
- Local consignment stores or liquidators
Higher demand Facebook Marketplace categories
These popular categories tend to get good visibility and engagement on Marketplace:
- Electronics – phones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles
- Home furniture and decor
- Women’s and men’s apparel
- Toys and kids items
- Sports equipment and outdoor gear
- Automotive parts and accessories
Your market is saturated with similar listings
High competition can make it harder for a new listing to stand out, especially if many sellers have already posted very similar items.
Tips for competing against market saturation:
- Highlight what makes your item unique in the description
- Consider bundling items together as a package deal
- Price your item competitively compared to other listings
- Refresh the post with new photos to bump it up in the feed
Evaluating competitor Marketplace listings
To assess how competitive the market is, browse Marketplace and take note of:
- Number of comparable listings from other sellers
- How long those listings have been posted
- Pricing of similar items in good condition
- Level of engagement on competing listings
This can help you determine the right strategy to get views vs established competitors.
You have not shared your listing enough
The more social sharing a Facebook Marketplace listing gets, the more visibility it can gain. If you haven’t shared your listing actively, fewer people are likely seeing it in their feeds.
Ways to share your Marketplace listing:
- Share on your personal Facebook profile and ask friends to further share
- Post on local community, garage sale or swap sites on Facebook
- Cross-promote on other sites like Craigslist or Nextdoor
- Send listing link directly to contacts who may be interested
Effective timing for sharing your Marketplace listing
Listings tend to get most visibility when shared:
- Right after posting
- On weekends when more people browse Facebook
- During peak Marketplace browsing times like evenings
- When re-engaging contacts who previously expressed interest
Continually sharing your listing helps keep it circulating to new potential buyers.
Conclusion
With over 1 billion active users on Facebook, tapping into the Facebook Marketplace audience can be highly valuable for selling items locally. But listings need the right strategy to generate visibility and engagement in this crowded marketplace.
Optimizing your listing with competitive pricing, great photos, targeted keywords, proper categories, and active sharing are key best practices to improve views and connect with interested buyers.
Monitoring market demand factors, analyzing competitor listings, and leveraging Facebook’s powerful social community can also give your item the boost it needs to sell successfully!