The new Facebook Marketplace is a great way for people to buy and sell locally. It’s proving popular with users, but it can be challenging for businesses looking to monetise their presence on the platform.
We know that many of our readers have tested the waters with this feature before, so you will know that setting up your business account and optimising your profile are just the first steps in getting started.
In this article, we offer some top tips on how to use the new Facebook marketplace to your advantage, even if you don’t plan to actively sell anything – by focusing on building trust and awareness of your brand through local searches and targeted advertising.
There are more than 2 billion active users on Facebook, which is why it’s no surprise that small businesses are now flocking to Facebook Marketplace to reach potential customers. As with most social media platforms, the benefits of using Facebook Marketplace to sell your goods or services is obvious — but it’s not as simple as signing up and waiting for the sales to roll in.
If you’re struggling to make money with Facebook Marketplace, you’re not alone. Many small business owners have found this platform challenging. However, with the right preparation and strategy, you can ensure your efforts yield results.
What is Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook Marketplace is a peer-to-peer marketplace where users can buy and sell goods and services from local sellers. It’s currently available in more than 50 countries and in 8 different languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese.
It can be accessed via the Facebook app or through the dedicated Marketplace website. Facebook Marketplace serves as a digital flea market with thousands of new sellers each day.
It’s often seen as a cheaper, hassle-free alternative to eBay, with a lower barrier of entry and lower commission fees. The average transaction cost is also significantly lower than eBay, coming in at around $15-20 compared to an average of $40 on eBay. Facebook Marketplace is primarily used by small businesses.
It’s an excellent platform for building direct-to-consumer relationships, reaching new customers, and increasing your brand awareness. Facebook Marketplace is also a great way to test your products with a captive audience before investing in inventory. As with any social media channel, success on Marketplace requires effort and strategy.
Why Small Businesses Are Turning to Facebook Marketplace
As mentioned above, Facebook Marketplace is a great channel for building direct-to-consumer relationships. This can result in increased brand loyalty, sales, and a positive impact on your bottom line. However, it’s important to note that it will take time to build up a following on Marketplace.
Also read: How To Buy And Sell Quality Baking Oven on the Facebook Marketplace
To make money with Facebook Marketplace, you’ll need to be patient and consistent. Facebook Marketplace can be used to sell almost anything. Some of the most common products and services listed include clothing, electronics, furniture, health and beauty products, toys, books, real estate, food, and event tickets.
Facebook Marketplace also allows you to set up services, such as landscaping, tutoring, repair work, etc. Facebook Marketplace is a great channel for diversified sellers — people who sell a variety of products.
4 Steps To Get Results With Facebook Marketplace
Here are the three steps to make money with Facebook Marketplace.
Step 1 – Create a Winning Marketplace Profile
With thousands of other sellers on Marketplace, you need to ensure you stand out from the crowd. Using story-based content can help you differentiate your business and engage with your audience.
Creating a strong Marketplace profile is the first step to success on Facebook Marketplace. Your profile is where you can showcase the type of products you sell and connect with potential customers. This is your chance to make a great first impression, so it’s important to do it right. Here are some tips to help you create a winning profile:
- Name: You can’t change your name or business name after you create your Facebook Marketplace account, which is why it’s important to get it right the first time. Your name should be clear and concise. You should avoid using your product name, generic terms, or anything overly complicated. Aim for something descriptive that resonates with your target audience.
- Description: Your Facebook Marketplace description should be short and clear — no more than 160 characters. Your description should outline what products you sell and any special features or benefits they might have. It should also be written in a way that lets you naturally include your brand’s personality.
- Photo: Your photo is another important piece of your profile. It’s not only what catches a potential customer’s eye, but it’s also what inspires them to click on your ad. Ideally, your photo should include your products. If you can’t do that, use your photo to show the type of products you sell and your brand’s personality. Avoid using overly staged photos and product shots. Instead, go for a simple shot that shows you’re a real person and your product is genuine.
Step 2 – Create Great Posts That Rivet Your Readers
The majority of your posts should be focused on your product. Make sure you create authentic posts that get your readers excited and interested in what you’re selling. Here are a few tips to help you create great posts:
- Post Frequency: You’ll need to experiment with post frequency and the type of posts you create to find out what works best on Facebook Marketplace. Some experts recommend posting twice per week, while others believe you’re better off posting once a week. The best way to find out what works best for you is to try different frequencies and monitor the results.
- Product Photos: You need to have product photos on each of your posts, so it’s important to have them prepared ahead of time. Ideally, you’d use an online shopping tool like Facebook Store or Shopify to host your products and photos. This will make it easier for people to click through and buy your products.
- Post Types: There are a few different types of posts that can help you drive sales with Facebook Marketplace.
- Special Offer: This type of post is designed to reward your most loyal customers and encourage others to try your products. Specials can be as simple as a percent off, free shipping, or a free gift.
- Storytelling: This is a powerful way to build a connection with your readers. If you can, try to weave a story around your product — it’ll help you connect and build trust with your readers.
- Educational Content: This type of post is designed to help your readers and position yourself as an authority in your field. You can use these posts to educate your readers on industry basics, product care, and other topics that can benefit them.
Step 3. Strategy
Before diving into Market Place, make sure you have a solid strategy in place that considers your objectives, target audience, and budget. You can’t just dive in and see what happens — you need a plan that’s going to help you achieve results.
Step 4. Promotion
Facebook is the perfect platform to promote your Marketplace posts and drive more sales. You can do this by boosting your posts, creating an ad, or running an ad campaign.
6 Strategies for Driving Sales with Facebook Marketplace
What follows are six strategies you can use to drive sales with Facebook Marketplace.
- Offer A Discount – If you have a limited-time offer, it can be a great strategy to promote that on Facebook Marketplace. For example, if you’re a landscaper and you want to boost sales in the winter, you could offer a discount to customers who book their service in the winter.
- Find Your Ideal Customers – One important strategy to drive sales on Facebook Marketplace is to find your ideal customers. Once you find them, you can create posts that attract them to your business.
- Run A Contest – One of the best ways to drive sales and grow your audience is through a contest. You can do this by offering a freebie, gift, or something else in exchange for people visiting your business page.
- Hire a professional photographer: Your photos are the first thing customers will see when they click on your posts. If your photos don’t impress your customers, they’ll click off your posts and likely never come back. If you’re not a skilled photographer, consider hiring a professional photographer to take your product photos. It’s one of the best ways to set yourself apart from other sellers.
- Be consistent: Your Facebook Marketplace ads will be more effective if you’re consistent with your posting schedule. This will help you build a following and gain your customers’ trust. Try to post at the same times each week and be consistent with your posts.
- Ask for reviews: People are often hesitant to purchase from sellers they don’t know. One way to bridge this gap is by asking your customers to leave you a review. Be sure to ask politely and thank them for their time.
2 Ways to Optimize Your Posts for Better Results
There are a few ways you can optimize your posts for better results.
- The first way is to start using Marketplace as part of your broader marketing strategy. While it’s okay to post your products or services a few times, it’s important to diversify your marketing efforts. Try to avoid a repetitive approach. Instead, try to consider Facebook Marketplace as one part of a broader marketing campaign that includes other social media platforms.
- The second way is to get to know your audience better. While there are millions of users who can see your posts, it’s important to understand who you’re trying to target. By understanding your ideal customer, you can create better content that’s designed to resonate with them.
Why is Facebook Marketplace difficult for small businesses?
Facebook Marketplace is a great way for small businesses to tap into the power of Facebook’s 2 billion users. However, it can be challenging to use Facebook Marketplace to make sales.
This is largely due to the fact that Facebook users are used to browsing products from friends and family, and not from businesses. This can make sales challenging, but there are ways to overcome this.
These challenges include limited space for text, lack of feedback, and lower trust among users when buying from businesses. These challenges can be overcome by using the right strategies.
As mentioned, Facebook Marketplace is challenging because it requires consistent effort and strategy. In addition to that, it’s also a competitive marketplace. Facebook Marketplace has made efforts to clean up the platform and rid it of spammers and fake accounts.
They’ve also taken steps to make it more difficult for small businesses to succeed. Facebook has made it more difficult to run ads and gain new followers.
These changes have made it more challenging for small businesses to turn a profit on Marketplace. Unfortunately, these changes were made in the name of protecting users from malicious activity.
Unfortunately, the cleaning house has affected legitimate businesses in the process. Facebook Marketplace is a great platform, but it’s important to understand the challenges you’ll face and take the necessary steps to overcome them.
Set Clear Objectives
As with any social media channel, it’s important to have clear objectives. With Facebook Marketplace, you’ll likely want to achieve one or more of the following:
- Sell Products: If you’re selling products, you likely want to increase sales and build a loyal customer base. You can also use Facebook Marketplace to host giveaways and boost brand awareness.
- Create a buzz around a new product: If you’re releasing a new product, you may want to create buzz and drive pre-orders. Using Facebook Marketplace to drive pre-orders is challenging, but it’s possible.
Narrow Your Audience
The key to success with Facebook Marketplace is to narrow your audience. This will help you create content that appeals to your target audience. When you target a specific audience, you can appeal to their needs, interests, and concerns.
To narrow your audience, start by thinking about the type of person who would be interested in your products or services. Then, use Facebook’s audience builder to narrow down your audience. You can also use Facebook Insights to learn more about your existing customers, and this will help you narrow your audience.
Use Video Marketing
Another way to stand out among the crowd on Facebook Marketplace is to use video marketing. Videos can help you create a more compelling story that resonates with your audience. They can also help you stand out among the crowd on Facebook Marketplace.
When using video marketing on Facebook Marketplace, make sure to optimize your video for Facebook. Facebook provides the option to tag your video to a certain category. This is important because it shows up in search results.
You can also use hashtags on Facebook. Using video marketing is a great way to stand out from the crowd on Facebook Marketplace.
Build a Community With Facebook Ads
One of the best ways to drive sales on Facebook Marketplace is through Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads can drive traffic to your Facebook Marketplace posts, which can help you boost sales.
Facebook Ads are a great way to build a community with your customers. When using Facebook Ads, make sure to create interesting ads that appeal to your audience. You can do this by using stories and visual content. You can also target people based on their interests and demographics.
Conclusion
Facebook Marketplace is a great place to sell your goods and services, but it’s important to understand the challenges you might face along the way. You can overcome these challenges by forming a solid strategy, creating engaging content, and promoting your posts.
With that in mind, make sure to set clear objectives, narrow your audience, and use video marketing to stand out. Most importantly, make sure that you’re taking advantage of the Facebook tools available to you.