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There are many different social media platforms businesses can tap into for selling, but one major player is Facebook. The platform still has over 3 billion active users on its network, and has expanded into events, games, and even virtual reality. Because Facebook is owned by the parent company Meta, which owns Instagram and WhatsApp, businesses can potentially reach a combined 7 billion active users.
Selling has been an important feature of the platform for nearly a decade, with Facebook Marketplace launching in 2016.
This guide covers how businesses and entrepreneurs can sell their products and services on Facebook. Additionally, we’ll cover when and why it makes sense to branch out to other platforms for selling and some tips to keep in mind as you go.
Why sell on social media platforms?
Only selling through a website can be limiting. Having a multichannel sales approach—offering products across different channels and platforms—provides access to potential buyers beyond those looking for something via search.
Think of this approach like an octopus: Each tentacle represents a different channel with the ability to reach in a different direction. For businesses, that can be users on Facebook or TikTok, or through paid search. The more channels there are, the better chances of reaching additional customers.
Having a social presence is always recommended, because you can engage with customers and market to them. This is called social selling. A streamlined, frictionless buying experience on those social platforms is called social commerce. Both can serve a purpose for growing your business.
Different ways to sell on Facebook
Facebook is an innovator in a lot of different ways, and the company offers multiple options for selling products through the platform. The main ones we’ll cover here are Facebook Shops and Facebook Marketplace.
Facebook Shops
Facebook Shops is a social commerce functionality that allows businesses to do as the name suggests: open up a shop, or storefront, on Facebook and sell to users there.
It’s the best and most straightforward option for businesses and entrepreneurs looking to tap into their buying audience on the platform. You can have a shop, promote your products or services, and engage with new and existing customers.
Facebook Shops gives you control over advertising and checkout options so there’s a much more streamlined, integrated experience that can help you lead potential customers to conversion.
How to create a storefront and sell on Facebook Shops
If you’re new to Facebook Shops, you’ll want to do the following to get set-up:
Create a Facebook business page. Set up a Facebook page for your business. You can link this to a personal account to easily toggle between the two. Use the Shopping template on the Facebook business page and fill out your business information and profile and header images.
Add your Squarespace website. If you’re selling your products on another platform, such as Squarespace, you’ll want to add that information here. You may also be able to sync your inventory—more on that below.
Add a checkout method. Facebook has three different ways to check out when making a purchase: via your website, Facebook’s messaging, or directly through Facebook. Facebook checkout can offer convenience, but sending shoppers to your site gives you more control over customer experience.
Set up a business manager account. This helps you manage multiple stores or stores across multiple Meta platforms, including advertising and privacy.
Choose your catalog. Here you begin to add products. Facebook has a specific set of catalog requirements, including adding at least one item, as well as having valid product links. Follow all of the requirements when adding products to the catalog.
Set up shipping and returns functionality. On Facebook, you’ll need to add information about where you ship products to and how, delivery time, if there’s a minimum for free shipping, and what your return policy is.
Customize your shop. Once you’ve completed these steps and signed the sellers agreement, customize the shop by changing colors on buttons or featuring different products or collections. Remember to choose similar colors to your website, so users can see brand consistency across all of your storefronts.
How to sync your Squarespace store to Facebook
You can connect your Facebook Shop to your Squarespace store right from your Squarespace account. From the Selling Tools panel, you can select Products on Facebook & Instagram. Click the Connect With Facebook button to link the two. This will make it easier for you to manage your product listings and orders without having to make manual updates on every platform.
You can add a Facebook icon to your Squarespace website so site visitors can easily find and follow your Facebook shop via the social links panel.
Facebook Marketplace
Not all selling has to be as formalized as Facebook Shops. There’s another option for newer or more casual sellers: Facebook Marketplace.
Facebook Marketplace is mostly known as a secondhand marketplace. Maybe you got a great, good condition couch for hundreds of dollars less than new on Facebook Marketplace. But this isn’t just the spot to find preowned goods: You can find buyers for new items here, too.
How to use Facebook Marketplace to start your business
If you’re new to both selling and ecommerce, Facebook Marketplace might be a good place to start your business, dipping a toe into this world a few items at a time. For example, you could list handmade pottery, jewelry, art, or photography services to gauge interest in what you’re selling. Follow these steps to set up a listing in Facebook Marketplace.
Create listing: Toggle over to Marketplace and click Create New Listing.
Select product: Add the item (or items) you’re looking to sell.
Fill out listing information: Include information about the product, such as a detailed description, high-resolution and quality image, condition of the product if relevant, and product tags and SKUs.
Join local groups: Facebook Marketplace will populate local groups to join where you can post your Marketplace listing for more visibility and reach.
Publish listing: Hit the publish button and stand by to see who’s interested.
4 tips for selling on Facebook
Facebook is a great spot to sell unique goods and services, because customers, including those who shop on Marketplace, are on the hunt for one-of-a-kind goods.
No matter what you’re selling on Facebook, we have a few tips for you to maximize your experience.
Boost listings for discovery. You can pay to boost listings on Facebook Marketplace to generate more reach. Simply toggle over to your listings, select Boost Listing, and set up a few parameters including budget, timeframe, and your audience. Boosting can help your listings get more attention, but choose your audience thoughtfully.
Use quality images. The better the quality of your photos and images for selling, the better chance you have at selling those products. Grab a customer’s attention with your photos and use them to show what your product does or your favorite details.
Include product tags and categories. Categorizing your products and adding product tags will help people discover your products. It’s useful to do this so you can get those products into the hands of people who are most excited to buy them.
Nurture a relationship with customers. Use your business page to connect with your customers by responding to questions or reviews and asking for their feedback on a regular basis.
When does it make sense to sell products on another platform?
All businesses benefit from having a website. In a recent Squarespace survey, we found that 65% of people who don’t currently have a website themselves feel that a website legitimizes a business or idea. New businesses often struggle to succeed or grow long-term without one.
When you branch out from selling via a website and add more channels and platforms is really dependent on your business. In fact, some entrepreneurs do it the opposite way—starting on a third-party platform and then starting a website.
If you’re thinking about selling on social media platforms, especially on Facebook, consider asking the following questions to see if you’re ready.
Where is my audience? Do most or many of my customers find me via social media?
Do my social media platforms offer selling capabilities? Can I easily sync these platforms to my existing store?
Are there any additional costs and, if so, can I afford that? How much am I able to spend per month on any fees or ads?
Where are my competitors selling? Do I think I’m potentially missing out on sales because I’m not reaching some customers?