The Ins & Outs of Facebook Marketplace

As the #1 most popular social media site¹ and the third most visited website in the U.S.², most people know Facebook as a highly effective platform to reach customers. This makes Facebook Marketplace, which allows any Facebook user to buy and sell items to other users in their community, a major opportunity to get inventory in front of more consumers. The platform became available for dealerships in October 2017 and has proven to be a very successful resource.

People tend to place a lot of focus on Google and other search engines, but while Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing are valuable digital marketing tools, online shoppers also conduct research and browse inventory in other ways as well. Once a buyer is farther along in the shopping process, perhaps when they already know what unit they are interested in, they are likely to search for that unit’s availability in their area. This may bring the shopper to your dealership website, but it could also lead them to a variety of other online channels, such as third-party listing sites like Facebook Marketplace.

So, what are the logistics of posting on Facebook Marketplace? While there is an option to list inventory units on Facebook Marketplace without using a dealership business account, it is not ideal. This would require dealership owners or staff members to use their personal accounts, which runs the risk of linking your business to any personal content or photos that the dealership staff member may have shared. Plus, not only does a dealership listing look more professional, but it also offers more branding opportunity for those who click on it. Dealership listings include your website URL, a click-to-call option, hours of operation, directions to your store, and more. They work to drive more traffic to your dealership’s Facebook page as well as your website.

Shoppers have the ability to conduct searches for inventory on the platform, and one of the most efficient ways to improve your dealership’s appearance via Facebook Marketplace search is through response rate and time. Facebook places a lot of emphasis on this in their search algorithm, as a higher response rate and faster response time are more likely to serve users a great experience. Setting up auto-replies through Messenger for all inquiries is a smart way to deliver a quick response to the customer and start the relationship on a good foot. Leads that dealerships receive through Facebook Marketplace tend to convert very well, so it may be worth the effort to assign team members to answer inquiries throughout the day. This ensures that more leads are getting responses quickly, as well as great service.

As mentioned earlier, Facebook Marketplace leads tend to bring in a high amount of conversions. Tracking these by putting each lead into your CRM is a great way to see how well the platform is working for your dealership. There is a good chance that many local shoppers will start a conversation through Messenger on Facebook Marketplace, then come into the dealership in person to see the unit.

Since the launch of Facebook Marketplace for dealers, it has been exceeding expectations and driving impressive results. To learn more about Facebook Marketplace for dealers and take a tour of the features that make up the platform, check out our latest webinar here.

¹Statista

²Ahrefs