Facebook Marketplace Guide

All you need is your Facebook Account, and some stuff to sell. I'm sure everybody has a lot of things in their cupboards that they never use. Why don't you sell them on the new Facebook Marketplace iand make some money?

If you have previously used the old Facebook Marketplace, you should see it bookmarked in the left hand side of your Facebook homepage just below your profile picture. If you have not used the Facebook Marketplace application before, you can find it here: http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/

Ok, let's get down to business. As I mentioned, this is a Step-By-Step Guide, so here we go:

A picture is worth a thousand words.

We have all heard that before; and it's true, especially in the advertising business. So, go and grab your digital camera and take some nice close-up pictures of the item that you wish to sell. It is best to shoot against a light, solid background. Transfer your photo to your computer as a JPG-file. You can upload up to 8 image files for any particular Marketplace ad, so if your item is hard to describe in one photo you might want to upload a close up of it as well.

If you are not a very good photographer or if your item is hard to photograph (being too small for instance) here's a good tip for you:

Do a Google search (or eBay) for your item and view the image results. There's a good chance that you'll find a nice photo of your item there. Just remember that you don't own the rights to the photos found on Google, so you might use this tip with caution.

Once you are writing your listing (Step 3) you might be asked to certify that you have the right to distribute the photos you are uploading. This is required by Facebook to prevent any trademark infringement issues. If your item is something that can't easily be presented with a photo, such as a service, consider using a life style image or a stock photo. If you still can't think of a suitable image to use don't worry, you can still get your ad listed.

Log on to your Facebook account and fire up the Marketplace application. Just click the Marketplace hotlink in the left hand side of your screen. Or use this link: http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/

To list something on the Facebook Marketplace click the orange Post -button on the right. You will be asked about the category where your listing belongs to.

The category choices currently on offer are:

1. Stuff (I'm not kidding here, it is really called 'Stuff')
2. Vehicle
3. Rental
4. Houses
5. Jobs
6. Services
7. Tickets

So, choose Stuff if you want to sell ... er "stuff". The other options are a bit more self explanatory. Once you have chosen your category, you have a few further options available for you. You can sell your stuff, give it away, lend it or look for it. In this guide we are concentrating on the good old 'selling-for-money' side of things, so choose the sell -option and click the Continue -button.

After you have chosen the category for your listing you are presented with the main screen for your advertisement. It looks similar to this one:

First, write a good and descriptive headline for your item.

Then, set the price and the target audience for your ad. You can choose between your Friends and Everyone. I would choose Everyone for maximum exposure. Underneath the price your can further categorise your item. This is very useful as it helps your item to be found on searches. You can choose a sub category as well as a secondary sub category if it is available. (Remember your first category was 'stuff'.) If you can't find a suitable category for your item, you can always choose Everything Else, however it is not a very good one to be listed in.

Your location should be set automatically, but if it isn't, make the choice in the pop-up box provided.

Then there's a funny box asking "Why are you selling it?"

Don't be fooled by this question. Nobody is really interested in your reasons for selling your item. Although you could write "I need more money to buy more stuff" and, even though it might be the case, I don't think it would help your listing to get noticed. Consider this space as your sub headline for your ad. Write this description like you were working in an advertising company. Or, if you feel more conservative, just describe your item as funky as possible.

In the next box you can provide a wider description of your item. Here you have more room than just one line. Describe your item with as much detail as you can. You know, size, colour, condition,.. those sort of things. But, don't stress yourself too much with this; you can always change your ad later.

Once you have created the best advertising text ever, hit the photo area on the left to locate your image(s) from your computer, USB stick or where ever you think you saved them in Step 1. Yes, I know, I can never find my images either. Don't panic though, you have time to locate it; the screen isn't going anywhere soon.

You found it? Good!

Actually, you can upload two or more photos if you wish. For instance if you are selling a book, it is a good idea to upload both front and back covers. You can upload even more images later on, but for now just click the Post -button.

After you have clicked the Post -button you will be asked if you want to have the item ad posted on to your Wall. On course you do. Since we are in the selling business here, choose the Allow -option.

Facebook Marketplace posts now your listing automatically to your Wall for all your friends to see.I am actually a bit disappointed that my image is not showing here. Instead there is the generic (and old) Marketplace logo. I'm sure Oodle (the company that runs the Marketplace for Facebook) is working on this issue as we speak.

If Facebook Marketplace wants to verify your email for security purposes write in your email address in the box and click the Resend -button. They will send you a verification email.

Next, check your email inbox and especially your spam or junk mail as the verification email might end up there as well. I was using Gmail and in my case the email ended up in my spam -folder. Your verification email, sent by Oodle and not by Facebook would be looking somewhat similar to this one:
Click the link on the email to activate your business on the Marketplace and get your item listed. If you see a blue link to activate your ad just click it. Actually, I don't quite understand why this would be necessary, but there it is.

Congratulations!

You have now listed your first item on to the Facebook Marketplace. Listings take approximately 30 minutes to be included in the search index. Mine took a few hours though. If you see 'Processing' in the status of your ad it just means that it hasn't yet been included in the Facebook Marketplace search engine. Eventually it will be there, don't worry. If you didn't choose to post your ad to your Wall in Step 4 you can do it from this panel by clicking that +Share -hotlink.

That's it, you've done it!
Good work!

... and thank you for reading so far.

Managing Your Facebook Marketplace Listings

You can easily manage all your Facebook Marketplace listings in one convenient location. Just log on to your Marketplace account and click the My Listings -hotlink below your profile image. When you return to the Facebook Marketplace, click My Listings hotlink just below your profile picture.
If you want to change any of your ads just click 'Edit Details' below the ad you want to modify.

'Promote to Top of Results' will allow you to post a new note to your wall about your listed item.

Remember that once you have sold the item, return to the Marketplace to close the listing. This will remove your ad from the Marketplace search results. Clicking 'Close' will deactivate your listing. Your Marketplace ads will remain active automatically for 30 days unless you choose to close (deactivate) them earlier. Oodle will send you a notification email once an ad has expired so you can re-list the item if you wish.

Ok, I hope you enjoyed this free Facebook Marketplace Guide.

I wish you luck in selling your "stuff". I sold my first item, an awesome Jimi Hendrix Wah-Wah guitar pedal in just 3 days.

This Facebook Marketplace Guide is also available as a fully illustrated, printable PDF-version.

You can download it here for FREE:

facebook-advertising-marketing.com

The Facebook Advertising Guide will show you everything you need to know how to create a successful advertising campaign on Facebook.

Available as e-book and paperback:

Click here to see the Facebook Advertising Guide