Facebook Marketplace has been an important tool in many dealers’ belts since its launch, but upcoming changes will disrupt this practice. Beginning in September 2021, Facebook Marketplace will no longer allow the distribution of vehicle listings from partner catalog feeds. Currently, you are able to automate your listings directly from your inventory, but this change means that all of your vehicle listings will need to be posted and maintained manually. While this change may seem limiting, it can actually be an opportunity for savvy dealers.
This move is an attempt for Facebook to improve its user experience. Marketplace is intended for private sellers, but the current system is flooding the vehicle feed with dealer listings. By removing automated listings, Facebook hopes to clean up the feed and make space for private sellers as it was originally intended. This will make it more difficult for dealers to maintain a presence on Marketplace, but those who are able to will be at a distinct advantage. Posting your inventory will be much more labor-intensive, but it is still possible. Manually posting your entire inventory would be very unwieldy, so we recommend picking your top 20 vehicles and managing those on Marketplace. This will allow you to maintain a substantial presence while utilizing your efforts efficiently.
The most effective workaround for this change will most likely be Facebook Automotive Inventory Ads (AIA). Facebook AIAs are automated and create a catalog that supports the vehicle tab on your dealership page to showcase your entire inventory. These AIAs are not a Marketplace listing, but they will appear in Marketplace and across other placements on Facebook. By utilizing this tool, you can get your live inventory in front of users on Marketplace and across the rest of Facebook. We have found AIAs to be a very powerful method of Facebook marketing that will allow you to effectively utilize Marketplace in the wake of this change.
The best way to stay ahead of the competition is to stay informed on the most recent digital marketing trends, and that’s where the Automotive Advertising Agency comes in. Our social media specialists are ready to implement your Facebook Automotive Inventory Ads to maintain your Marketplace presence and deliver consistent leads to your dealership. Give us a call at 512-610-7300, or contact us at TheAutoAdAgency.com/contact/ for more information.
