Facebook Marketplace is the part of Facebook where people list, browse and buy items from others nearby or from businesses. It works like a classified-ads board inside the app, with chat between buyer and seller.
Marketplace in general
Anyone with a Facebook account can list something for sale, such as furniture, cars, electronics or clothing, and shoppers browse by category, location and price. Buyers message the seller to arrange pickup or delivery. Businesses use it too, listing products alongside private sellers. These listings are organic: you do not pay Meta to show them. How to list and sell is covered in the Facebook Marketplace guide.
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Try for Free ($0 Trial)Marketplace as a Meta ad placement
Marketplace is also paid advertising space. In Ads Manager it is an ad placement in the "Feeds" group. Meta's placements page says ads there appear on the Marketplace homepage or when someone browses Marketplace in the Facebook app. Marketplace also appears in the placements list for collection ads.
The mindset of the viewer is the difference. People browsing Marketplace are already looking at things to buy, so ads for products, local services and vehicles can fit naturally between listings.
| Marketplace listing | Marketplace ad | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A post that offers one item for sale | Paid delivery of an ad |
| Where it shows | When someone searches or browses listings | On the Marketplace homepage and while browsing |
| Control | Category, price and location | Audience, budget, objective and creative |
| Where you manage it | The Marketplace seller tools | Ads Manager |
Who it suits
Marketplace works best for advertisers whose product looks like something people already shop for there: used and new goods, home and garden items, vehicles, and local services. If your offer needs a long explanation, a feed or video placement may carry it better. Local businesses can pair the placement with location targeting to reach shoppers nearby, which is how many sellers use Marketplace itself.
How to use the placement
- Leave it on with Advantage+ placements. Meta recommends Advantage+ placements and states that adding more placements does not increase the cost of your ad.
- Make the ad look like a product. A clean product photo, a price and a clear title blend in with listings. Use a carousel when you have several items.
- Read it by placement. Break your results down by placement in Ads Manager and compare cost per result before you keep or cut Marketplace.
Example. A used-bike shop runs ads for three bikes. In the placement breakdown, Marketplace shows 400 clicks on $240 of spend, a cost per click of $0.60, against $0.90 on the feed. The shop keeps Marketplace on and adds more bike photos.
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Common mistakes
- Treating it like the feed. Shoppers here scan for items, so a vague brand ad with no product or price gets ignored.
- Judging it on clicks alone. A cheap click that does not buy is not a win. Look at cost per result and the orders that follow.
- Cutting it too early. Give the placement enough spend to show a pattern before you decide.
Setting it up
You do not need a separate campaign for Marketplace. When you create an ad set, leave placements on Advantage+ and Marketplace is included where your ad type allows it. If you choose placements manually, tick Marketplace under the feeds group and preview the ad, since the crop and layout differ from the main feed.
FAQ
What is Facebook Marketplace?
It is a section of Facebook where people and businesses list items for sale and shoppers browse and message sellers. Listings are organic, while ads are paid.
Can you advertise on Facebook Marketplace?
Yes. Marketplace is one of Meta's ad placements, and ads appear on the Marketplace homepage and while people browse it in the Facebook app.
Is a Marketplace listing the same as a Marketplace ad?
No. A listing is a post that sells an item. An ad is paid delivery through Ads Manager, with its own budget, audience and objective.
Can I turn off the Marketplace placement?
Yes. Choose placements manually in your ad set and clear Marketplace. Meta recommends Advantage+ placements, so do it only when results by placement show Marketplace is not paying off.
Related
- Related terms: Ad placement, Carousel ads, Cost per click (CPC)
- In depth: How to use Facebook Marketplace
Sources
- About ad placements across Meta technologies, Meta Business Help Center
- Supported objectives and placement options for collection ads, Meta Business Help Center