You've got to be proactive.
If you want to be successful, you can't sit back and wait for customers to come to you – reach out to them.
So where are they? Facebook.
Facebook is the largest social network in the world, with more than 1.96 billion people logging on daily.
That's insane.
If you sell products online and you don't have a Facebook Shop, you're missing a huge opportunity.
The Facebook Shop feature isn't just available to major retailers – anyone can get in on the action. For ecommerce store owners, it's one of the most no-brainer ways of using social media marketing.
Facebook Shops is a free e-commerce feature that allows businesses to create a mobile-optimized digital storefront on their Facebook and Instagram profiles to showcase and sell products.
In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know about Facebook Shops. We'll then show you the traditional way of creating a Facebook Shop and how to integrate your Shopify store with Facebook. Plus, make sure that you stick around until the end to learn how to tag your products in Facebook posts.
What is a Facebook Shop?
Facebook Shops is a digital storefront that businesses can create to showcase their products across Facebook and Instagram. It functions as both a marketplace and social platform where customers can browse and purchase items.
Facebook Shops give you the ability to create custom collections by grouping items from your inventory, making it easy for customers to discover your products.
Plus, you can present a distinct brand and storefront by customizing the layout and colors of your Facebook Shop.
With full-screen images and customizable design, Facebook Shops lets you create a brand identity across Facebook and Instagram.
To create a Facebook Shop, you must meet several requirements. You need to have an established online presence and be ready to verify your identity or business details when requested. Your shop must also adhere to Meta's commerce policies and provide clear information on pricing, availability, and your return and refund policies.
Additionally, your business must be located in a region where Facebook Shops are supported. If you plan to send customers to your own website, you will need to verify your domain first.
Once verified, customers will be able to access your Facebook Shop and see your collections from your Facebook business page, Instagram profile or Instagram Story.
And just like when you're in a retail shop and offer support to potential customers, you'll be able to connect with people through Messenger, WhatsApp or Instagram Direct to answer questions, provide tracking updates, and more.
Facebook Shops for Shopify merchants
For Shopify merchants, the easiest way to create a Facebook Shop is by using the official Facebook & Instagram app. This free app, developed by Meta, allows you to manage your presence and sell products on both Facebook and Instagram directly from your Shopify store.
The app connects your Shopify store to your Facebook and Instagram accounts, enabling you to:
- Automatically sync products from your Shopify inventory to your Facebook Shop, ensuring that product information, pricing, and stock levels are always up-to-date.
- Create shoppable posts and ads to drive traffic to your Shopify store.
- Get actionable insights into your shop's performance, including your best-performing products and top-tagged content.
What are the benefits of a Facebook Shop?
Before we look at how to create a Facebook Shop, it's important to understand exactly how a Facebook store can help you grow your ecommerce business.
Here are the three main benefits of having a Facebook Shop:
1. You can tag your products in Facebook posts to boost sales
Once you have a Facebook shop set up, you'll be able to start tagging any of your products featured in your images.
This ensures that everyone who views your posts will become aware of the products you have available.
In the example below from Nike, you can see product listing thumbnails under the heading "Products shown."
Plus, notice how each product in the image has a price tag icon? When users hover their mouse over the icon, product information is displayed.
Here's the best part: Once you've set up your Facebook shop, tagging products in posts is quick and easy.
2. You can tap into Facebook's social engagement
People hang out on Facebook.
Remember, the average daily user spends over 30 minutes on the platform every day.
By using Facebook Shops or adding a Facebook Shop tab to your page, you can capitalize on the way users engage on Facebook.
Unlike your website, when people view your products on your Facebook store, they can Like them, save them for later, share them with friends, or leave a comment asking a question or sharing their thoughts.
Each of these actions will help to expose your brand to new people in the best possible way – through a friend.
These engagements work as a powerful form of social proof – meaning that people are heavily influenced by the opinions and actions of others.
3. A Facebook Shop can help to streamline the customer journey from discovery to purchase
You want to make it as easy as possible for people to find and purchase your products. By showcasing your product catalog directly on your Facebook Shop, you make it easy for shoppers to discover your items and get all the key information they need before they're seamlessly redirected to your website to complete the transaction.
How to set up a Facebook Shop
The entire process now happens within Meta's Commerce Manager, which is part of the Meta Business Suite. This is a central hub for managing your business' presence on Facebook and Instagram.
Step 1: Open Commerce Manager
Go to the Meta Business Suite. From there, open the Commerce Manager. This is where you'll create and manage your entire shop and product catalog.
Step 2: Create your shop
In Commerce Manager, you will be guided through a streamlined setup process. You'll be asked to:
- Choose your checkout method. Choose between "Checkout on your website" or “Checkout with messaging”. Most ecommerce brands choose to direct potential buyers to their online store.
- Select the Facebook Page and/or Instagram account you want to link to your shop.
- Choose a catalog. This is a database of all your products. You'll either create a new one or connect an existing one.
Step 3: Add products to your catalog
Once your shop is created, you add products directly to the catalog within Commerce Manager. You have a few options for this:
- Manual entry: You can manually add products one by one. This isn’t recommended if you have a large product catalog.
- Bulk upload: You can upload a data file (like a CSV or spreadsheet) with all your product information.
- Partner platform sync: This is the most popular and recommended method for ecommerce businesses. If you use a platform like Shopify, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce, you can install an app (like the official "Facebook & Instagram" app) that automatically syncs your entire product inventory to your Facebook catalog.
Step 4: Publish your shop
After you've added your products and customized the layout in the Commerce Manager, you can submit your shop for review. Once it's approved, it will become visible on your Facebook Page.
Facebook Shop product listing guidelines
Facebook has detailed guidelines and recommendations for product listings. Let's take a quick look at some of the most important points.
Facebook product image guidelines
You must:
- Include at least one image for each product listing
- The image must be of the product itself (it can't be a graphical representation)
Ideally, you should use images that:
- Show all of the product
- Show the product up close in a well-lit setting
- Have a resolution of 1024 x 1024 or higher
- Are in the square format
- Have a white background
- Showcase the product in real-life situations
Don't use images that contain:
- Text (e.g. calls-to-action or promo codes)
- Offensive content (e.g. nudity, explicit language, violence)
- Advertising or promotional material
- Watermarks
- Time-sensitive information (e.g. limited time offers)
Facebook product description guidelines
Your descriptions shouldn't include:
- HTML (Rich text only)
- Phone numbers or email addresses
- Long titles
- Excessive punctuation
- All the letters capitalized or in lower case
- Book or film spoilers
Ideally, your descriptions should:
- Only provide information directly related to the product
- Be concise and easy to read
- Highlight unique product features and benefits
- Be grammatically correct and properly punctuated
How to tag your products in Facebook posts
Let's quickly run through how to tag your products in Facebook posts.
First, share a new Facebook post or bring up an old post featuring products that you'd like to tag.
Now that you have a Facebook shop tab with products on it, there'll be an option to "Tag products" next to the usual "Tag photo" button.
Simply click "Tag Products," select the product you'd like to tag and click "Finished Tagging."
That's it!
Now, whenever a user views your post, they'll be shown thumbnails of your Facebook shop product listings alongside the image.
Summary: How to set up a Facebook Shop
A Facebook Shop is an incredible opportunity to place your product offerings inside the most popular social media platform in the world.
Whether you create one through Facebook Shops or using the Shop tab on your Facebook page, you'll get the opportunity to:
- Capitalize on Facebook's incredible social engagement to expose your brand to friends of shoppers
- Tag your products in Facebook posts to boost sales
- Reduce friction in the sales process by directing potential buyers to checkout on your online store
If you're serious about selling online, it's best to create a Facebook store using a service like Shopify.
This way, you'll retain complete control over your business while also getting access to a suite of features designed solely to help you grow your bottom line.
How to set up a Facebook Shop FAQ
What is a Facebook Shop?
A Facebook Shop is a free e-commerce feature that allows businesses to create a mobile-optimized digital storefront on their Facebook and Instagram profiles to showcase and sell products.
Can I connect my Shopify store to a Facebook Shop?
Yes, the easiest way for Shopify merchants to create a Facebook Shop is by using the official "Facebook & Instagram" app, which automatically syncs your inventory.
How can I tag products in my Facebook posts?
Once your Facebook Shop is set up, you can tag products in your posts by clicking the "Tag products" option and selecting the products featured in your images.