14 Tools for Selling on Facebook and Instagram

Shopping on Facebook and Instagram is finally here. With the recent launches of Shops on both apps and Live Shopping and the expansion of features such as Checkout for in-app purchases, Facebook is facilitating easier commerce across its platform.

Here is a list of tools to help you sell on Facebook and Instagram. There are tools to set up and manage shops so consumers can make purchases without leaving an app. There are also tools to monetize content, such as selling one-time access to events or memberships.

Tools to Sell on Facebook, Instagram

Facebook Shops lets you set up a single online store on both Facebook and Instagram. Choose the products to feature from your catalog and then customize your store. Consumers can find Facebook Shops on a business’s Facebook Page or Instagram profile, as well as through stories or ads. From there, consumers can browse the full collection, save products, and place an order, either on the business’s website or without leaving the app. Consumers can also use the new messaging button on Shops to contact companies directly through Messenger, WhatsApp, or Instagram Direct.

Facebook Shops

Commerce Manager is the Facebook hub that lets you connect your business to Shops, add items, and start selling. Customize the look and feel of your shop. Create collections around seasonal events, promotions, or product lines. Share collections across Facebook and Instagram to give visitors a unified online shopping experience in both apps. Anyone can visit your shop from your Instagram profile, one of your Instagram Stories, or from your Facebook Page. If you’ve set up an online store on an ecommerce platform, you can import and sync it with Commerce Manager.

Checkout allows consumers to buy items directly from a shop on Facebook or Instagram without leaving the app. Checkout also ensures that images and descriptions are consistent. To use checkout, businesses must have Shops and use Facebook Commerce Manager or partners. To help small businesses during Covid-19, Facebook is waiving its selling fee on all orders shipped before Jan. 1, 2021.

Live Shopping is now available on Facebook and Instagram for businesses to sell products and interact with viewers in real-time. Selling products through Live Shopping requires an account with Commerce Manager, a linked Page, and a product set in your Facebook catalog. Select products to feature in your live stream while viewers can explore product details, add items to their cart, and purchase — all without leaving the video.

Live Shopping

Shopping Tags lets you highlight products in photos and videos from your Facebook Page shop or catalog. You can also add shopping tags to Instagram posts or add product stickers to Instagram Stories. People can click those tags to start shopping. Apply the tag to products while creating a post or to products in an existing post.

Facebook Shop and Instagram Shop are new search functions that make it easier for people to shop from businesses and creators. Through the Shop function, users can discover the latest trends, get personalized recommendations, and preview exclusive launches — all in one place. Instagram is also adding a new Shop tab in the navigation bar.

Facebook Marketplace for Business is a community platform for businesses to engage with consumers and drive sales. Access a pool of motivated buyers. Use Messenger to communicate in real-time with prospective buyers. Facebook Marketplace allows businesses to create and manage listings for no additional cost. Ecommerce retailers can access third-party partners to add inventory on the Marketplace.

Facebook Marketplace for Business

Facebook Marketing Partners offer a wide range of third-party services to help you get set up, fulfill orders, and support customers on Facebook and Instagram, particularly for syncing stores and product feeds with Commerce Manager and Marketplace. Facebook’s partners include Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, ChannelAdvisor, CedCommerce, Cafe24, Tiendanube, and Feedonomics. All provide small businesses the support they need to move and operate online.

Tools to Monetize Content

Paid Online Events let you monetize a live online event through a one-time access charge that’s collected when guests register to attend. Promote your event with ads or via another Page as co-host. Offer free access for up to 50 people per event, and share your paid event to your page, Facebook Groups, Facebook, Instagram Stories, and other social channels.

Paid Online Events

Fan Subscriptions let you monetize dedicated audiences and content on Pages with recurring payments. Provide your premium members with access to exclusive content, personal interactions, and more.

Facebook Stars allows you to monetize your live videos. Viewers can buy Stars and send them to you while you’re live or on past live videos that had Stars enabled.

In-Stream Ads lets you earn money by including short ads before, during, or after your video content. In-stream ads can be managed in Facebook Creator Studio or enabled for all videos on a Facebook Page.

Branded Content is sponsored content between creators and brands. The Brand Collabs Manager lets brands and creators find and connect for paid partnerships. Creators can post their work, and brands can search for creators and content that match their objective and voice.

Creator Studio brings together tools to post, manage, monetize, and measure content across your Facebook Pages and Instagram accounts. Post and schedule content, and unlock creative tools. Filter, organize, and respond to messages and comments across all your Pages. Get detailed insight on your audience to optimize content. Take advantage of new features, and find monetization opportunities you may be eligible for. Anyone who manages a Page can use Creator Studio.