Over the last few years, we have seen social media start to play a more significant role in an ecommerce brands marketing mix. As more brands play an active role of the different social media platforms, the tech giants like Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok have invested heavily into their channel features, one of which is Meta’s Advantage+ dynamic catalogue. This has presented opportunities such as allowing brands to personalise the users shopping experience by serving ads that are mirror what the consumer has been interacting with on-platform.

What is a Facebook Catalogue?

So, you do not have to be an eCommerce brand to create a Facebook catalogue, we have seen success in the housing, travel, and automotive industry, but also the B2B space can take full advantage on this Meta feature. The catalogue holds information about individual items you want to sell/advertise through Meta.

What information do you need for a catalogue?

The category you choose when creating your catalogue from the start will determine what data is required for your catalogue but also optional fields you can include to add more detail which will be beneficial when using filters for your catalogues sets later down the line.

Ecommerce Catalogue Fields

Required:

·       Content IDs

·       Product name

·       Product description

·       Availability and item quantity

·       Condition

·       Normal price and currency

·       Website link

·       Media: image links

·       Brand (important if you are a marketplace seller)

 

Optional:

·       Sale price and when this comes into effect

·       Google and Facebook product category

·       Product details: colour, gender, size, age group, material, and pattern

·       Media: video links

·       Shipping and weight

 

How do you set up a Meta Catalogue Feed?

If you have found your way to this blog, I would assume you have a business manager set up or have access to one. If not, you will not be able to create a meta catalogue feed without one. You can follow the instructions on how to create a business manager through here.

Once you have sorted the above you will want to make your way to the commerce manager and click ‘create catalogue’. You should see something like this:

Screenshot taken directly from Facebook Commerce Manager.

Click on the correct category that matches your business, for eCommerce brands you are more than likely going to choose the first option.

Once you have selected your category you need to configure your settings such as choosing who has access to this and the catalogue name. You should then be taken to a screen that looks like the below.

Screenshot taken directly from Facebook Commerce Manager.

On the left-hand side menu, under Catalogue, click on ‘Data Sources’ and you will be able to add the URL from your hosting website or third-party provider. If you are using popular partners platforms like Shopify and Woocommerce you can import your product feed directly from a partner site from this guide.

Once you have synchronised your feed, check you inventory through items in the drop-down menu on the left-hand side. If you have checked everything is pulling through correctly (we advise checking the below), then you are good to go!

  • Product Name
  • Price
  • Stock available
  • Product images
  • Description
  • Website link

5 Reasons why you should be using a product feed

Catalogues are great tools that ecommerce brands can harness instead of relying on single image and video ads where you must decide between sending traffic to a category page or specific product page. Meta says dynamic ads can reduce your cost per goal (CPG), but here are 5 other benefits to using Advantage+ catalogue ads:

1.    Tailored experience

Meta identifies the most influential product within the feed with the best visual to put in front of the right user for the highest success rate to purchase.

 

2.   Immersive shopping

Once you have a product catalogue set up you can create a Facebook and Instagram shop to highlight key collections and stock levels. Take it a step further and allow people to directly purchase from the social media platform.

 

3.   Tag products in your Facebook and Instagram content

You can streamline the path to purchase in just a few clicks by linking products that feature in your organic social posts directly to your Meta shop. This way users can purchase products without leaving the social platform.

4.   A/B Test Different Combinations

Get a deeper understanding what makes people click to your website by testing different combination for your catalogue sets. For example, a lighting company can start with creating sets in the following filters: wall light, ceiling light, floor lamp, outside light etc.

 

5.   Retarget users with specific products they have viewed

Your pixel and CAPI track how users interact with your website, if anyone has viewed a product page or added to their basket you can serve them ads that show exactly those products. This acts like a reminder to buy before it is too late!

 

Are you ready to start using Advantage+ Catalogue Ads?

Now you know what a Facebook catalogue feed is and how to create one through Meta’s Business Manager, there is no reason why you cannot start testing catalogue ads for your own business. Our highly specialist paid social team at Space and Time have a wealth of experience rolling out successful dynamic ad strategies that can take your business to the next level. Contact us today.