NATDA Magazine July/Aug 2021 | Page 70

Facebook announced that starting September 13 , 2021 they will be discontinuing their inventory partner catalogs . Meaning , third party providers will no longer be able to post ads on behalf of the dealer free of charge . With this announcement , Facebook will follow and join similar sites like eBay and Craigslist in the paid marketing space . With many dealers utilizing these services , here ’ s what you need to know for the coming months ahead .
Automotive Inventory Ads or AIA will be what most users switch to once the changes are adapted . AIA functions like current free business listings do but come with the added benefit of targeting users most likely to convert or make a sale . The new AIA will show inventory ads to relevant shoppers based on recent website , app , or marketplace visits and user interactions . Furthermore , these ads will be easier to set up and maintain , more effective across different devices , and deliver more ads to interested users .
In addition to the changes coming to third party providers , Facebook also announced that they will be shifting their resources from largely supporting vehicle distribution to expanding features for shipped goods and onsite checkouts via the platform . While these features haven ’ t been detailed out yet , we are looking forward to learning more about what the social giant has in store for us .
What ’ s Staying the Same :
While it feels like a lot is changing , there are a few things you can count on to remain the same in the coming season . The Vehicles tab for example , associated with catalogs , will remain unchanged and functional on your Facebook ’ s business page . Users can easily visit your page and click the tab to see available product offerings just as they do now . Additionally , users who manually post to Marketplace will not experience any service changes and may continue to post without any additional charges added on .
What ’ s Changing :
This change comes as a surprise to some and an opportunity for others . This fall , you can expect to see the removal of any posts published through business profiles from third parties . Dealers who currently post to Marketplace as their business page will no longer be able to do so in the same fashion . To expand on that , the platform plans to begin charging per listing to post to Marketplace as a business . Currently , Marketplace users can only post as their personal profile unless utilizing one of these partnered services .
What Comes Next :
The next few months will be crucial for any dealers wanting to stay ahead of the game . Connect with your provider to ensure they are aware of the change and have a plan for what is to come in the next few months . This change presents a huge opportunity for dealers leveraging the next generation of Marketplace tools to position themselves ahead of competition on the platform . Make sure your provider has a plan to provide AIA specific tools that benefit you and prevent disruptions to your dealership ’ s marketing efforts . Start preparing the necessary tools to maintain effective marketing on the platform this upcoming September .
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70 NATDA Magazine www . natda . org