How to Setup Facebook Catalog for WooCommerce

Advertising on social media is essential to get success in an eCommerce business. Facebook Shop is a trending marketing channel where you can reach out to customers easily. WooCommerce store owners can feature their products by creating Facebook Catalog Ads.

After creating Facebook catalog ads, retailers can bring their digital store online and connect with the customers. WooCommerce products inserted in a Facebook catalog are displayed on a Facebook page or Instagram profile. Customers can find the Facebook shop on the Facebook page and Instagram profile of a business.

The Facebook catalog is connected with the Facebook ads system. It allows you to link your WooCommerce products to Facebook. In this article, we will guide you on how to set up a Facebook catalog for WooCommerce.

What is Facebook Shop?

Facebook Shop creates a native shopping experience for the customers. It allows retailers to display their products on Facebook pages and Instagram profiles. You can create a unique brand identity with exclusive images and the customizable designs of this platform.

Customers can easily discover the products after searching on a Facebook shop. You can create custom collections by grouping the items from your inventory. You can also display different brands and products by customizing the layout of your Facebook Shop.

Why should you integrate WooCommerce with Facebook Shop?

Linking your WooCommerce store with Facebook is a brilliant way to boost your sales. Facebook allows you to assist the purchase process and also enhance the customer experience.

Facebook shops increase customer engagement by transforming shoppers into repetitive customers. Integrating the WooCommerce product feed to create Facebook Catalog Ads brings other benefits such as:

• Analyze the product performance and the ad campaign’s output
• Integrates the products and categories automatically
• Spreads your business across a massive audience 
• Creates a better relationship between the customer and the business.
• It allows you to create and use a Facebook page to sell products.

Facebook catalog repeated customers

The Facebook catalog is a container that can hold WooCommerce products you want to sell via Facebook or Instagram. It is essential for creating Facebook Catalog ads and displaying the products on Facebook channels. You can keep all the products of your WooCommerce store in one catalog instead of creating multiple catalogs.

Catalog Manager is an excellent tool for Facebook and Instagram, allowing the retailers to create and store their products. People view the products that are inside the Facebook Catalog Ads. Different Facebook channels include Instagram shopping, dynamic ads, collection ads, etc.

Benefits of Facebook catalog  for WooCommerce

Product Information

Adding and managing the WooCommerce product information becomes easier after creating the catalog. In a product catalog, you can include different product information such as title, images, price, description, etc.

Effort Minimization

You can add the product information one by one or in a bulk amount – the best practice is to upload all the product information of your store in one catalog. By uploading all the products in one catalog, you can minimize the effort. 
The bulk upload option will minimize your effort while running a huge WooCommerce store.  You can efficiently manage your items.

Product Segmentation

You can create product feeds for Facebook Ads and collections of products for Facebook shops. It means you can create sub-groups of products and include them in your catalog.

Assigning permission

The Facebook catalog ads include the option to assign permissions to those who can contribute to your business. You may assign permission to your partners so that they can customize the catalog according to your preference.

Advertising Products

You can utilize the Facebook catalogs to create a variety of Facebook Catalog Ads. Facebook catalog ads are beneficial to promote WooCommerce products.

Facebook Dynamic Ads

One of the most notable benefits of the Facebook catalog is creating Facebook dynamic ads. Facebook Dynamic Ads promote the items of your catalog that are relevant to the customer’s search query. It matches the item from a catalog with Facebook Pixel’s event or the piece of code (SDK), which is installed on your website or app.

Facebook Dynamic Ads are really informative, engaging, and effective for conversion. This process of advertising is not similar to traditional advertising techniques. Dynamic ads are almost similar to other single images, carousel, or collection ads of Facebook.

Facebook Collection Ads

Facebook Collection ads promote only four items from your catalog. The ad format comes in a hero image or a video format. Customers can learn about the product by clicking on it or browsing similar products.

Facebook Carousel Ads

In Carousel Ad format, the products from your catalog are represented with a scrolling option. Each product represented in a scroll-through includes its link. You can customize the carousel by setting up carousel cards dynamically.

Facebook Ads with Product Tags

Facebook catalog ads with product tags are helpful while promoting a specific item from your product catalog. Customers will be redirected to the product details page after clicking the product tag. Customers can learn more or buy products from the product details page.

Facebook Collaborative Ads

You can run direct sales campaigns via Facebook collaborative ads. If your brand is selling products via participating merchants, this type of ad format will become essential.

Product Selling Options from the Facebook catalog

You have an option to connect Facebook Catalog Ads  to sales channels available on Facebook and Instagram:

Facebook Shops

Facebook Shop is a digital storefront linked with Facebook and Instagram. You can customize Facebook Shop according to your preferred collection of products. 

You can post and share stories of your products with Instagram shopping. Instagram shopping also allows you to tag your products from your product catalog.

Marketplace

Marketplace (vehicles) allows you to sell your vehicles to the local customers on Marketplace. You can learn more about the Marketplace for vehicles.

Things to know before creating a Facebook catalog

Before you set up a Facebook catalog, you need to meet some basic requirements. We are providing you with the mandatory requirements with some technical suggestions.

Website

You need to have a website that includes the products you want to showcase on Facebook. Without a website with your product information, you cannot create Facebook catalog ads for Facebook.

Accurate Product information

The product information on your website should be accurate and up-to-date. Facebook will pull information from the product catalog. If you don’t have accurate product information on your product website, your product catalog won’t be accurate.

Facebook Business Manager Account

A Facebook business manager account is required to link your store with it. This is a mandatory requirement to create Facebook Catalog Ads. This fantastic tool allows you to create ads more effectively by providing detailed analytics.

Product catalog

The Facebook Catalog ads that you want to create should comply with Facebook policies. There are few restrictions for adding products to a product catalog. You can add all the products except illegal products, adult products, firearms, etc.

Facebook Tracking Pixel

The Facebook tracking pixel has to be installed on your website. It tracks specific information by gaining access to your website’s information. With this tool, you can better understand the ads by analyzing the output of an ad. It also helps you to show the ads to the right people and drive more sales.

Facebook Page

You should have a Facebook page to promote your products via Facebook Catalog Ads. A Facebook page will allow you to run a specific type of ads, boosted posts, or new follower ads.

How to add WooCommerce products to the Facebook catalog

You can easily create a Facebook catalog from the Commerce Manager option of your Facebook Business account. But before doing so, you have to execute some prerequisites to complete the process.

Facebook Page creation process

A Facebook page is essential to create a Facebook catalog and sell WooCommerce products. You can link your WooCommerce shop by creating a Facebook page and then creating a catalog. 

First of all, log in to our Facebook account and find the “Create a Page” option. From two options, you need to select a Business or brand for your WooCommerce business. You can go to the next step by clicking the “Get Started” button.

A login form will appear in front of you from where you can proceed with the page creation process. You will be redirected to the “Create Page” section after logging in. You have to set a name for your Facebook page first. Create a page that represents your WooCommerce store’s brand.

Secondly, select categories that best suit your WooCommerce business’s brand. Facebook will suggest category names while you start typing the category name. You are allowed to add up to three categories for your Facebook Page.  

Now, add an eye-catching description for your Facebook page. Facebook suggests you write about the business or the service that your store provides. Describe within 255 characters with a detailed description of your store.

After adding an accurate description of your Facebook page, click the “Create Page” button. You are also allowed to add images, contact information, and other details to create the page. 

Be sure to provide all the necessary information precisely to create a Facebook page properly. An adequately created Facebook page will add more value to your business and generate more sales.   

After completing the page creation process, it is time to move forward to the next step.

The Facebook catalog creation process

Manage Shop

You will get an option named “Manage Shop” located on the left side panel of your Facebook page. After clicking on the “Manage shop” option, you will be redirected to the shop management dashboard. You will have to click the “Commerce Manager” option to get into the Commerce Manager dashboard.

To proceed further, your Commerce account has to be approved by Facebook. You can apply to get the approval and proceed to the next step after getting it. 

Setting Up Facebook Commerce Manager

On Facebook Commerce Manager, there are two sections called “Shops” and “Catalogues.”From the “Catalogues” section, click on the “Add Catalogue” option to create a new catalog. On the mentioned image, we have indicated where you have to click to create a catalog.

After clicking the “Add new catalog,” Facebook will redirect you to a new page. Here, you will have to select the catalog type for your business. Next, you have to select E-Commerce as your catalog type. 

Creating Catalog

In the next step, you have to configure settings for the catalog. In this step, select your product upload method, catalog owner, and catalog name. 

Uploading Product Info

Facebook provides two different methods for uploading products. You can upload your product info on Facebook or connect your WooCommerce store to it. We are going with the first option and will upload product info via product feed.

Now, click the create button to complete the catalog creation process. Now, you will be able to get into the catalog which you have created. After clicking your newly created catalog, you will see it is empty. You will have to upload your product information to the newly created catalog.

Adding Products on the Facebook catalog

In the overview section, there is an option to upload the product information in bulk. By clicking the “Add Items” option, you will get multiple options to add products to your catalog. You can upload products using these options:

• Add items manually: You can add items one by one using a simple form.

• Bulk upload: You can upload the product information using a data feed file (spreadsheet file) in CSV, TSV, or XML. This format is ideal for uploading multiple items at once. You can upload the feed file once or use the scheduled upload option. 

• Facebook pixel: This option allows you to Import and update items automatically from your website.

We will be using the “Use Bulk Upload” option to upload the product information. After selecting the upload option, click next to proceed. In the next step, You will get several options to upload your products. You will need a feed file or a product feed file to upload your product information.

A product feed file includes all the necessary product information in detail. Facebook has unique requirements for uploading a product feed file. You can use the CTX Feed plugin to generate the perfect feed file and upload your WooCommerce products to Facebook.

You can also learn How to Create WooCommerce Product Feed For Facebook Catalog with CTX feed WooCommerce product feed generator plugin in the following video tutorials

CTX Feed – WooCommerce Product Feed Generator plugin

CTX Feed is one of the best WooCommerce feed generation plugins. It allows you to create an optimized product feed file for multiple channels. The plugin expanded its support for more than 100 merchant sites.

This plugin supports well-known business platforms like Google Shopping, Facebook shop, Instagram, and Amazon. Users create a feed file quickly because it includes built-in templates for all the popular channels.

You can create a complete product feed file within a few clicks by following the steps. Also, follow another guide to learn how to create a product feed for Facebook. You can. After creating a feed file, you can download it and use it for your selected merchant channel.

Let’s assume you have created the product feed file for Facebook with CTX Feed. Now, you have to upload the feed file on Facebook.

Product Feed Upload Options on Facebook

You will get three options to upload your product feed file on Facebook. You can choose the File Upload, Scheduled Feed, or Google Sheets. CTX Feed supports all these upload options 

The “File Upload” option allows you to upload the feed file directly on the Facebook Catalogue.  You can manage the Facebook catalog ads more professionally with the “Scheduled Feed” option. With the “Scheduled Feed” option, you can update the inventory at your preferred interval.

Product feed upload via “Google Sheet” is straightforward as the first option. You have to upload the feed file on google drive and then convert it to a Google Sheet. With this option, you can update the catalog regularly on Facebook. 

The “Scheduled Feed” option is more convenient while using the CTX feed plugin. You can create a product feed for your preferred campaign. The feed file is saved on the file server, which you can access. By going to the manage feed section, you can copy the URL of the feed file. The link to the feed file can be copied and pasted to Facebook.

If the file is password-protected, provide the username and password to Facebook. Click the “Next” button to start scheduling. You can set an hourly, daily, and weekly update frequency for your Facebook catalog. 

You have completed the catalog creation process with the CTX Feed plugin. Now, your WooCommerce store is linked with the Facebook Shop. You can promote your WooCommerce products across Facebook via posts or ads. 
We recommend you optimize your catalog creation process by following the high-quality catalog.

Transferring the ownership of a catalog between businesses is prohibited. But you may assign catalog permission to a person or a partner business.

Conclusion

To link your WooCommerce store with the Facebook shop, you must create a Facebook catalog. There are some specific requirements you need to fulfill before creating Facebook catalog Ads. After creating a feed file with the CTX Feed plugin, you can create a Facebook catalog effortlessly. 

Follow our mentioned guidelines on how to set up a Facebook catalog for WooCommerce. Thus You will be able to expand your eCommerce business via Facebook and generate huge sales.

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