E-Commerce Product Photography Tips for Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is the social media giant's answer to other buy-and-sell websites like Craigslist and eBay. As it's not an e-commerce site in the true sense of the word, you don't have to put a lot of effort into taking photos of your listed items, right?

Wrong. When it comes to making a good first impression, a whopping 93% of consumers look at an item's appearance when making a buying decision.

In other words, looks matter when it comes to selling items online whether it's through a marketplace or e-commerce site. If you want people to check out your Facebook Marketplace listings, these product photography tips can help.

Get the Item Camera Ready

Your item may be second-hand, but that doesn't mean people will be interested in buying a dusty or dirty item. Help get it list-ready by cleaning it before you snap photos of it. Launder clothing items, polish furniture, and in general, just make sure the item is presentable.

On that note, make your phone's camera ready as well by cleaning the lens with a soft cloth. Removing finger smudges will ensure your photos look clear.

Fill the Frame

Taking photos from far away will make it difficult for potential buyers to see the product in detail, and can discourage them from buying it. Think of it like an online dating profile where the person's main profile photo is of them standing off in the distance. Would you be willing to check out the rest of the profile, or move onto another where you can see the person's face clearly?

Listing items for sale is a lot like that. The details become lost, and potential buyers may think you're trying to hide something if you post a wide shot photo.

Get close enough to the item you're selling so that the edges of it touch the photo frame. Make sure the entire item fits in the shot. The spotlight should be on the item, not the background or its surroundings.

When Facebook Marketplace users scroll through listings, photos of items that fill the frame without going past the edges are more likely to capture their attention.

Shoot in Natural Light

We tend to think that in order to get a great photo, we have to use our phone's flash. That may have been true when using traditional photo equipment before mobile devices were invented. While using your phone's flash does have some purposes, most of the time it casts a color or glare onto an image.

The better solution? Shoot the item you're selling using natural light. Take photos in a room that receives plenty of daylight, and leave the artificial lights off.

This technique is sure to show off the color of the item more realistically. If it still looks dark, then bring your listed item outside.

Try not to shoot it in direct sunlight or dark shade, but look for an in-between area. The mid-morning hours and late afternoon tend to give the best results for natural light.

If you do choose to use artificial light, invest in a good lighting kit from a camera store. Read up on product photography lighting tips to always capture the best photos.

Omit Other Objects

Put the focus on your item by leaving other objects out of the photo. They can be distracting (and if they're the same type of product, can make things confusing.) You want your images to be clear about what it is you're selling.

Your item should be the star of your listing.

Stage the Item

With over 800 million users on Facebook Marketplace, you want to do everything that you can to help your items stand out.

One classic technique is to place the item against a white background or backdrop. Anything colorful will simply pop, and you'll look like a pro.

Try staging a piece of furniture in front of a brick wall or against greenery. You may need to experiment with a few backgrounds to find out what helps a particular item shine.

Include Several Detailed Shots

In addition to some photos that show the entire item within the camera's frame, you'll also want to include several close-up shots.

Don't worry if the item shows signs of wear. Just be forthcoming in your product description about any blemishes and where they are located. Take photos of these specific areas so people can see the imperfections for themselves.

You can also highlight unique features on an item by taking detailed photos of them.

Don't Use Stock Photography

It goes without saying that you should only ever post photos of the item you are personally selling.

Never use stock photography of the item. Buyers will be able to spot the difference, and your listing won't come across as very credible or trustworthy.

Keep it Steady

Your phone's camera has an anti-shake feature, but for ultimate steadiness, we recommend using a tripod for focused photos. This piece of photography equipment will probably never become obsolete and will give you a lot of confidence when taking photos of your items.

If you don't have a tripod, help keep your images sharp by tapping on the area you want the camera to focus on.

Use Photo Editing Software

Don't be afraid to use photo editing software to enhance images of your item. Don't use it to remove blemishes or otherwise alter the item's appearance, however. You want to stay authentic so you'll maintain a good reputation on Facebook Marketplace.

Remember These Product Photography Tips

The next time you list an item on Facebook Marketplace, remember these product photography tips. They can help increase your chances of finding someone willing to take it off your hands.

Need professional product photography done to boost your company's brand? Contact us so we can learn more about your project and provide a quote!