Overview
Marketing your auction business is as important as the auction technology itself. Maxanet maintains a living list of marketing tactics, tools, and recommendations that work for current clients — email marketing, SEO, Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics tracking on your Maxanet site, Google Business Profile, social media, and hashtag strategy. This article is updated over time — email support@maxanet.com if you have a tactic that works for your business and you'd like it added.
Build an email database and communicate regularly
Email marketing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to keep bidders engaged and active on your site. Tactics that work:
Use a third-party email service like Constant Contact or Mailchimp to collect email addresses and build visually appealing emails. Several providers offer limited free tiers to start
Add a clearly-visible email signup option to your website. Most services integrate with WordPress so visitor entries save directly to your list — if you use a Maxanet WordPress template, contact support to help set this up
Send an email whenever a new auction starts, with a direct link to the auction page
Highlight a few high-interest items per email with clear images and direct links
Run seasonal or themed promotions — free shipping, a small gift at pickup, hot chocolate in winter, holiday treats during December, Halloween candy, etc. Small touches create memorable experiences bidders talk about
If you're adding an auction component to an existing business, email all current and past customers announcing the new auction offering with the bidder signup link, and announce on your social channels too
Improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for your Maxanet/WordPress site
SEO is the process of improving the quality and quantity of organic website traffic from search engines. Things you can do to make your Maxanet auction site more findable:
Yoast SEO — a WordPress plugin that improves your site's search rankings by optimizing content and keywords. If you use a Maxanet WordPress template, contact support@maxanet.com to have Yoast installed. Maxanet will provide you WordPress credentials so you can work within the plugin
Facebook (Meta) Pixel — a tracking code you add to your site to measure ad effectiveness and retarget visitors. How to find your Facebook Pixel ID is documented in the Facebook Ads Manager; see Meta's Pixel ID guide
Google Analytics (GA4) — tracks session duration, pageviews, bounce rate, and traffic sources. See the related Google Analytics 4 article for how to add GA4 to Maxanet
How to add Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics IDs to your Maxanet site
Log into your Maxanet admin panel, click the green Go To Admin button in the top-right, and find the Preferences column. For Facebook Pixel, click the Add or pencil icon next to the Facebook Pixel ID field and enter your ID. For Google Analytics, see the dedicated GA4 article — newer accounts use the Google Tag Configuration field instead of the old GA tracking ID field. Save after adding either ID.
Create a Google Business Profile for local discoverability
A free Google Business Profile makes your auction business appear in Google Maps and local search results, which is critical because most people search for businesses through Google first. Tactics:
Create a listing at business.google.com — setup takes just a few minutes and costs nothing
Keep business hours and contact information current, including holiday closures
Ask happy customers to leave a Google review. Google provides a direct-link feature so you can share the review link with customers easily
Build active social media channels and post regularly
Social media drives discovery and community. Recommended tactics:
Start with Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube can be added depending on your business type and audience
Add social icons to your Maxanet public pages and WordPress landing page that link directly to your profiles
Post often — upcoming auction announcements, highlights of exciting items, employee introductions, fun customer stories, positive business reviews
Use relevant hashtags: #onlineauction, #autoauction, #estatesale, #realestateauction, etc. Hashtags tell algorithms what your content is about and make it discoverable to users searching those tags. Find relevant hashtags at best-hashtags.com
Join your state Auctioneer Association for networking and advertising
Many state auctioneer associations offer additional advertising and listing opportunities on top of their networking and professional development benefits. Find your state's association through the NAA directory at auctioneers.org.
Screenshots and additional illustrations
Common questions
What's the single most impactful marketing tactic to start with?
Email marketing. Build a list of past bidders and send them a notification every time a new auction starts. It's free, fast, and has the highest ROI of any marketing channel for auction businesses.
Do I need to hire a marketing agency?
No. All the tools listed here (Constant Contact/Mailchimp, Yoast, Google Business Profile, social media) are either free or cheap and can be managed in-house. Some Maxanet clients choose to hire help for SEO or social, but it's not required.
Where do I add Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics to Maxanet?
Admin → Go To Admin → Preferences. Facebook Pixel has its own field; Google Analytics uses the Google Tag Configuration field (see the GA4 article for details).
How often should I post on social media?
Consistency beats frequency. Three to five posts per week across your active channels is plenty. Focus on quality and relevance over volume.
What hashtags work best for auction posts?
#onlineauction, #estatesale, #autoauction, #realestateauction, #antiques, plus niche-specific hashtags based on your items. best-hashtags.com can suggest relevant ones for any topic.
Related Maxanet help articles