Facebook like and share competitions have become a popular marketing tactic for brands and businesses to increase engagement on their Facebook pages. However, these types of competitions have come under scrutiny regarding whether they comply with Facebook’s promotion guidelines. In this comprehensive guide, we will examine if like and share competitions are allowed on Facebook, the rules and regulations surrounding them, and tips for running a successful contest that stays within Facebook’s terms of service.
Can You Do Like and Share Competitions on Facebook?
The short answer is yes, like and share competitions are permitted on Facebook with some restrictions. Facebook’s promotions policy states that promotions on Facebook must comply with certain requirements, including:
- The official rules must be made clear and easily accessible.
- Entrants should not be asked to pay any fees or make any purchases to enter.
- Winners must be chosen at random.
- The terms must comply with Facebook’s Community Standards andpromotion guidelines.
As long as your contest follows these stipulations, it is allowed on the platform. However, there are some other important rules you need to keep in mind.
Facebook Competition Rules and Regulations
While running a like and share competition on Facebook is permitted, the contest must adhere to both Facebook’s and your country’s laws. Here are some of the key regulations to follow:
Clearly Post the Full Rules
Facebook requires contest terms and conditions to be “clear, conspicuous, and easily accessible.” Post the full official rules on the contest post itself or link to a website page containing the details. Include eligibility, entry requirements, judging criteria, prize details, and any other relevant information.
Do Not Require Payment to Enter
Asking entrants to pay to enter the contest or purchase something to qualify goes against Facebook policy. Entry must be free.
Comply with All Applicable Laws
Make sure your contest follows any relevant local and national laws regarding sweepstakes and contests. For example, in the United States, this includes properly registering the contest if certain prize value thresholds are met.
Do Not Use Misleading Content
Facebook prohibits deceptive content designed to artificially increase engagement. This includes asking users to like, share, or comment just to reveal more content or generate entries without making the rules clear upfront.
Choose Winners at Random
Winners must be selected through a random drawing method. You cannot require users to recruit entries or choose winners based on the number of likes, shares, or comments.
Avoid Excessive Tagging
While some user tagging to spread awareness of the contest is allowed, excessively tagging users just to garner more entries goes against Facebook best practices.
Limit Entry Frequency
To give all participants a fair chance at winning, consider limiting the number of entries per person. This helps prevent ballot box stuffing by overly zealous users.
Provide Alt Entry Method
For any promotions requiring an action like liking, sharing, or commenting, you must provide an alternate free method of entry. This ensures users can enter without completing the social action if they desire.
Best Practices for Facebook Like and Share Contests
While adhering to all the rules, you also want to create a rewarding and successful contest for participants. Here are some top tips to run an effective like and share competition on Facebook:
Have a Clear Goal
Define what you want to achieve from the outset. Common goals include increasing page likes, growing reach, driving traffic to your website, or collecting user-generated content.
Offer an Appealing Prize
A compelling prize related to your business that entrants actually want will generate more interest. Sweeten the pot with prizes like your products/services, gift cards, or fun experiences.
Keep the Entry Requirements Simple
Don’t make users jump through too many hoops to enter. Common methods are liking, sharing, commenting or tagging friends in the post.
Promote the Competition
Spread the word across your other marketing channels like email, website, and paid ads. Leverage existing brand advocates to get the word out to their networks.
Make it Visual
Eye-catching graphics and videos explaining the contest help grab attention in the Facebook feed. Creative visuals boost engagement.
Post at Optimal Times
Schedule contest posts when your audience is most active on Facebook. Often this is midday and evenings on weekdays and weekends.
Remind Entrants to Share Publicly
Defaults can restrict visibility of posts, so remind entrants to share the competition post publicly to be eligible.
Give it Time
Let the contest run for 1-4 weeks to allow it to gain momentum through shares. Longer timeframes also work better for gaining new page followers.
Follow Up After
Post the winner announcement and tag/notify them. Also, follow up with a coupon or special offer as a final boost for new page followers.
Examples of Allowed and Prohibited Likes/Shares Contests
To further illustrate what types of contests are permitted versus prohibited, here are some examples:
Allowed
- Like this post and tag 3 friends for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Full rules linked in our bio.
- Share this post and comment your favorite product of ours for a chance to win it for free. One random winner chosen each week.
- Get one entry for each friend you tag. Share it publicly to make it count! Winner drawn at random and announced 10/15.
Prohibited
- Like and share this post to reveal what’s behind the door!
- Like, comment, and share for extra entries! Most likes by 10/12 wins our grand prize.
- Tag a friend for every additional entry. Whoever tags the most friends wins!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can businesses run contests requiring likes, shares, or comments?
Yes, Facebook allows contests that involve liking, sharing, commenting or other actions using their social features. However, the full official rules must be clear and an alternate free entry method must be provided.
Is there a limit to how many friends users can tag in contests?
Facebook doesn’t define a specific limit, but frowns upon excessive tagging just to generate more entries. Keep the contest focused on legitimate sharing rather than spamming friends.
Can users be required to share the contest post publicly?
Yes, requiring public sharing is allowable as long as it’s stated upfront in the rules. Just remind users as they may forget privacy defaults can limit visibility.
Do contest winners have to be chosen randomly?
For any contests promoting engagement like likes, shares and comments, winners must be selected randomly rather than based on the amount of engagement.
Is it OK to offer an incentive for liking a Facebook Page?
Yes, offering an incentive like a discount code or free gift for liking your page is perfectly acceptable according to Facebook’s promotions policies.
Conclusion
When run properly, Facebook like and share contests can be an effective tactic for increasing brand awareness, driving engagement, and growing your audience. Be sure to create compelling prizes, make the rules clear, follow all applicable laws, and don’t use manipulative or spammy techniques.
Focus on providing a fun and rewarding experience for participants rather than just trying to gain likes and shares. With a promotion that aligns with Facebook’s guidelines, businesses can gain valuable exposure and interaction with relevant customers.
Just be aware that Facebook may evolve its policies over time, so keep tabs for any updates. With the right strategic approach, businesses can leverage user-generated content contests as part of a broader social media marketing strategy.