Yes, Facebook does occasionally run giveaways and contests on their platform. These can take many different forms, but are usually run by Facebook directly or in partnership with other brands. Some common types of Facebook giveaways include:
- contests where users enter by commenting, liking, or sharing a Facebook post for a chance to win a prize. These often promote a product launch or celebrate milestones.
- sweepstakes where users enter by filling out a form or app for a chance to win.
- instant win games where users play a game for a chance to instantly win a prize.
- photo contests where users submit photos based on a theme for a chance to win.
- video contests where users submit original video content as an entry.
The prizes offered can range from small merchandise or gift cards to grand prizes like vacations, cars, or large cash awards. Eligibility is usually open to most Facebook users in specific countries or regions.
Examples of Facebook Giveaways
Here are some examples of popular giveaways and contests previously run on Facebook:
Facebook Birthday Giveaway
In February 2020, Facebook ran a massive giveaway in celebration of its 16th birthday. Users could enter by posting a birthday message, photo, or video with the hashtag #HappyBirthdayFacebook. 100 winners were chosen to receive a share of $16,000 in cash prizes.
Facebook Oculus VR Headset Giveaway
When Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014, they ran a major giveaway of 100 Oculus Rift VR headsets to promote the new product. Users entered by commenting on the giveaway post explaining why they were excited about VR.
Facebook Portal Smart Display Giveaway
Leading up to the launch of Facebook’s new Portal smart displays in 2018, the company gave away 100 units to generate buzz. To enter, users commented on a post explaining who they would call first using Portal video calling.
Facebook Movie Ticket Giveaway
In Summer 2018, Facebook ran a contest in partnership with AMC Theatres to give away 1,000 sets of movie tickets. Users could enter daily by visiting the giveaway app and submitting their information.
Facebook Local Business Giveaways
Facebook often works with local businesses to run giveaways promoting their products or services. For example, a restaurant could give away gift certificates to fans who share and comment on a post. These types of contests are very common.
How to Find and Enter Facebook Giveaways
If you’re looking to find and enter giveaways on Facebook, here are some tips:
- Follow Facebook Pages for brands and businesses you love. They will often post giveaways and contests.
- Join Facebook Groups related to contests, freebies, giveaways, and sweepstakes. Members share opportunities.
- Check the Facebook Events page for giveaway event listings in your area.
- Use Facebook search to find keywords like “giveaway”, “contest”, “sweepstakes” etc.
- Look for sponsored posts in your News Feed marked as “Giveaway” or “Sweepstakes”.
- Check the terms and eligibility carefully before entering. Giveaways may have age, location or other requirements.
- Never pay any fee or purchase to enter a Facebook giveaway.
- Increase your chances by entering daily giveaways.Odds are higher with less entries.
- Ask friends to tag or invite you to giveaways they find.
Entering Facebook giveaways properly takes some effort, but can be fun and lucrative. With persistence, you may win great prizes!
Winners Selection Process
There are a few common ways winners for Facebook giveaways and contests are selected:
- Random Drawings: For most giveaways, winners are chosen at random from the pool of eligible entrants. Third-party platforms like Woobox, Rafflecopter or Gleam can facilitate this.
- Judging Panel: For contests like photo, video or writing competitions, a qualified panel of judges will select the top entries based on criteria like creativity, originality, quality etc.
- Instant Wins: For instant win games, winners are chosen immediately and at random when entrants play the game.
- Voting Contests: Some contests have users vote on submissions and the most popular entry wins.
To keep things fair, some key practices are:
- Using randomly generated winners.
- Disclosing judging criteria upfront.
- Anonymizing entries before judging if possible.
- Having multiple impartial judges.
Winners are almost always contacted via Facebook message or email to confirm eligibility and coordinate prizes. Giveaways with larger prizes may require signing waivers and tax forms.
Are Facebook Giveaways Real and Legal?
The vast majority of giveaways run directly by Facebook or by legitimate brands via Facebook are completely real and legal. However, there are a few key things to look out for:
- Make sure the giveaway sponsor is an authorized and verified Facebook page, not an impersonator.
- Be wary of “too good to be true” prizes like houses, cars or millions in cash.
- Watch for scams that ask for an upfront payment to enter or claim your prize.
- Check for official terms and conditions, and that proper disclosures are made.
- Avoid giveaways requiring you share personally identifiable information.
As long as proper precautions are taken, the vast majority of Facebook giveaways are authentic opportunities to win great prizes. And they can be fun!
Creating Your Own Facebook Giveaway
Businesses and brands can also run their own giveaways on Facebook to grow their audience and increase engagement. Here are some tips for creating your own successful Facebook giveaway:
- Offer an exciting prize your target audience would value – giveaways with desirable prizes get more entrants and attention.
- Promote the giveaway through posts, ads, Stories, Live videos etc. Generate buzz leading up to it.
- Make the entry mechanism simple and easy using tools like Gleam or Woobox.
- Set clear start and end dates, and terms for entry.
- Drive traffic by having entrants tag friends, share posts, or follow your Page.
- Maximize reach with hashtags related to your prize or industry.
- Use EntryTick to collect leads and build your email list.
- Follow Facebook’s promotions guidelines and properly disclose that it’s a giveaway.
Well-executed Facebook giveaways are a great tactic for engaging your target audience and growing your brand. Just make sure you follow the rules.
Facebook Giveaway Rules and Guidelines
If you’re running your own giveaway on Facebook, there are important rules and restrictions to follow:
- Must disclose that it’s a giveaway and that no purchase is necessary to enter or win.
- Cannot require someone to like a Page, share a post, or tag friends in order to enter.
- Need to provide an alternative means of entry.
- Are responsible for properly administering the giveaway, including payment of applicable taxes.
- Should check local laws to ensure the giveaway complies with gambling and contest regulations.
- Are liable for any advertising, intellectual property, publicity rights, and data issues.
Facebook has an extensive promotions policy and guidelines for giveaways that should be reviewed thoroughly. Violating the rules could lead to your contest being shut down.
Some additional best practices include:
- Draft clear and complete official rules covering eligibility, judging criteria, taxes, etc.
- Do not require entrants to share personal information beyond basic contact info.
- Allow sufficient time for winners to respond to prize notification.
- Communicate rules and requirements clearly in giveaway posts and ads.
Following Facebook giveaway guidelines helps ensure your contest goes smoothly and complies with policies.
Conclusion
In summary, Facebook can be a great platform for discovering and participating in giveaways run by brands or Facebook itself. There are always exciting sweepstakes and contests to enter if you know where to look. Make sure to pay attention to eligibility rules and beware of potential scams. Businesses can also leverage giveaways effectively for promotions and engagement when Facebook guidelines are followed. With valuable prizes and lots of enthusiasm from entrants, Facebook giveaways can beneficial for all parties involved.