Facebook Contests: What to Know-Nazar Kamangar/bridge consulting blogs

Winning. Everybody loves it. Whether the prize is a $5 gift certificate to Starbucks, an iPad, or a vacation getaway, contests and promotions are some of the best ways to attract fans to your Facebook fan page.

There are a few things to keep in mind before you get started with your first contest. It wouldn’t be Facebook if there weren’t a few rules attached! First of all, keep in mind that Facebook doesn’t want to be held directly responsible for your offers, promos or contests and they require that fan pages host such sweepstakes or contests via third party applications. In addition, promotions on Facebook must include a complete release of Facebook by each participant; acknowledgment that the contest/promo is not sponsored, endorsed or administrated by Facebook, and disclosure that the participant is providing info to the app (and not to Facebook itself).

 Lastly (and here’s the tricky part…) your promotions or contests may not condition entry/registration upon any “Facebook functionality,” such as uploading a photo or posting on a wall. For example, hosting a contest that states, “post on our Facebook wall for a chance to win!” is a violation of Facebook’s terms. Social Media Examiner provides some great information on running valid (and successful) promotions here.

The good news is that there are a number of applications out there that provide quality promotion services for free or for reasonable fees. A quick Google search, or checking out pages with successful contests and promotions, is a great way to get started. The important thing is to use a reputable app, continuously remind your fans to enter your contest, and follow up with your participants and winners!

Stay tuned for later this week, when we’ll be detailing some of our top tips for running promotions & contests on Facebook.

If you’re interested in running a contest on Facebook and would like to leave it in the hands of professionals, be sure to contact us: Nazar Kamanagar — 415.500.1989 or nazar@bridgeconsultinginc.com.