Are Like and Share Competitions Allowed on Facebook?
The simple answer here is no. Facebook’s terms and conditions do not allow like and share competitions. However, you’ve probably noticed they continue to pop up everywhere, sometimes from larger companies with a great reputation and strong following.
If Facebook does catch you running competitions of this sort it’s possible they will ban and remove you from using their platform. My advice to clients is always the same; as a reputable company we won’t administer such competitions, however, if you wish to run these yourself we can’t stop you. I wouldn’t be doing my own job properly if I didn’t warn you of the risks.
Unsure on the rules? Want some tailored advice? Schedule a free consultation.
So what competitions can you run on Facebook?
1. Ask followers to submit names of a new product or guess the name of a product etc in exchange for a chance to win a prize
You must not ask people to tag themselves or a friend in order to enter.
Facebook guidelines state:
"In order to maintain the accuracy of Page content, our Pages Terms now prohibit Pages from tagging or encouraging people to tag themselves in content that they are not actually depicted in. So, for instance:
It’s OK to ask people to submit names of a new product in exchange for a chance to win a prize
It’s not OK to ask people to tag themselves in pictures of a new product in exchange for a chance to win a prize."
It's also not okay to ask people to tag a friend in a post to enter.
2. Don’t ask people to “share” to be in with the chance to win
Facebook state:
"Promotions may be administered on Pages or within apps on Facebook. Personal Timelines must not be used to administer promotions (ex: “share on your Timeline to enter” or “share on your friend's Timeline to get additional entries” is not permitted)."
This basically means that page owners can encourage users to share the contest & come vote -- by liking their comment on a contest -- but sharing cannot be a form of entering the competition.
3. Message or submit contact details via your website to be entered
This is one of the best ways to ask people to enter. By directing people to an entry page on your website, you can outline all of your terms and collect their details (email addresses etc) to be added to email marketing campaigns. A handy longer-term marketing plan. Don’t forget to make your privacy policy clear if you’re collecting people’s information.
4. Encourage footfall to a physical store by asking people to find the hidden item
If you have a physical store, you can ask people to enter by hiding an item (for example, an Easter egg for an Easter-themed giveaway) and taking a picture of it once they’ve found it. They can send you their entry via email, Facebook message or ask them to comment on the original Facebook contest post with their image.
So to clarify:
You CAN ask people to enter by:
Liking a Post
Commenting on a Post
Posting on a Page
Messaging a Page
Clicking Through to an Entry Form on Your Website
You CAN’T ask people to enter by:
Sharing a Page on their Timelines
Tag a friend in comment or post
“Liking and Sharing”
Like a page (to automatically enter)
Share a page on a friends timeline
Are like & share competitions good for business?
Something we get asked about a lot is the effectiveness of like and share competitions on Facebook.
Any type of competition may be good for increasing brand awareness and may help you to increase engagement on your page. However, that doesn't mean there aren't issues with competitions.
One of the main issues we see is decreased engagement once the competition has ended. This is because you may get hundreds of new likes from competition entries, but these people aren't genuinely interested in your product or service. They are simply liking the page for the competition. Once the competition has concluded, these people either don't engage with your content or simply drop off as followers.
This decrease in engagement doesn't just look bad but may also hinder your ability to reach your actual genuine followers. It's thought that Meta only shows your posts to a select percentage of your overall following. This percentage will vary, depending on how engaging your content is, and generally how well received it is by your audience. This newfound low engagement may lead to Facebook showing your post to fewer people. Also, the people that do you see it, may not be those genuine actual followers that you really want to see your content.
Facebook competitions often do more harm than good. We advise speaking to your marketing freelancer or agency for advice before running any kind of competition.
Need Help Getting Started With Meta?
Don’t be shy; come say hi 👋
Schedule a free 30-minute Zoom call with us and we’ll happily answer any questions you have. No sales pitch. No obligation. Just me, you and a nice brew ☕