For years, Facebook page admins were not allowed to launch a contest on the page’s wall and solicit Likes or Comments in order to enter. Well, here’s some good news. Those archaic rules are now a thing of the past.
Facebook has made a huge shift in how they allow contests to be run and has completely revised their contest rules.
Previously, promotions and contest needed to run on an application or third-party app, but Facebook announced on August 27 that they’ve changed their Pages Terms to make it “easier for businesses of all sizes to create and administer promotions on Facebook.” They’re allowing pages to run contests and promotions on their own timelines (you cannot run contests on a personal timeline).
Here are the basics of what you can do now:
- Collect entries by having users post on the page or comment/like a page post
- Collect entries by having users message the page
- Utilize likes as a voting mechanism
Below is the Facebook verbiage for the new guidelines:
Here’s the complete list of rules for promotions and contests directly from their Page Guidelines under section E (as of August 28, 2013):
1. If you use Facebook to communicate or administer a promotion (ex: a contest or sweepstakes), you are responsible for the lawful operation of that promotion, including:
- The official rules;
- Offer terms and eligibility requirements (ex: age and residency restrictions); and
- Compliance with applicable rules and regulations governing the promotion and all prizes offered (ex: registration and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals).
2. Promotions on Facebook must include the following:
- A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant.
- Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.
3. 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).
4. We will not assist you in the administration of your promotion, and you agree that if you use our service to administer your promotion, you do so at your own risk.
We’re very excited about this easier way to administer contest. What are your thoughts about the more relaxed rules?
