Running a Facebook contest or giveaway is a great way to promote your Facebook business page and possibly garner more Likes for your page. However, I’ve seen enough businesses and bloggers running Facebook promotions incorrectly, that I thought it may be time to discuss how to run one the right way. What I’ve found is that many times, these businesses and bloggers don’t know that Facebook has specific guidelines regarding how you can (and can’t) administer giveaways and contests.
Understanding the Facebook Promotions Guidelines
For the most part, the guidelines are pretty self-explanatory, but there are a few parts that can be confusing. The result is that even if you think you understand the guidelines, you may not. To help clarify the guidelines and ensure your Facebook promotions are on the up-and-up, I’m going to go through the rules line by line and explain what you need to know. If you’d like to bookmark the Facebook Promotions Guidelines, you can do so at http://fb.com/promotions_guidelines.php.
1. Promotions on Facebook must be administered within Apps on Facebook.com, either on a Canvas Page or an app on a Page Tab.
What it means: You can’t run a giveaway or contest on your Wall. You must use a third-party application to build and administer your promotion. Not sure where to start? Check out Shortstack or Wildfire. Or, if you’re comfortable with iFrames, you can build your own app.
2. Promotions on Facebook must include the following:
a. A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant.
b. Acknowledgment that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.
c. Disclosure that the participant is providing information to [disclose recipient(s) of information] and not to Facebook.
What it means: Facebook wants it to be clear to you and your entrants that they are in no way part of your promotion. If you use Shortstack to create your promotion, they have some nice verbiage you can include in your giveaway that adheres to this rule.
3. You must not use Facebook features or functionality as a promotion’s registration or entry mechanism. For example, the act of liking a Page or checking in to a Place cannot automatically register or enter a promotion participant.
What it means: Just because someone Likes your page or uses Facebook Places to check in to your venue, doesn’t mean that you can use their information automatically. You must use the third-party application to provide an entry form. This ensures that the entrant actually wants to enter your promotion. It also means you cannot ask people to Like your page, comment on your Wall, write a status update, or check-in to a Place as an entry to your promotion. These can’t be primary or additional entries. I’ve had some people ask if it’s OK to host a giveaway on their blog and ask people to Like a Facebook page as an additional entry. The logic is that if the giveaway isn’t hosted on Facebook, they should be able to do as they please. Unfortunately, the minute you bring Facebook into the equation, Facebook’s rules apply. It may not be the popular answer, but that’s the answer.
4. You must not condition registration or entry upon the user taking any action using any Facebook features or functionality other than liking a Page, checking in to a Place, or connecting to your app. For example, you must not condition registration or entry upon the user liking a Wall post, or commenting or uploading a photo on a Wall.
What it means: This is where some people get confused. This rule is referring to the act of Like-gating content. When you create a custom Facebook tab, it’s possible to “hide” specific content from non-fans until they click Like. Upon clicking Like, the new fan can then access the hidden content. For promotions, this means that you can hide your entry form until a user clicks Like. After they click Like, they can then complete the entry form to be part of the promotion. It’s important to note that the initial Like of the page did not enter them into your promotion. They only entered the promotion when they completed your form. Rule #4 is stating that this Like-gating of your promotional content is completely acceptable as long as you don’t make the Like an entry.
5. You must not use Facebook features or functionality, such as the Like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion.
What it means: If you want to invite people to post images or video or ideas, then have people vote on them, you have to do it via a third-party app (see rule #1). You can’t ask people to Like a comment or status update in order to win a promotion or help decide who will win a promotion. Many of the third-party apps have options for voting promotions and they are fairly easy to implement.
6. You must not notify winners through Facebook, such as through Facebook messages, chat, or posts on profiles or Pages.
What it means: You must notify your winners via private e-mail (not Facebook messsaging) or via your blog or Twitter or however you want, so long as it’s not on Facebook.
7. You may not use Facebook’s name, trademarks, trade names, copyrights, or any other intellectual property in connection with a promotion or mention Facebook in the rules or materials relating to the promotion, except as needed to fulfill your obligations under Section 2.
What it means: Make it clear that this is your promotion and yours alone. Don’t imply that Facebook has anything whatsoever to do with your promotion.
8. Definitions:
a. By “administration” we mean the operation of any element of the promotion, such as collecting entries, conducting a drawing, judging entries, or notifying winners.
b. By “communication” we mean promoting, advertising or referencing a promotion in any way on Facebook, e.g., in ads, on a Page, or in a Wall post.
c. By “contest” or “competition” we mean a promotion that includes a prize of monetary value and a winner determined on the basis of skill (i.e., through judging based on specific criteria).
d. By “sweepstakes” we mean a promotion that includes a prize of monetary value and a winner selected on the basis of chance.
What it means: These definitions are self-explanatory, but it’s important to note them. The first, administration, is particularly important. See how it refers to “collecting entries”? When you host a giveaway on your blog and ask people to Like your Facebook giveaway as an additional entry, you’re essentially collecting entries via Facebook and you can’t do that unless you’re using a third-party app on Facebook.
What Happens If I Don’t Follow the Facebook Promotions Guidelines?
So what happens if you don’t follow the rules? You could lose your page. Think about that. You lose your content (images, video, notes, status updates…everything), your community (how many fans do you have? Are you willing to rebuild that?), and your credibility (trust is what social media is built on). It doesn’t make sense to risk losing your hard-earned Facebook community when it’s so easy to create a promotion that adheres to the Facebook Promotions Guidelines. If you do lose your page, you can head over to My Facebook Page was Disabled and complete that form to try to reinstate your page.
Update with Information Directly from Facebook
As you can see from the comments to this post, there is still some debate about whether I’m interpreting the Facebook Promotions Guidelines correctly. I decided to contact Facebook directly and see if they could help clarify the guidelines. I wrote in part:
“I’ve written a post outlining my own interpretation of the guidelines (http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2011/07/running-a-successful-facebook-giveaway-or-contest/). In a nutshell, my understanding is that you cannot ask people to Like a fan page as an entry into a promotion — not as a main entry, nor as an extra entry. I understand, though, that you can Like-gate your entry form on Facebook via a third-party app (but that Like isn’t an entry, it’s a means to get to the entry form).
I’m receiving questions from those who suggest that a blog or blog application like rafflecopter (http://www.rafflecopter.com/) are basically third-party apps and, because they are asking for Likes via those options (blog or rafflecopter), the Likes are legitimate entries. That’s not how I read the guidelines, but I’d like to be sure rather than give inaccurate advice.”
I received a reply from Trace Przybylowicz, an account manager at Facebook, that said simply:
“Hi Melanie – You are correct….”
There you go. Confirmation from Facebook that this article is interpreting the Facebook Promotions Guidelines correctly. I appreciate the lively discussion and questions. And I appreciate that Facebook was able to respond to my query since I know their entire team must be incredibly busy.
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Thank you for walking us through this information! I keep seeing companies and organizations operate “likes” as votes for contests and knew there were some stipulations, but hadn’t yet investigated all of the rules. This is very helpful
Thanks for stopping by, Shanna! I’m glad you found the article useful.
Sorry, I’m a little confused…. When I hold a giveaway on my blog, can I say “For an extra entry, “Like” the page on Facebook and then come back to my blog and leave a comment”…?
thank you!
Melanie, you really shouldn’t. As I stated above, once you bring Facebook into the equation, you also bring in their guidelines.
See, this is where I would not read these guidelines the way you do. You say bloggers can’t even ask entrants to like a page even as an extra entry, but the language is contradictory in#4:
“You must not condition registration or entry upon the user taking any action using any Facebook features or functionality other than liking a Page, checking in to a Place, or connecting to your app. ”
Note, that says “other than liking a Page”, which tells me that we can ask people to like it, but we can’t tell them they can’t enter if they don’t like a page. By offering a like as an extra entry, we’re giving the entrant an option to do it or not, but they still get to enter the contest under the mandatory entry.
Abe, #4 is referring to Like a page as part of Like-gating, not Liking a page for an entry. In the article above I explain how Like-gating fits with contests and giveaways. What #4 is saying is that it’s OK to ask an entrant to Like your page in order to get to the entry form. You can see this in action on my Blogging Basics 101 page where I’m currently giving away a copy of iPad All-In-One for Dummies (http://on.fb.me/oSwJ7c — it will be live until the evening of 7/29). If you’re not a fan of my page already, you’ll have to Like the page in order to get to the entry form. That initial Like is not an entry into the giveaway, it’s your key to get to the entry form. Once you complete the entry form, you are entered in the giveaway. But the Like was the entry, the entry form was the entry. You only have one entry (via the form) not two (via the form and the Like). I know it can be confusing!
Do these still apply if your saying people can get an extra entry into a giveaway by Liking a page other than your own? For instance the page of the company hosting the giveaway?
Yes, these guidelines apply in that situation as well because you’re still asking for a Like. It’s true that many companies (and bloggers) aren’t fully aware of the Facebook Promotional Guidelines and it may take some education on both sides — that’s the intent of this article.
It’s incredibly easy to set up a FB giveaway or contest correctly (even with Like-gating so you can still get the Like — just not as an entry or additional entry). I used Shortstack.com (@shortstacklab) to set up a Like-gated giveaway this week and did it in under 15 minutes.
Melanie, thanks for using ShortStack! We’re Free to use with up to 2,000 Page Likes. Let us know if you have any questions
Thanks for the great post! Very easy to understand (unlike the Facebook rules themselves). There’s been much confusion so you’d like Facebook would clarify, but I guess not. I’ve stopped asking for FB likes for giveaways, but it seems lots of people interpret the rules differently. I haven’t ever heard of someone actually losing their page & it seems like lots of major companies still violate the rules, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Actually, there have been some page deleted because of guidelines violations, but they were based in India. It’s true that Facebook can’t police every giveaway (especially those down outside of Facebook on a blog). For me, it comes down to professional integrity. I know what the rules are and I’m in a position of providing advice to others. I feel like I’d be doing a disservice to myself and my clients if I weren’t adhering to the guidelines even if it would be easy to sidestep them.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! My reader is FULL of giveaways with Facebook likes as entries. It’s been a real turn off and I’ve been tempted to avoid blogs I usually enjoy.
Melanie, was it you who shared my article with the Momfia?
Thanks for that. Much appreciated!
It’s funny, because I agreed with your interpretation of the guidelines when they were first published. But, to make sure I was correct in my interpretation, I had looked on other technical blogging sites that talked about this subject. There are conflicted interpretations out there. Especially about the secondary, optional entry of “liking” a page.
To me, it seems to be more with the spirit of their guidelines to allow secondary, optional entries to enter a giveaway than it is for someone to have to like your page in order to get to the form to enter. One requires the use of Facebook to enter, while the other does not.
So, in a nutshell, I’m more confused now than ever. But, I’ll choose to err on the side of caution, going forward.
Brynn, thanks for weighing in. This is definitely a topic that raises a lot of discussion. In fact, I’ve been discussing it with other social media professionals who also use Facebook regularly for their own brands and for their clients. We are all in agreement about the interpretation of the guidelines that I share here.
That definitely helps to know that. Thanks! There are some pretty big blogs out there that are violating these guidelines. Love your website, by the way.
“3. You must not use Facebook features or functionality as a promotion’s registration or entry mechanism. For example, the act of liking a Page or checking in to a Place cannot automatically register or enter a promotion participant.”
What confuses me here are the words “registration or entry mechanism” and “automatically.” Asking someone to like a page and then comment on a blog saying you did does not use Facebook features or functionality as the registration or entry mechanism, and it does not automatically register or enter a promotion participant. In those cases, the entry into the promotion is the comment on the blog, not the “Like” on Facebook.
Leigh, I disagree. The entry is the act of Liking the page, then you are telling the blogger in a comment that you Liked the page (or completed the entry mechanism). Without the Like there is no entry. If there were, you’d just have to leave a comment on the blog (regardless of Liking the page) to enter.
I disagree with Melanie. You say without the like there is no entry. I say the like didn’t get you entered into the contest/giveaway. You can like pages all day long and they won’t enter you into any blog giveaway that I’m aware of. When you comment back on the blog, that’s what enters you.
Great post! I see many people are still confused though.
Sometimes the picture worth a thousand words, so here are the examples of perfectly legit Fan Page contests:
http://www.facebook.com/ChildOrchard?sk=app_135636729827676
http://www.facebook.com/retrofitnessgym?sk=app_135636729827676
The application that does that:
http://toptabapp.com/
I wanted to ask this question, and if you could e-mail me the answer I would appreciate it. I’m going to check out shortstack, and I also understand the verbage on not being able to “like” a page. Is this also problematic?
You must be a follower of my blog in one of these forms: e-mail, Google Reader, Twitter or Facebook.
I’m curious. The problem with Facebook contest is that some people aren’t on Facebook so they wouldn’t be able to enter unless they opened an account because the contest is through that app.
After typing it out, I think I may have the answer to my own question based on everything reading. I want to hear from you though.
Thanks,
Leigh
So are you still allowed to end your contest when you reach a certain number of fans or is that not allowed anymore?
Thanks
Good article.Thanks for sharing about this rule in facebook
Thank you for explaining this so clearly. I’m pretty sure I have broken the rules before.
Thank you for this post. We are just getting our Facebook account moving forward and this has been a topic of conversation with my team. You definitely give us clarity and direction when it comes to this topic and in turn we will ensure that we will move our Facebook account forward responsibly. I will be sharing this with the team!
I’ve learned my lesson. It isn’t worth the risk of losing my Facebook page for an entry on a giveaway that I’m running. Thanks for clarifying confusing wording.
Thank you. That clears things up. I had been asking for a like for a secondary entry, but I won’t any more. I don’t want to lose my page, nor do I want my clients to lsoe theirs!
Wow! I wish I knew that a few weeks ago! This is great information and I will follow the rules from here on…. Thanks!
I would like to ask, when I host a giveaway on Facebook using a third-party app, can I say something like “Like our page to get access to our entry form”? Thanks!
Alva, you can say that IF you’re using a third-party app that applies the Like-gating feature as described above. Shortstack can do this.
So what if on my blog, for an additional entry I worded it like this….. “Let me know if you are a TidyMom fan on Facebook” ………I’m technically not telling them they have to like my fan page, but tell me if they are. Would that work?
Dear goodness, I am late to this post, but thank you! I have stayed away from Facebook promotions because, well, I don’t feel like reading the fine print.
Genius.
Thank you, y gracias!
First, THANK YOU. You should get a giant gold star.. or tiara.. or something for this post.
Just to clarify.. if I am ok working with iframes, I can just create the “app” required to add to my pages, include whatever widget or link to how I am compiling information and post it on my page.. I don’t have to go through wildfire, etc. (assuming I have the proper verbage, required release of liability, etc also on there.) correct?
Also, I don’t see if they have a problem with then using submitted information (as long as it is disclosed, naturally) that they will be included on a mailing list for newsletters, etc. Not to share the info with others, but to use it for whatever organization to communicate in the future.. is that still within the guidelines?
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Sheridan,
I’m glad you found the article helpful! Yes, you can build your own app via iFrames and you wouldn’t need to use something Wildfire or Shortstack. And yes, you can use the information you collect as you see fit (adding them to lists, etc.), BUT, as you point out, it’s very important to alert readers to how you’ll use their information and give them a way to opt out of being added to lists. I don’t think that’s necessarily Facebook’s policy, but it’s a good rule of thumb.
Melanie,
I’ve read the rules on FB multiple times now, and I really must respectfully disagree with your analysis and interpretation of them.
Policy numbers 3 and 4 go hand in hand. First is says:
You must not use Facebook features or functionality as a promotion’s registration or entry mechanism. For example, the act of liking a Page or checking in to a Place cannot *automatically* register or enter a promotion participant.
- I read this to mean you can’t count an entry directly on facebook – i.e. the act of liking the page, the status, uploading a photo, etc., cannot be their AUTOMATIC mode of entry. There must be an additional step to the entry, via a 3rd party application. This is further clarified by line 4.
You must not condition registration or entry upon the user taking any action using any Facebook features or functionality *other than liking a Page, checking in to a Place, or connecting to your app*. For example, you must not condition registration or entry upon the user liking a Wall post, or commenting or uploading a photo on a Wall.
- the use of the words “other” and “or” in this paragraph tell you that Facebook ALLOWS liking a page, checking in to a place, AND connecting to the facebook app as modes of entry. (Other Facebook actions, such as liking a wall post or uploading a photo are NOT allowed to be modes of entry at all.)
However, as outlined in number 3, you cannot use that explicit action as the entry. You are required to use a 3rd party app – there is no mention that it must be a facebook app. It could just as easily be a comment on your WP blog – a 3rd party application.
After reading these rules at least a dozen times, out loud, to myself, to my husband, to anyone that would listen, it is clear to me – Facebook is simply protecting itself from the any action ON Facebook being your method of entry. They are trying to protect themselves from lawsuits that could happen due to some technical error causing you to not be able to like someone’s page, if that were the way an entry was calculated.
In actuality, so long as the contest holder required a comment on their WordPress blog (and not Facebook page) stating you liked their page as the entry into the contest, you are completely within the rules. You just can’t use that physical like on Facebook as the entry. You have to require that they tell you about the like somewhere else, on a 3rd party platform.
What I’d really like to do is have someone at Facebook comment and tell us which one of us is reading these rules correctly. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find a way to contact them other than the official fan page, and I’m not sure if I’d actually get an answer that way. The forums are a complete mess right now due to the recent changes, so I don’t think it’s worth asking there for a long while.
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Hi, Amber,
Thanks for commenting. I wanted to let you know that I contacted Facebook directly today. I referred them to my article, explained the questions I was receiving from you and others, supplied links to blog giveaways using Rafflecopter (and those that weren’t) that ask for Likes as entries, and asked if Facebook could clarify the guidelines. I wanted to give a very clear picture of what the issues were and confirm that I was interpreting the Facebook Promotions Guidelines correctly. In part, I wrote:
“I’ve written a post outlining my own interpretation of the guidelines (http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2011/07/running-a-successful-facebook-giveaway-or-contest/). In a nutshell, my understanding is that you cannot ask people to Like a fan page as an entry into a promotion — not as a main entry, nor as an extra entry. I understand, though, that you can Like-gate your entry form on Facebook via a third-party app (but that Like isn’t an entry, it’s a means to get to the entry form).
I’m receiving questions from those who suggest that a blog or blog application like rafflecopter (http://www.rafflecopter.com/) are basically third-party apps and, because they are asking for Likes via those options (blog or rafflecopter), the Likes are legitimate entries. That’s not how I read the guidelines, but I’d like to be sure rather than give inaccurate advice.”
Tonight I received a reply from my contact at Facebook that said simply:
“Hi Melanie – You are correct….”
I hope this helps clarify the Facebook Promotions Guidelines and that you’ll share them with others. Thanks again for your comment.
Melanie
So, then Rafflecopter is wrong in their analysis and the built-in feature they have for “liking” a FB page is illegal? Why hasn’t Facebook informed them of this?
http://blog.rafflecopter.com/2011/06/giveaways-and-promotions-on-facebook/
So much conflicting info makes it hard to determine what to do in this matter.
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Chris, yes, I believe that Rafflecopter is incorrect in their interpretation of the Facebook Promotions Guidelines.
1. The first guideline states that you must administer the contest via a third-party app. That’s one thing everyone agrees on. By asking someone to Like your page, that’s not using a third-party app, that’s using Facebook functionality as an entry.
2. The third guideline clearly states that you must not use any Facebook functionality as an entry mechanism. The confusion comes with the example provided in the guideline. It’s one example, but not the only possible example. The main part of the guideline is “You must not use Facebook features or functionality as a promotion’s registration or entry mechanism.” This means not only can you NOT auto-enter someone, but you cannot use Liking or commenting as entry mechanisms at all.
3. The fourth guideline is referring to Like-gating your entry form. Many people misunderstand this one. You can Like-gate your entry form (therefore requiring a reader to Like your page before they can access the actual entry form), but that initial Like CANNOT count as an entry. In order to use some of the third-party apps, you (as the entrant) will have to allow the app access to your information. Or, if the content is Like-gated, you may have to Like the page to access the entry form. Or, you may be required to check-in to a venue in order to have access to an entry form. The “allowing”, “Liking”, and “checking-in” are a means to an end, not the entry. They are how you get to the entry. The only way to enter is to complete the entry form you receive after completing the initial hoop (e.g., “allowing”, “Liking”, or “checking in”).
I understand what I’m explaining here is not what most bloggers want to read. It’s much easier to increase the number of Likes on a page and maintain increased traffic to your blog if you can run a promotion without adhering to the guidelines. I also understand that there is a lot of misinformation and misinterpretation of the guidelines out there. That’s exactly why I contacted Facebook personally to see if I was missing something.
Rafflecopter and the FB Like issue is confusing two separate issues.
The FB promotion guidelines apply both to promotions that take place ON Facebook and promotions that utilize Facebook functionality. If you want someone to come to your Facebook page and go to a tab to enter/learn about a promotion, then that tab must be a 3rd party app and not a tab hosted on Facebook.
Provision 4 of the Facebook Promotion Guidelines relate to using Facebook functionality such as ‘Like’. This is not specific to Like-gating. If someone is running a promotion off Facebook but wants to offer an entry based on the Like, it is possible (keeping in mind all the legal aspects of giveaways). Per the Facebook Promotion Guidelines, one can have an entrant ‘Like a Page’ but that Like in and of itself is not sufficient to count as an entry. The entrant would then need to return to the blog/site, and indicate that they now ‘Like a Page’.
Rafflecopter provides the ‘Like a Page’ functionality but the entry into the giveaway is not secured until the entrant clicks a separate button indicating that they did ‘Like a Page’.
Like-gating is often part of hosting a promotion ON Facebook using a 3rd party app. The “liking”, though can be part of a promotion that is not hosted on Facebook (so long as it’s done in a legally compliant manner – which is a completely separate discussion).
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Melanie, thanks for the info. I do disagree though about the statement that Liking a Facebook page and then commenting on a person’s blog saying the page was Liked is against the rules. Reading the guidelines over and over again, I agree completely with Amber (above).
I have to bring up the fact here though that in your initial question to Facebook, you didn’t specifically ask if using a third party app (i.e. comment form on a blog) AFTER the Like was done was against the guidelines. Instead, you asked “my understanding is that you cannot ASK PEOPLE TO LIKE A FAN PAGE AS AN ENTRY INTO A PROMOTION— not as a main entry, nor as an extra entry. I understand, though, that you can Like-gate your entry form on Facebook via a third-party app (BUT THAT LIKE ISN’T AN ENTRY, IT’S A MEANS TO GET TO THE ENTRY FORM)”
They replied that you were correct because this IS what the guidelines say. You cannot Like a page AS AN ENTRY into a promotion, as a main entry nor as an extra entry. However in the terms of using a blog’s COMMENT FORM as the actual entry form, it would mean that the “Like” isn’t the entry, the comment the person leaves is. This seems to totally fall under the guidelines as a third party app process. I do think Facebook said this is correct, because it is… however I think you are failing to realize that the comment form on a blog IS a third party app.
What a great explanation of all these complicated guidelines. Thank you!
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Very informative. I’ve never held a giveaway on Facebook. Maybe now I can try
Meagan recently posted..Horseback Riding in Copan
So confusing! You clarified so much but at the same time left me more confused. I will try out ShortStack and see about adding a “reveal” page after the Like on Facebook.
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y. Name should have a y at the end. LOL!
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My head is spinning! Great information! Let’s hope I remember all of it when and if I ever do another promotion
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Thanks for this article! We have done contests before and certainly weren’t within the rules (oops) but we have a bunch of giveaways coming up because we just attended the ABC Kids Expo. Anyway, I know that companies would love it if part of our giveaway entries involved Liking their fan pages, but I don’t want to risk it. I’ll just link to their Page in the giveaway post and ‘tag’ them when linking to our giveaway post from our Page…which brings me to my question…
Is it okay to link to our blog giveaway posts from our FB Pages? Assuming we’re following all the rules and not requiring Likes for entries, can we still link to the giveaway?
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I am also wondering the same thing as Krista. Also can we ask entrants to share the giveaway link as their facebook status?
Also another question…if we give the link to the facebook page in an entry on our blog, could we ask them to visit the page and then leave a comment (on the blog) saying something they learned from the facebook page?
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Colleen,
Yes, you can link to a giveaway on your blog in a Facebook status update. For example, you could share, “I’m giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card on my blog! Come enter at http://www.myblog.com!”
You can ask entrants to share the giveaway (and a link to it) on Facebook, but that cannot be an entry (not initial, nor additional). It would just have to be goodwill on their part.
I disagree. I of course can’t find it now but I read someone else’s interpretation on their blog before and they interpreted differently and they also said facebook confirmed they were right. Which is weird. I wish I could remember where it was.
I just started a contest on my Facebook page for my companies electric blanket website on October 1st and I did not know any of the rules when I started the contest. I use a plug in program called Blinkd. I think it follows the guidleines after reading this.
I am thinking about my next contest. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can have a contest and require contestants to post inbound links to my website as part of the entry requirement? I am guessing that it violates Facebooks rules if I require that they post it on their Facebook page. Where else could people easily post links and not violate any webmaster rules?
I want people to write why they deserve a free battery heated jacket. Then people vote for the best explanation. I also want them to then post their response somewhere else online with a link back to my site. Has anyone tried something like this?
Hi. I’ve been trying to find a contact to inquire directly about this issue and was wondering if you could provide me with the contact information you used.
Since FB changed the help section, the contact forms have become very difficult to navigate through.
Thank you,
Savanah
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I’m erring on the side of caution and eliminating “liking’ from my giveaways as well. I’ve referred a few of my bloggers to your post. I hope you don’t mind.
I wrote a post as well, http://www.leslielovesveggies.net/2011/10/liking-on-facebook-facebook-guidelines-say-no-i-have-confirmation.html
and have contacted Facebook’s legal team for advice.
The FB exec who replied to my email agreed with you and me, liking for mandatory and bonus entries in blog giveaways is not allowed.
Thanks for a great post!
Leslie
Leslie Loves Veggies
Leslie from Leslie Loves Veggies recently posted..Sacred Rose® Holiday Blend® Tea {Rafflecopter Giveaway}
What about this scenario: Someone wants to gain fans on FB. So, they say, once I reach x-amount of fans, I will give you a free copy of my eBook/design/etc.? Is that allowed, because you are essentially liking a page to win something?
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So my question is, can you require people to “like” your vendors pages to qualify to even enter? Not TO enter, but in order to enter.
That is exactly my question. Not AS the entry, but must have ‘liked’ the page prior to entering. i.e. only fans are eligible for the entry. — either as a mandatory or additional entry.
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So if I just designate person number 100, say, as my goal, and don’t announce it, but just tell that person they have won something, is that legit? I wouldn’t be asking anyone to like my page, but rather just give a prize to the 100th person. Sorry, maybe this is obvious to some, but not to me. Thanks!
*I mean don’t announce that I’m having a contest beforehand; I’m the only one who knows I’m doing it. Then, I would announce the first name only of the winner (or just first initial) when I get to 100.
Peaches, it seems to me that your idea would violate rule #3 because you didn’t tell people that they were entering a promotion AND b/c the act of Liking your page was the entry mechanism. Hope that helps.
Hi Melanie,
Thanks so much for this post. While I am still completely overwhelmed, befuddled and frustrated, you have certainly brought much clarity (imagine where I was at before this!)
At least now I am one step closer to figuring out how to do this!
Dear Melanie
Thanks for the clarification. After a winner has been notified via their email address
is it OK to then post the winner’s name on the company wall?
Also, I gather it is OK to post winner(s) names on the 3rd party application that appears
on the company Facebook site
many thanks
2. The third guideline clearly states that you must not use any Facebook functionality as an entry mechanism. Peaches, it seems to me that your idea would violate rule #3 because you didn’t tell people that they were entering a promotion AND b/c the act of Liking your page was the entry mechanism. I do disagree though about the statement that Liking a Facebook page and then commenting on a person’s blog saying the page was Liked is against the rules.
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I am reading and confused sorry I understand most of it but what if my page just occasionally chooses someone to receive a free item. No contest no nothing. Just a random name chosen. Is that against the rules?
As web developers, we are now being asked by our clients to help them navigate the murky waters of social media. You article is VERY HELPFUL in clarifying the rules, for myself and my clients. Thanks for your efforts!
Thank you, Melanie! I really, really appreciate the time you put in to outlining these guidelines for all of us. It helps us be sure we’re running our contest on the up-and-up. Again, thank you!
Thank you so much for this! I’ve been annoyed with people requiring “likes” and “follows” to enter giveaways for quite a while.
Not only does it violate Facebook terms, it also violates Federal Law. Requiring someone to do something that is beneficial to you (giving you more likes or upping your subscription numbers) is beneficial to you as you can use that for potential business. What this requirement does, however is put the Giveaway into Illegal Lottery territory. These requirements are called “consideration” So regardless of whether or not the Facebook guidelines say yes or no, the Federal government has really already said no.
Thanks again for the great article!
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Melanie, thank you SO much for this blog post! Taking the time to decipher these rules, along with finding a good content builder and then doing the work was just too much for me to sit down and do with how busy I’ve been. You saved me HOURS of work with this article and pointing me to shortstack. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!
Also, better safe than sorry when it comes to messing with facebook’s rules. I had a community page yanked from me, no questions asked, because of a copyrighted picture that was posted on it. And when they take your page, there is no appeal process…it’s gone. I love my pages and don’t want to lose ANY more…I’ll stay off facebook’s toes and play by the (much more clear, now) rules. THANKS AGAIN!!
HI, hard question. This contest does not take place on facebook. Is it against the rules? http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/04/techcrunch-giveaway-apple-ipad-2-techcrunch/
Thank you so much for posting this article. I, like many others have found Facebook’s regulations confusing. I would like to be able to run promotions and giveaways, but don’t want to risk losing my page along with 800 followers! I found your explanation clear, concise and extremely helpful.
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I have a question. Facebook has a Fan of the Week app, which I have on my page. Each month I want to send a free gift to just ONE of the fans (using random.org) – is this breaking any of Facebook rules?
Lynette,
My understanding is that yes, that would be against the TOS. You could do something that doesn’t have any monetary value (e.g., Fan of the Week gets their picture in your profile pic), but if it has monetary value, then it is against the TOS.
Many thanks for providing this very helpful information as a supplement to the FB T&Cs. Like many, I had assumed it was ok to run a prize draw just by gathering and picking a name at random each month…very glad I came across your article first! Thanks again, Mark.