What your business should know when running a contest.
Competition on Facebook presents a great business opportunity to reach more potential players and grow your social media following.
I’ve discussed this in previous news updates yet am amazed as to how many businesses still are not maximizing their opportunities or worse yet, not abiding by the Facebook rules.
Let’s review some best practices when running a competition on Facebook and what to avoid to ensure the best outcome of your contest.
DO:
Use a third-party application to administer the contest. This follows Facebook’s Terms of Service, so you can rest easy knowing your page will not be in violation. Indicate that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook. Include a release of Facebook by each entrant or participant. Disclose that you, or your sponsors, are going to receive the information from the facebook users entries – not Facebook.
Activate Like-gating. This requires the entrant to Like the Facebook page in order to enter the contest. For more information about Like-gating please contact the Net Branding social media coaches.
Make sure you have a great prize. Your contest prize should closely align with the products and services you or your business actually offers.
Make sure your contest is mobile-friendly. 50% of Facebook users are on their mobile phone – and this type of user access is growing rapidly.
Promote, promote, promote. This is not a “if you build it, they will come” scenario. We have found that the emails you send to promote the contest are the single-most effective asset in these campaigns. Be creative in your status updates by using photos and videos to build interest. Also, now that Facebook has recently loosened their Cover Photo Guidelines, a custom cover photo can assist.
Include an opt-in. One of the single-most important benefits of running Facebook contests is to take your fan base and convert them into a database that you actually own. There are a few additional must-haves on your registration form, such as email and postal code. Keep in mind, you cannot just add all of your contest entrants to your email database! In order to comply with SPAM laws, you must place a checkbox on your form where people can agree to receive email communications from you.
Have a post-contest plan. Create a content strategy in place for what to do AFTER you get your new Facebook fans. This is just as important, if not more so, than running the contest itself.
DON’T:
Run contests using Facebook’s functionality. Contests where you “comment to win” or “Like/share this post to win” to enter not only violate Facebook’s Terms of Service, they do not provide the ability to collect any data and convert these fans into a database you own, like your email marketing program.
Make it complicated. You will see much higher ROI and achieve the goals you actually want – more fans, more engagement, more opt-ins – if you keep it simple.
Contact players directly via Facebook. Using features like Facebook messages, chat or writing on their timeline to notify winners is strictly against Facebook’s promotion guidelines.
To contact the Net Branding Team – your Auckland Social Media Coach
