Facebook Contest Terms Updated

It just got easier to run a promotional contest on Facebook with the new updated Facebook Contest Terms.

In the past if you wanted to run any type of contest on Facebook, you were required to use a third party app. Many businesses either didn’t know that or chose to ignore the requirement.

Facebook has updated their Pages Terms now allowing businesses to run contests by asking people to like and share posts and images.

• 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

You may not ask people to tag themselves in a photo if they are not actually in the photo. Commenting on a photo is fine, but tagging a photo they are not featured in is not allowed.

I still think Apps are the way to go for a true contest. Apps will allow you to require someone to like your page, collect email addresses and they’ll make it easier for you to select a winner. If you’re contest is intended to increase engagement and only last a short while, then a non-app contest would be perfecting fine. Without an app, keeping track of likes and shares may get overwhelming making it difficult to choose your winner. Apps also help you track things which you wouldn’t be able to without them.

What type of Facebook contest and giveaways do you like to see?