Facebook Competition Rules

There still seems to be confusion from Companies as to the Facebook Competition Rules, so I though I would write you a quick blog to remind you of the do’s and dont’s!

Facebook Competition Rules – Like and Share

Like and Share competitions are, and have always been, contrary to Facebook’s terms and Conditions.  If you run Like and Share competitions you run the risk of having your page taken down!  I have seen this happen to so many pages! I don’t know of any who have been warned about breaking the terms and conditions, their pages have just been deleted.

But Everyone Else Does it

This is the argument I hear day in and day out. People think that they can get away with it ….. you may for a period of time, until Facebook purge, and then, hey presto your page will be gone

So what are the rules?

This is the offical wording from Facebook:-

Communicating a promotion

If you use Facebook to communicate or administer a promotion (e.g. a contest or sweepstakes), you are responsible for the lawful operation of that promotion, including:

• the official rules;
• offer terms and eligibility requirements (e.g. age and residency restrictions); and
• Compliance with applicable rules and regulations governing the promotion and all prizes offered (e.g. registration and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals).

Required content

Promotions on Facebook must include the following:

• A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant; and
• Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook.

Administration of a promotion

Promotions may be administered on Pages, groups, events or within apps on Facebook. Personal timelines and friend connections must not be used to administer promotions (e.g. “share on your timeline to enter” or “share on your friend’s timeline to get additional entries” and “tag your friends in this post to enter” are not permitted).

Facebook Competition – Assisting promotions

Facebook will not assist you in the administration of your promotion, and if you use our service, you agree to administer your promotion at your own risk. So what this actually means to you …. DO NOT ASK PEOPLE TO SHARE TO ENTER A COMPETITION – DO NOT ASK PEOPLE TO TAG YOUR FRIENDS TO ENTER You can however ask people to like your post. Why not suggest to them that they share with their friends, because if they win, they might share with you! Try running a competition for a meal for 2 and say to enter simply like this post and tell us who would you bring with you? You’re not asking people to tag their friends, just say who they would bring if they won. Therefore, not a requirement of entry to tag! (yet people will still do so).

Facebook Competition Rules – How should I word it?

You can get people to tag and share you know, without making it a condition of entry.

Start by giving away something for 2 people.

To enter the competiton simply like our page and tell us who you would give the second one to. (Note tell us not tag).

Then … feel free to share with your friends. You never know, if they win you might get their second prize.

Subtle, right?