Tip #1: Set the Right Goal for Your Contest
Facebook contests are fun, but you aren’t running a contest for fun. Your Facebook contest should help you achieve a specific social media goal. You should make sure that your goals are aligned with the type of contest you choose. For example, if you are looking to increase leads, a simple giveaway will usually suffice. If you would like help with product development, you may want to choose an essay contest or a contest where consumers vote or provide feedback.
Tip #2: Go Big or Go Home
Rewarding the winner correctly is another key component to any successful Facebook contest or promotion. In fact, choosing an appropriate prize could mean the difference between success and failure. Save the swag for another time; a t-shirt or jacket with your logo isn’t enough to motivate consumers to participate. Consider your audience and choose a prize that will get them excited! Passionate fans of your product are likely to be motivated by winning one of your products. Also, keep in mind that some of the best creative prizes are free. Prizes such as starring in your next video or becoming the new “face” of your brand could get some fans just as excited as a tangible item.
Tip #3: Promote, Promote, Promote
Your first step in promotion should be to announce your contest on Facebook. Save time by using third-party social media management tools to schedule contest updates throughout the duration of the promotion. Then, let people know about your contest by utilizing all of the information channels at your disposal. Though your contest takes place on Facebook, you can promote it on any social media channel, by email, and also in your print collateral. Live events such as trade shows or conventions are also great places to promote your contest. This is an excellent opportunity to spread brand awareness while also getting new customers excited about your product.
Also see: Spend Less Time Posting On Social Media by Scheduling Content
Tip #4: The Rules Must Be Crystal Clear
Make sure you provide a list of simple and easy to understand rules for your contest. Provide age and residency requirements as well as any submission guidelines (if applicable). In addition to any specific contest rules, you will need to make sure you follow Facebook’s promotion rules. In order to avoid confusion, require users to agree to your terms before they can participate.
Tip #5: Include Appropriate Disclaimers
According to Facebook’s requirements, you must inform contest participants that Facebook is not affiliated with your contest in any way. It’s also helpful to include a disclaimer regarding how you plan on using contest entry information. These disclaimers are necessary, but they also help consumers feel more comfortable sharing their information with you.
Tip #6: Announce Winners
Announcing winners is another area that must be approached with caution. Previously, businesses could not use Facebook itself to contact winners. If contacting via Facebook seems like the best method for your contest, it’s now perfectly fine to announce winners in a status update or comment stream. Making an announcement on your website or blog is also an acceptable method for contacting winners. Choosing this method is also a great way to get Facebook fans to check out your website!
Tip #7: Most Importantly, Use a Third Party App
In the past, Facebook required the use of a third party app in order to run contests. Though this is no longer the case, we recommend using a third party app for a few different reasons. There are strict requirements for Facebook contests and promotions. Rather than risk breaking these rules (and having to deal with the consequences), why not let someone else handle these details? Setting up a Facebook contest can also take up a lot of time, especially if you aren’t familiar with Facebook’s terms. A social media management tool such as Shortstack can help you quickly set up a professional-looking contest without worrying about keeping up with the latest Facebook rules.
Facebook contests are not only great for boosting your social media engagement, they are also an effective way to build new leads. Hopefully these tips have helped you to feel more comfortable with the process.
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