Once upon a time, Facebook was the wild west of giveaways and promotions, with barely any restrictions. Years later some rules were finally introduced, around the same time we saw the organic reach of our Facebook Page posts decline. And then a couple of years ago, Facebook (now Meta) quietly relaxed those rules again, and replaced them with one simple mantra: do not spam.
OK, so it’s not a return to the glory days, and you still need to comply with ad wording policies if you intend to boost your promotion.
Here are some successful promotions I’ve seen on Facebook and Instagram. Full disclosure, some of these results are crazy good, and they push the limits of what you can do whilst staying authentic in the eyes of the algorithm. Meta are always shifting the goal posts, what works well once may not perform the same way the next time around. You should always be willing to mix it up and try new ways with your promotions.
According to a conversation I had with my representative at Meta, the specific rules to running a competition or contest on Facebook or Instagram and been replaced with the Low Quality or Disruptive Content ad policy across both platforms and the Metaverse.
Just remember, when an ad or post uses spammy content that urges people to engage in an inauthentic way – to get more likes, comments and shares – this is flagged as engagement-bait, and it’s disallowed on the platform.
So, in short – you can ask people to like your page, share the post and tag a friend in order for more of a chance to win a prize – providing the prize on offer is something they want, and adds value to their experience.
For best practice, Meta also asks you include a disclaimer stating that the promotion is in no way endorsed by Meta. You should also have your own Terms and Conditions. The terms of promotion can form part of the post, or could be included as a link to your website. There are various AI powered Terms and Conditions Generators out there, you should be aware of the rules in your state.
Disclaimer
This blog and attached resources and tools are provided for educational purposes and are based on personal user experience. This information does not constitute legal advice. Meta’s terms of use may change at any time; and are beyond our control or influence.
Very insightful! thanks Fred!
Thanks Cohen. Many of my clients found it very confusing what they can and cannot do, so I thought it a good idea to try my best to get it all in one place. It’s important to note that giveaways are a great way to get reach and exposure for your brand, they don’t necessarily equate to more sales (that’s what Ads are for)…