One brand will give away instant-print coupons behind a “like” gate. Another will reward random fans for posting on the brand’s wall. And still another will host a sweepstakes in a custom third-party application.
Can you guess which one of these is violating Facebook’s rules and is likely to see their page brought down?
Alas, Facebook resembles the wild west of social networking. And just as the lawless land of email marketing was tamed a decade ago, the ever-evolving Facebook platform is being settled by emerging best practices, updates to the user experience, and Facebook’s stringent promotion guidelines.
If an objective of your contest is to “go viral”, Facebook wants to stop you. Why? First, Facebook wants you to pay them to drive impressions and engagement through its advertising
platform. Additionally, thanks to game publishers like Zynga (the makers of Farmville and Mafia Wars), viral tactics are now widely considered annoying by Facebook users. Facebook’s desire to make money while delivering an uncluttered user experience means the virality you seek isn’t likely to happen.
MYTH: Clicks on your "Like" button = brand engagement.
REALITY: It's not that easy. Make your brand worth spending time with and you'll achieve real engagement: passion and loyalty. As social media blogger Jay Baer candidly quipped, "I have a deeper engagement with a can of beer than I do with the 'Like' button."
MYTH: Trolls will take over my contest and fan page. REALITY: A clear, thought-out social plan and solid promotions will keep trolls on a short leash. People are people, online as in life, and they'll share negative (and sometimes inappropriate) views as well as positive ones.
MYTH: Giving away an iPad is enough. REALITY: Making fans do stuff for prizes is ineffective; they know the odds of winning are low. Align prizing with your brand and ensure everyone walks away a true winner!
MYTH: I don't need rules for my Facebook contest. REALITY: The legal ramifications of running a contest on any medium are complicated, especially when you're doling out prizes. Seek legal counsel before your promotion, make the rules of the game very clear to players, and safeguard against abuse of those rules.
The Po!nt: Don't be fooled by Facebook's pretty face; it's a jungle in there. Thankfully, that jungle has safe pathways. Take time to learn them, and you'll produce a bunch of cool new inroads with happy, engaged fans. Scream Media has over 8 years experience navigating Facebook and other Social Media platforms. Contact us today on 021 5590800 for a free, no obligation quote.
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