Many brands offer contests on Facebook: this type of promotional operation allows them to expand their community of fans, to communicate about their products / services, while contributing to the customer loyalty process. So, how do you start a contest on Facebook? What rules to follow? Which applications to use? Some practical advice to get started.
- Our video
- Contest on Facebook: what are the objectives?
- Choose the type of competition
- Types of gifts / prizes
- When to organize a contest on Facebook?
- Respect Facebook's policy
- Set the rules for a contest on Facebook
- Facebook applications to create contests
Our video
Loading your video "FAQ: Organize a contest on Facebook"Contest on Facebook: what are the objectives?
The contests on Facebook are commercial operations of a limited duration, which are intended for an e-commerce brand to:
- Increase fan engagement and interactions on their Facebook page (likes and shares).
- Recruit fans by word of mouth (virality). Access to the game requires subscribing to the (like) page
- Communicate on the launch of a product, an offer, a service
- Generate traffic to your website
- Retain your fans / customers
Choose the type of competition
- Prize draw (form)
- Survey (ex: quantitative survey) followed by a drawing of lots
- Contest based on an interactive game or advergame
- Questionnaires and quizzes
- Photo games (competition for the best shots, photomontages)
- Blind Test
Types of gifts / prizes
Depending on the type of services / products marketed by your website, here are some ideas for items that can be the subject of a competition, in coordination with a Facebook page.
- Products / services sold in limited series
- Products / services involved before their marketing
- Discount coupons on one or more products or services in your catalog
- Product samples (e.g. cosmetics)
- Subscription discount offers
- Cinema tickets, concert tickets, etc.
- Airline tickets
- Access to the Premium version of an online service, software
The giveaway must in any case correspond to the needs of your target / niche. It therefore requires the achievement of a benchmark.
Use the statistics of your Facebook page (gender, age range of fans) to help you assess the type of product likely to appeal to your target, so that the contest benefits from the best possible coverage and exposure (virality).
When to organize a contest on Facebook?
It is above all necessary that the Facebook page has enough fans (from 200-300) to benefit from a viral effect.
If you suffer from a lack of visibility, choose different methods of participation and entry points to your competition: by Twitter, from your blog / website, newsletter.
Competitions are all the more successful when they take place in favorable contexts:
- Important milestone concerning its Facebook community: 1000 fans, 10.000 fans, 50.000 fans, etc.
- Seasonal events (summer), calendar (Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, end of year celebrations), cultural (music festival, cinema festival, release of a film, a book) , etc.
- Event related to your field of activity (trade fairs)
Respect Facebook's policy
Organize the contest from a page tab
According to a guide posted online by Facebook concerning the administration and management of Facebook pages, “promotions” (or contests) on Facebook must be administered in applications on Facebook.com:
- Either on a canvas page
- Or in an application accessible from a Page tab.
Respect the end of the "fan gate" on Facebook
Since November 5, 2014, Facebook has removed the “fan gate”. The principle was to offer access to contests and games on condition of “liking” the page.
According to the social network, the principle of the "fan gate" did not encourage the interactions of Internet users on a page, and the commitment of fans to the brand.
The words "click on like to play" or the obligation to push Internet users to like the page in order to access certain content are no longer authorized.
Insert mentions releasing Facebook from any liability
The rules of a competition on Facebook must include the following elements:
- The contest rules page must include a paragraph stating that Facebook cannot be held responsible for any issues (disclaimer). This mention must be validated by the participants when confirming their participation (ideally, with a checkbox)
- A statement indicating that the promotion is not associated with, or managed or sponsored by Facebook.
- A statement indicating that the participant is providing information to the contest organizer, and not to Facebook.
Set the rules for a contest on Facebook
Since December 20, 2014, the regulation of a competition is no longer mandatory on Facebook. The rules of the competition had to be accessible from the Facebook page, with a link pointing to an online document (for example a PDF document that can be viewed online).
With the end of this obligation, it is no longer necessary to file the payment with a bailiff. This simplifies the procedures and cuts costs for companies wishing to organize this type of event on their Facebook page.
Why offer a payment to participants?
It is nevertheless recommended to propose a clear regulation to the participants. It can be used as a support in the event of arbitration of a dispute, or simply as a reference for Internet users who want explanations.
What points should be explained in the regulations?
Some points are essential:
- Definition and conditions of participation (ex: domicile and age of participants),
- Dates and modalities of participation,
- Contest prizes and details of the prizes to be won,
- Methods of designating the winners,
- Methods of delivery of lots and deadlines,
- Compliance with the Data Protection Act of January 6, 1978.
Facebook applications to create contests
Different paid solutions make it easier to organize contests on a Facebook page:
- reflexemedia
- ContestApp
- Halalati
- Digibonus
- https://www.socialshaker.com/ SocialShaker propose notamment l'application PHOTO CONTEST pour lancer un concours photos.
- Agorapulse
