Whether or not you are a brick-and-mortar store or run a home-based business, Facebook contests are a great way for your business to drive traffic and gain brand awareness. But before you just start giving something away, pulling off a successful Facebook contest takes a little more work than you may think.
Here are six simple tips to get you on the path of a successful Facebook promotion.
- Check Out Facebook’s Pages Terms
Before getting started, read Facebook’s Pages Terms at Facebook.com/page_guidelines.php. It does get updated often as Facebook revises its terms of services. It is important that you review it each time before creating your contest just in case rules have changed since the last contest.
- Determine your goals
Before you start your business’s contest, establish what your goal or goals are. What do you want to achieve from this contest? Is your goal to gain more fans or Likes to your business’ page? Are you trying to promote a new service or product? Take time to figure out what it is you’re trying to gain. Then make sure you’re keeping it realistic. Your goals should be tasks you can actually attain.
- Decide on a contest type
From sweepstakes, to photo contest, and even fan votes, which contest is best for your business? Your goals will help to determine what type of promotion you should run. Liking a to post win, answering questions, captions, posting photos, and other types of contests are all great ways to get people to enter.
- Create your official rules
Create a complete description of the contest timeframe, who can participate, and how the winner will be chosen, and post that on your website. Be sure to put a link to the rules in each promotion of the contest. Keep the descriptions of these rules as specific as possible. The timeframe is completely up to you, but it is important that you include the timeframe in all your promotions, who is permitted to enter, where the contest is void, how the winner will be chosen and notified, as well as a method where entrants can email or call to find out who was chosen. If it’s a nation-wide contest, be aware of the differing rules of each state. There’s a lot of work that goes into the rules. Your best bet is to work with a lawyer to create a set of rules that can be used as a template for comparable contests in the future.
- Reward with Purpose
Remember this contest is to benefit your business. Stay away from the cliché prizes. Give away a prize that is related to your business. For example, cash prizes are great, but is the user really connected to your business or the prize? Give away a prize that will turn the user into a customer. A sample of your product is always a good prize, as well as a complimentary service from your business. Reward the winner with purpose.
- Make it Shareable
A common mistake is believing all you have to do is publish your contest. It takes a little more work to get a substantial number of participants. A great way to obtain participation is to make sure your contest is shareable. Although this is a Facebook contest you should ensure your contest is able to be shared on all social media platforms. Tweet about it. Put a sign in your store. Send out a notice in your newsletter. You want people to share this contest with their friends and help you get the word out.