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facebook-contestsFacebook has updated the Pages Terms to make more Facebook promotional contest easier (and legal!). In the past it has been against TOS to run any type of contest without using a third party app.

You know those “Share this photo to enter” and “Like this Post to win” statuses? Yep, they were all against Facebook TOS. They should have been set up using a third party app. Thanks to the update, they are all perfectly fine now. As an example, “businesses can now:

  • Collect entries by having users post on the Page or comment/like a Page post
  • Collect entries by having users message the Page
  • Utilize likes as a voting mechanism

One little stipulation remains, you can not ask people to tag themselves in a photo unless they are actually in the photo.

Should you run a contest the easy way or use an app? That depends on your reason for the contest. If you’re goal is the gain likes or collect email addresses, then apps are the way to go. If you just want to increase engagement a little, then by all means use a status. Just keep in mind that choosing your winner might be a tad harder when it comes time to tally all those likes and shares, that’s where apps come in and make it easier for you.

What is your favorite type of Facebook contest?