Reporting more than 400 million active users, with more than 35 million users updating their status daily, Facebook offers a powerful platform for special promotions. But as with any great promotional opportunity, related restrictions apply.
In December, Facebook rolled out a revised set of “Facebook Promotions Guidelines.” The following are a few basic, key elements to keep in mind as you craft an enticing special promotion… which includes all facets – publicizing and administering a promotion, as a:
- contest
- competition
- sweepstakes
…including but not limited to the prize awarded by a chance drawing or designation as “winner,” based on the entrant or participant’s exemplified skill or superior proficiency level, judged within publicized framework of specific criteria.
By publicizing or in any way administering a special promotion on the Facebook platform, all hosting entities must agree with and adhere to the prevailing, current ”Facebook Promotions Guidelines,” including:
- Communicating special promotion details through paid Facebook advertising, status updates, and related Facebook Page information — in doing so, indicates you are offering a special promotion.
- Administering any aspect of a special promotion on the Facebook platform, such as receiving entries or submissions, judging and notifying winners, using the Facebook platform in any way to do these tasks.
With the current economic situation, special promotions are an excellent way to co-promote with other businesses, for mutual benefit. In addition to increasing your reach through the actual promotion, if done correctly additional bang for the buck is often easily available through media promotion surrounding it, by building it into a true “event.” This is a tried-and-true low-cost strategy for high-dollar visibility.
The new guidelines look fairly straightforward, but I recommend reviewing them thoroughly, before setting up a new promotional event, in case there are additional revisions — which may be ongoing.
As Tourist Development Manager for Tampa-Hillsborough County, I developed promotions with airlines, hotels, restaurants and major attractions like Busch Gardens (owned then by Anheuser-Busch), promoting them domestically. Tying in various aspects of a special promotion with selected joint venture partners can be a challenge, but if properly crafted, it is a great promotional tool!
Here’s a great article with useful tips to help you put together a successful special promotion, by Sara Inés Calderón 6 Tips for Running Promotions within Facebook’s Guidelines
