Is it Halloween Eve or just change in general that has you spooked about the latest updates to creating promotions on Facebook? There’s no need to be scared! We’re here to walk you through it and help you find out how the new rules could benefit your business! But first…
Why Should I Care About Promotions?
Customers love promotions, and business owners can benefit greatly from them, too. Facing a dry spell on your Facebook page? Boost traffic and engagement by creating a special promotion. Looking to celebrate a milestone event in your business’s history? Let your customers in on the celebration by creating a special giveaway. Gearing up for a big holiday season? Boost revenue with promotions that encourage your customers to choose you over your competitors.
How has Facebook Changed its Rules for Running Promotions?
1. You don’t need an app for that.
One day, your children’s children will speak of a time when you needed to run Facebook promotions through apps. As they jump on their hoverboards to go to school, they’ll wonder how small business owners ever managed.
Facebook is moving past their apps requirement and will allow small businesses to run promotions directly from their pages. No separate apps required!
2. Rock the vote or rock the like?
Running promotions directly from your own page lets you use “likes” as votes. You can also collect votes by having your followers message your business’s page, “like” a featured post or comment on a featured post.
3. Don’t tag if you’re not “it.”
Although there are new and flexible ways to vote, don’t misuse the tag feature in order to collect votes. For instance, you shouldn’t ask followers to enter a contest by tagging themselves in pictures where they don’t actually appear.
4. It’s not personal; it’s promotional.
As before, you shouldn’t run promotions for your own personal timeline. If you are running a promotion for your business, make sure that you are doing from your business’s Facebook page and not your personal profile.
5. Don’t dare to share.
Sure, sharing is caring, but in this case it’s better not to dare to ruffle the feathers of the powers that be at Facebook, who won’t take kindly to your breaking of this rule: Sharing content is great, but don’t encourage users to enter contests by sharing links to your promotion. As a general rule, keep things limited to your business page (see above).
6. You make the rules.
When you roll out a promotion, the rules should be explicit and clear. If you forget to include something or make the rules broad enough that you end up with more winners than anticipated, the buck stops with you!
7. Don’t forget the small print.
Every Facebook promotion needs to include a clause where you release Facebook of all responsibility and explicitly state that Facebook is not directly administering or supporting your promotion in any way.
Facebook Pages and scroll down to the “promotions” section. Don’t forget to check out this news update about running promotions as well.
Are you excited about running promotions through your Facebook page? Will the new rules encourage you to get in on the game just in time for the holidays? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
