Hosting Facebook Contests | Top Tips For More User Engagement

With more than two billion users and 70 million Business Pages, to say that there’s a lot of activity on Facebook is truly an understatement. The amount of time people spend on social media, in general, has increased due to the convenience brought on by mobile innovation.

“Teens now spend up to nine hours a day on social platforms, while 30% of all time spent online is now allocated to social media interaction. And the majority of that time is on mobile – 60% of social media time spent is facilitated by a mobile device. Brands are jumping into social media with social media ad spend expected to reach $36 billion in 2017,” this is according to a post by Evan Asano.

Given these numbers, how can your brand stand out from the crowd?

Why Invest Time In Facebook Contests?

facebook contest Content marketers say interactive content such as polls, contests, and quizzes grabs readers’ attention more effectively than static content, or those that are plain and one-dimensional read. Which is why it isn’t surprising at all that many SEO marketers invest in interactive content.

On Facebook, an engaging Facebook contest can be an effective way to capture attention and support the business goals. But before you start checking out what type of promo should you try, take note of these important rules.

The Don’ts of Hosting a Contest on Facebook

Don’t run a contest on your personal Timeline since only business pages can be used for any type of contest.
Don’t encourage sharing the contest to gain extra entries since using “friend connections” to administer contests is prohibited on the site.
“Tag your friends in this post to enter” is specifically prohibited. Facebook is clear about this rule.

The Do’s of Running a Successful Facebook Contest

Be sure to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, it has to be legal.
Make it clear that you are offering the contest, and that it is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with your website.

For an in-depth explanation on Facebook Pages Terms, read through their site article.

Best Ideas And Example Guide

Here are some of the best ideas that have worked for many brands on the site. Take time to learn about them before running a promotional offer!

Photo Caption

It’s a simple but equally effective method. Start by choose a compelling photo or graphic that supports your business goals (brand awareness or increase in following, for example). Then, encourage people to post a caption idea in the comments. Picking the winners can be done by you, or stipulate whichever entry gets the most Likes wins.

Like or Comment to Win

Whether it’s ‘Like to Win’, Comment to Win’, or ‘Like and Comment to Win’, this type of contest is among the easiest promo to run. And since they’re so easy to enter, this type of contest can elicit a lot of fan participation. Simply share a photo, video, or link to set the dice rolling. Don’t forget to state the rules in every post, what the prize is, and a clear call to action.

Knowledge-Testing Question or Trivia

By asking the audience to answer a relevant question, you can gauge their level of knowledge or understanding about your industry or product. This is especially helpful when talking to potential customers about your product or service offers in the future. It’s also a good way to direct those people to your website who may have never visited before. And trivia questions can be used to highlight the features or benefits of your product.

User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is exactly as is, the content is generated by users. Then offer a prize to fans who post great photos or other content. Using this type of contest largely helps in generating engagement on your Page, and it gives you a rich supply of material to re-post yourself over time, which is like hitting two birds with one stone.

By acquainting yourself with the different kinds of promos, offers, contests, and other audience-engaging stunts, you got more marketing tools up in your sleeve which you can make use of anytime, in any occasion or purpose.