Running a giveaway or competition on Facebook might seem straightforward, but there are strict rules you must follow to avoid penalties, reduced reach, or even removal of your Facebook Page. Many businesses and influencers still get this wrong, sometimes unintentionally, risking not only their reputation but also the trust of their audience.
What Facebook Does NOT Allow
Contrary to popular belief, Facebook does not allow you to run promotions that ask people to:
- Share the post on their personal timeline
- Tag friends in the comments as an entry requirement
- Post on a friend’s timeline or tag friends in a post
These actions go against Facebook’s platform policies. Although these rules have been in place for several years, many still run afoul of them, possibly due to outdated information or a desire to “go viral.” Doing so risks reduced visibility of your posts or, worse, action being taken against your Page.
What You Can Ask Entrants to Do
You can ask people to:
- Like a Page (although it’s no longer a strong metric)
- Comment on a post (without tagging)
- React to a post
- Send a message to the Page
These are within Facebook’s allowed engagement methods. However, you must also include proper disclosures, such as making it clear the promotion is not endorsed by or associated with Facebook.
Choosing a Winner
Using a random draw is common, but you must be able to prove that the winner was chosen fairly. If you’re using a tool such as Gleam.io, it’s important to still follow Facebook’s rules for how people can enter via the platform itself.
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with Gleam.io or any similar services. We reference such tools only to provide examples of how some people manage their entries. Always review and ensure such services comply with your data privacy obligations and platform rules.
What Else Should You Include?
- A clear start and end date/time
- Eligibility requirements (e.g. age, location)
- How the winner will be chosen
- How the prize will be delivered
- A reminder that the giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook
Don’t Forget GDPR (Yes, It Still Applies)
If you are collecting personal data (names, emails, shipping addresses), you must comply with data protection laws. That includes making it clear how the data will be stored, how long it will be kept, and who will have access. You must not use that data for marketing without proper consent.
Important: GDPR applies not only to European businesses, but to any business processing the personal data of EU or UK citizens—regardless of where the business is based. This means even businesses located outside of Europe must comply if they are running international competitions involving EU or UK entrants.
Final Thoughts
Running a competition on Facebook can boost your engagement and brand awareness—but only if done correctly. Ignoring the rules might get you temporary traction but long-term damage. Ensure you stay up-to-date with Facebook’s Promotions Guidelines and privacy laws to keep your audience’s trust and your page safe.
Need help creating ethical, compliant campaigns? Feel free to reach out to us at Onyx Dragon.
#FacebookCompetitions #SocialMediaTips #GiveawayRules #GDPR #MarketingCompliance #OnyxDragon