How to Violate Facebook Guidelines

Facebook makes it tough to get the attention of your fans, and they place buttons to encourage you to promote your posts all over your page. Facebook Guidelines specifically say “You must not use Facebook features or functionality as a promotion’s registration or entry mechanism. For example, the act of liking a Page or checking in to a Place cannot automatically register or enter a promotion participant.” You most likely see companies and organizations using this tactic all the time, but as you can see, it is against Facebook Guidelines.

This morning I saw another post that encourages you to Like, share and recommend a page in order for you to enter a contest. I can’t stress how mad this makes me. I realize that not every Page admin knows all the guidelines, but we need to get the word out. I’m pointing this out not to get anyone in trouble, but to make everyone aware that this is against Facebook Guidelines. Not only is this against Facebook guidelines, but page admins don’t have access to everyone who has liked their page because of privacy settings.

If you would like to run a Facebook contest, Facebook says they “must be administered within Apps on Facebook.com, either on a Canvas Page or a Page App.” I setup a demo contest on my Facebook Page, which also includes a link on how to setup the contest with a 3rd party application.

Also, please join me in signing the petition to bring awareness to this issue.