Goal: Increase fan base on Facebook from 243 to 1,000 by December 23rd

Facebook Toys For Tots Promotion

Traci Catalano, R&R InsuranceMay 8, 2012

Goals: 500 750 1,000Time:23 daysBenefit:$350 in toys

Fill Dan’s Van!

Facebook Stats

Scenes from Dan’s Van

We Did It!

The Original Goal Remains

• Engagement with current fans

• Increase fan base

As long as there’s no requirement to do anything on Facebook (e.g., like your page, comment, upload content). You can simply post a link on your page to the contest.

And, to be fully safe, consider adding this disclosure: “This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.”

What Facebook Says

If everything is hosted and administered on your own site, you're fine. You can even mention the contest on your Facebook page and post links to it, but that's it.

Second: As soon as you involve Facebook and make the contest contingent upon fans’ taking action on Facebook, you're in violation of the guidelines -- unless you use a third-party app. So, you are not allowed to base a photo contest on the most “likes.”

Third: You can't select a fan out the blue for a prize because essentially that is a drawing/sweepstakes where you're choosing a winner. The definition of a promotion on Facebook is where a winner(s) is selected (versus giving something away to ALL fans). Same thing with asking a question and selecting a fan who replies; you're still choosing a winner from your Facebook fans directly on your page.

The Fine Print (Ugh…)

There really are no creative workarounds if you really want to adhere to the promotion guidelines to the letter.

Facebook wants us to use a third-party app to minimize all risk and liability for anything going wrong and some lawsuit landing in their lap (that's my educated guess, anyway!).

Essentially, Facebook is washing its hands of the risk by putting the onus on a third-party company (ideally a Facebook preferred vendor so there is heightened trust between all parties).

The Bottom Line (Grrr...)

1. Create a blog post at myknowledgecenter.com about "Storm Preparedness and the importance of a home inventory video.”

2. Encourage users to share their 'storm stories' via the comments section on the blog. (Note: We can encourage people to share storm stories on Facebook, but can't use that as part of contest entry, only as a way to create engagement on Facebook.)

3. Have an entry form on the blog post where people can enter to win a free home inventory video (regardless of whether or not they've shared their storm story).4. Promote the post and Dan's video on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn mentioning the contest.http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-promotions-what-you-need-to-know/

The Workaround (Yawn…)

I Need A Better Idea