Telling companies they are breaking FB rules

lovinituk

IDeamOfFairies wrote: »

we want people to like Pages because they want to connect and hear from the business, not because of artificial incentives.

The thing is, most 'competitioners' do not want to connect and hear from the business! You're just in it for a prize if you're lucky enough. Nothing wrong with that, but is it really a problem to click the like button? You're both (business and person entering comp) in effect taking advantage of each other in a very innocent way - not sure why its such a big problem.

izzieuk

IDeamOfFairies wrote: »

I would have said that was referring to any page likes and that the developers of the apps should also implement this into their apps.

I completely agree. I can see however that their argument that them not using an app just the page timeline makes it ok. Not because I agree, I think it shouldn't be allowed for many reasons, but if they're going on semantics and the fact that FB has not explicitly said page timeline promotions can't ask for page likes, then I guess they'd win that argument.

I wish FB would properly clarify things and have a point of contact for these questions. But then I suppose since they have half a gazillion users they'd be answering emails until the end of time and they don't want to do that.

oliveoyl

I think the current rules are a bit open to personal interpretation.

I think it's fair enough for companies to want you to have liked their page to be able to enter a competition - after all, the promotions are aimed at their customers, not us compers. But sharing and tagging are spammy and shouldn't be a condition.

I've told a couple of companies myself, but just been ignored.

izzieuk

lovinituk wrote: »

The thing is, most 'competitioners' do not want to connect and hear from the business! You're just in it for a prize if you're lucky enough. Nothing wrong with that, but is it really a problem to click the like button? You're both (business and person entering comp) in effect taking advantage of each other in a very innocent way - not sure why its such a big problem.

I've been thinking about this over the past few days. I was wondering why they get so upset about it. My conclusion was this:

They run a very lucrative (for themselves) advertising system. People who buy adverts can target people of a certain demographic, but also people who 'like' certain pages. For example, a cream bun shop would want to target a FB user who has 'liked' a page called 'I love cream buns'. If hundreds of thousands of people like the 'I love cream buns' page for, say, an iPad comp, then that page is no longer only liked by people who really like cream buns. A lot of people who enter may not like them at all. Therefore there will be less clicks when the cream bun shop advert is targeted at them. Thus earning Facebook less money.

That's one of my convoluted theries anyway.

mjm3346

From the help centre

How do I run a contest or sweepstakes on my Page?

You can run a promotion (ex: sweepstakes, contest) directly on your Page or through an app on Facebook. Your promotion must follow the promotion guidelines.

To collect entries, you can ask people to:

Like or comment on a post on your Page (ex: "Like this post to enter")
Post on your Page
Send your Page a message

From the Jan "rules"

Promotions may be administered on Pages or within apps on Facebook. Personal Timelines and friend connections must not be used to administer promotions (ex: “share on your Timeline to enter” or “share on your friend's Timeline to get additional entries”, and "tag your friends in this post to enter" are not permitted).

diddlydoop

The only way companies will stop doing these promotions is if people stop entering them which is never going to happen but people can not also wonder why or complain that they have been banned from Facebook when they know the rules yet still choose to enter. I think it is a good idea for people to mention on the post of any comps they see that break the rules not only that the company are breaking the rules but people entering are risking being banned. It is a shame really because a lot of small businesses cannot afford the advertising and offering a small value prize is a way of them getting their businesses noticed but if it means an entrant risking being banned then it simply isn't worth entering.

izzieuk

diddlydoop wrote: »

The only way companies will stop doing these promotions is if people stop entering them which is never going to happen but people can not also wonder why or complain that they have been banned from Facebook when they know the rules yet still choose to enter. I think it is a good idea for people to mention on the post of any comps they see that break the rules not only that the company are breaking the rules but people entering are risking being banned. It is a shame really because a lot of small businesses cannot afford the advertising and offering a small value prize is a way of them getting their businesses noticed but if it means an entrant risking being banned then it simply isn't worth entering.

That was part of the reason I messaged the page. But when we got talking about it we realised there seems to be a loophole in the rules RE liking the page when the promotion is only run in the page timeline, as I said above. I don't really enter anything on Facebook if it requires anything besides entering my name and email in a form. Which is why I was annoyed I was 'restricted' last week.

IDeamOfFairies

If I see a FB comp that asks to like the page, like the post & share the post.

I simply click "Like" on the post
then write "liked & shared" ....... (so they can comment if I win)
I NEVER "Like" any company pages, and I NEVER share any posts or pages

and I have won 4 FB L&S comps this month

you have to remember that the company has no way of knowing whom has liked their page and who hasn't - they can also not check everyone that shares the post due to FB privacy settings.

lovinituk

IDeamOfFairies wrote: »

you have to remember that the company has no way of knowing whom has liked their page and who hasn't - they can also not check everyone that shares the post due to FB privacy settings.

I can see who has liked my business page. Its quite a convoluted method to find the likes but it is do-able. I doubt it would be possible or even worth it for pages that have thousands of like though.

lovinituk

izzieuk wrote: »

I've been thinking about this over the past few days. I was wondering why they get so upset about it. My conclusion was this:

They run a very lucrative (for themselves) advertising system. People who buy adverts can target people of a certain demographic, but also people who 'like' certain pages. For example, a cream bun shop would want to target a FB user who has 'liked' a page called 'I love cream buns'. If hundreds of thousands of people like the 'I love cream buns' page for, say, an iPad comp, then that page is no longer only liked by people who really like cream buns. A lot of people who enter may not like them at all. Therefore there will be less clicks when the cream bun shop advert is targeted at them. Thus earning Facebook less money.

That's one of my convoluted theries anyway.

My post was aimed at the compers rather than Facebook. I know Facebook don't like it but that shouldn't be the concern of the comper. I run my own business and use Facebook. I hate Facebook and would rather not use it at all (I don't have a personal FB account). We don't get a lot of business from FB but use it because I guess we should really. I run comps asking for likes and if someone contacted me saying I shouldn't be doing so I would ignore them. But then again if FB kicked us off I really wouldn't be bothered! We make far more sales outside of FB so wouldn't miss it.