Facebook promotions New Rules

Facebook promotions !!!   As an administrator of a Facebook business page, you probably know the rules you need to abide by when running a competition | promotion on this social network.  And yes, many of us have been very frustrated with business that repeatedly flaunted those rules yet seemingly got away with it. The practice of holding a “comment to enter” or “like to enter” contest was common.

But today, Facebook amended its promotions policy to simplify the process.

Facebook announced updated guidelines | rules for Facebook promotions on the social network, and biggest change was the removal of the requirement that promotions be administered via applications (apps) only.

They’ve removed the requirement that promotions on Facebook only be administered through apps. Now, promotions may be administered on page Timelines and in apps on Facebook. For example, businesses can now:

• Collect entries by having users post on the page or comment/like a page post.
• Collect entries by having users message the page.
• Utilize likes as a voting mechanism.

As before, however,

• Businesses cannot administer promotions on personal Timelines
• Businesses may not do are encourage users to tag themselves in content they are not actually depicted in, which Facebook says will “maintain the accuracy of Page content,”
• Businesses should not require users to share posts on their personal timeline or those of their friends.

So let us look at the examples below

• It is OK to ask people  to submit names of a recommended product in exchange for a chance to win a prize.
• Itis not OK to ask people tag themselves in pictures of a recommended product in exchange for a chance to win a prize.
• It is OK to giving away a prize to the 150^th person who comments on a post.

We believe that these changes will even the playing field for the promotion of Facebook competitions and remove some of the current confusion that some businesses has in relation to the administration of Facebook competitions | promotions.

The other terms and conditions still apply.  These are that businesses are still responsible for the “lawful operation of [the] promotion,” which includes official rules, offer terms and eligibility requirements, compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Promotions must also include a complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant, and acknowledgement that the promotion isn’t endorsed by Facebook.

How to Use Social Media to Find Customers (Infographic)

Gaining popularity on social media is only half the battle. How do you convert those "Likes" into paying customers?

According to data compiled by Wishpond, a maker of social-media marketing applications, 77 percent of business-to consumer (B2C) marketers have acquired customers through Facebook, while business-to-business (B2B) marketers have found more success on LinkedIn -- finding it a whopping 277% more effective than Facebook or Twitter.

10 Ways to Use Social Media to Increase Your Website Traffic

With the popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn growing over the last few years, more and more people are using Social Media to communicate. In fact, many consumers turn to these sites to find products and services, as well as, to get opinions from others.

Here are 10 Ways that your business can use Social Media to increase online traffic to your website:

1. Share Blogs on Social Media Sites

The absolute best way for business owners to drive traffic to their websites by using Social Media networks is through blogs. Essentially, blogs are similar to regular articles, but they are written from the author’s perspective, and they usually welcome comments. Add new blog posts frequently and link to these on Social Media networks.

2. Update Statuses Frequently

One of the best social networking strategies involves updating statuses frequently, but not frequently enough to put off visitors. Daily updates are generally sufficient, and they should inform consumers of any new products, sales or information that is related to the company.

3. Build Backlink Relationships

It is very common for small business owners to backlink to one another’s Social Media profiles as a form of free and complementary advertising. For instance, a business that sells pet products may choose to offer consumers a link for pet boarding, and the pet boarding company may return the favor. These agreements are usually pre-arranged.

4. Hold Advertising Campaigns

Business owners should hold frequent online advertising campaigns in order to get more website traffic. As an example, a business owner can offer consumers the chance to win a free product or a significant discount once their Facebook page has so many ‘likes.’ The drawing should be held as promised, and the name should be chosen randomly from among people who have ‘liked’ the page.

5. Promote Other Small Businesses

Social Media networks are fantastic ways to promote other small businesses, so it may also be helpful for business owners to start a thread in which another business can post updates and links to promote their business. As a whole, the participants in the thread will gain exposure to other companies that offer products and services they desire.

6. Post Photos

Photos are always a great way to increase consumer interest in products, so it is important for business owners to post them on Social Media frequently. Some great times to do this include when a new product is added to a line, when a blog post is about a particular product, or when a certain product or service goes on sale.

7. Get Consumer Opinions

Consumers want to know that their opinions matter, so asking for opinions on items or services on a Social Media network can work wonderfully. When a pet store owner is thinking of adding a new product, for example, they can post a photo of the product and a brief description, and then, ask consumers if they would be interested in purchasing it if the business chooses to stock it.

8. Guest Blogging

Guest blogging is another phenomenal Social Media Strategy that can cause a sharp increase in the number of website visitors. Essentially, business owners form agreements with popular bloggers in which the guest blogger will write a positive review about a product or service, either for a cash payment or a free product. Then, the blogger allows the business owner to link back to the blog on their Social Media pages.

9. Word of Mouth Advertising

Social Media is a huge venue for word-of-mouth advertising, and business owners should capitalize on this in any way possible. Owners can ask customers to ‘like’ their Facebook pages or include their name in a ‘Tweet’ when they are satisfied with their products or services. They can also offer prizes for those who mention the business name in Facebook or Twitter comments and updates.

10. Article Marketing

Article Marketing and Social Media networking go together like salt and pepper. Consumers want information, and well-written, short, informative articles are just the way to deliver. The articles should be related to the industry’s niche, located on the company’s website or an article marketing site, and then linked via a Social Media network.

These ten ideas are some of the best and most cost-effective ways to advertise online with the help of Social Media. Businesses can truly thrive when they make the most out of the available opportunities, increasing their online presence and driving online traffic to their website.