Running a competition on Facebook is a great way to boost engagement and reward your followers, but it’s important to understand what Facebook allows and what it doesn’t. Many businesses still ask people to “Like, Share and Tag” to enter, despite some of these requirements being against Meta’s promotion policies.
If you’re planning a giveaway, here’s a straightforward guide to what you can – and can’t – ask entrants to do.
What Facebook Allows
Like your Facebook Page
You can encourage people to like your Page. While you shouldn’t make this the sole method of artificially boosting engagement, inviting people to follow your Page as part of a competition is generally accepted.
Like the competition post
Asking users to like the competition post itself is also permitted. It’s a simple way to gauge interest and increase visibility within Facebook’s algorithm.
Comment on the post
One of the most common and effective ways to enter a competition is by asking users to comment. For example:
- Tell us your favourite product.
- Answer this question.
- Tell us who you’d take with you.
Selecting a winner from the comments is perfectly acceptable.
Submit a photo or video
You can ask users to post a photo or video in the comments as part of a creative competition, provided the content complies with Facebook’s Community Standards.
Send you a message
Some businesses prefer to ask entrants to send a private message to their Page. This is also allowed and can be useful for collecting additional information.
What Facebook Doesn’t Allow
Sharing the post to enter
This is probably the biggest misconception. Facebook specifically prohibits requiring people to share a post on their own Timeline as a condition of entry. You also can’t ask them to share it on a friend’s Timeline to receive additional entries.
Tagging friends to enter
You cannot require people to tag friends in the comments as a condition of entry. Similarly, you must not encourage people to tag themselves in photos they don’t actually appear in.
Using personal profiles
Competitions should be run from a Facebook Page, Group or Event – not from a personal Facebook profile. Promotions administered through personal timelines are prohibited.
Your Responsibilities
If you run a competition, Facebook makes it clear that you are responsible for ensuring it complies with the law.
This includes:
- Publishing clear competition rules.
- Stating who is eligible to enter.
- Explaining how and when the winner will be selected.
- Delivering the advertised prize.
- Complying with any local laws relating to competitions and prize draws.
The Disclaimer You Should Include
Facebook also requires promotions to make it clear that Facebook is not involved. A simple disclaimer is usually sufficient:
“This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook. By entering, participants release Facebook from any responsibility relating to this competition.”
A Good Facebook Competition Example
A compliant competition might look something like this:
Win a £100 gift voucher!
To enter:
- Like this post.
- Comment below telling us your favourite product.
Competition closes at 5pm on Friday 14 August. One winner will be selected at random and contacted via Facebook. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.
Everything there complies with Facebook’s promotion guidelines.
Best Practice
While it’s tempting to chase as much exposure as possible, competitions work best when they encourage genuine engagement rather than artificial reach.
Instead of asking people to share posts or tag dozens of friends, focus on asking an interesting question, encouraging meaningful comments or inviting users to submit a photo or story. Not only does this comply with Facebook’s rules, but it also tends to generate higher quality engagement from people who are genuinely interested in your business.
If you run competitions regularly, it’s worth reviewing Meta’s Promotion Guidelines from time to time, as platform policies can change. Staying within the rules helps protect your Page while ensuring your competitions remain fair and enjoyable for everyone.
Useful Links
Here are the official Meta resources if you’d like to read the full policies and guidance before running your next competition.