If you are a small business owner with a Facebook page, chances are you have managed a contest or two. But, did you know that Facebook enforces terms and conditions on business pages’ management of contests on their platform? It’s true! The rules have been updated several times over the years, and another big change is headed our way… and it’s a big one.

On November 5, 2014, Facebook will begin enforcing its new rules. These include the following:

• Prohibiting the use of “like-gating.”
• Prohibiting the requiring of users to “like” a business page in order to enter a sweepstakes/contest for which an incentive has been promoted.
• Requiring social media contest apps, like Rafflecopter and WooBox, to remove features that encourage contestants to LIKE a page to enter.

Now, before you start to worry we want to show you the positive side to these changes (because every Facebook change has a silver lining!) The enforcement of these new terms will ensure that all page “likes” are authentic. Thousands of “likes” on a business page mean nothing if an overwhelming majority of those users unfollow your page, or hide your posts, after the contest ends. From marketing standpoint, Facebook is doing us a favor by providing us with a more meaningful representation of just how many loyal users are really interested in our company brand and not just trying to score a prize.

For more information regarding the November 5, 2014 Facebook Platform Policy changes, click here.