Question of the week
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Facebook Page post
- Concept
- Ask one easy question about your customers' habits, such as their go-to Saturday breakfast. Each comment is one entry. Good questions get real answers instead of a row of 'me!' comments.
- How to enter
- Comment an answer on the Page post before Sunday at 6 p.m. One entry per person, however many comments they leave. Copy the comments into the picker and draw.
- Prize idea
- A $40 gift card (about $40).
- Avoid
- Don't add 'share for an extra entry'. Meta's policy bans requiring or rewarding shares, even as a bonus.
Photo reply contest
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Facebook Page post
- Concept
- Ask followers to reply to your post with a photo on a theme, like their pet with something from your shop. A small panel scores the photos with set criteria. The replies show your product in real homes.
- How to enter
- Reply to the post with one photo that fits the theme before the deadline. Two judges score each photo on theme, creativity and quality.
- Prize idea
- A $75 voucher plus the winning photo as your cover photo for a month (about $75).
- Avoid
- Don't ask people to post the photo on their own timeline. Meta's policy also bans requiring entrants to publicize the promotion in other ways.
Draw it on Facebook Live
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Facebook Page and Facebook Live
- Concept
- Collect entries during the week, then draw the winner on a short Facebook Live. People watch the draw happen, which answers 'was it rigged?' before anyone asks. Keep the live under ten minutes.
- How to enter
- Comment on the giveaway post during the week to enter. On the live, paste the comments into the picker on screen and draw. Post the draw record link afterwards.
- Prize idea
- A product bundle (about $50 to $70).
- Avoid
- Don't redraw on camera because you don't like the result. If a winner doesn't qualify, use the alternate you drew at the same time.
Fill in the blank
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Facebook Page post
- Concept
- Post a sentence with a blank, like 'Friday isn't Friday without ___'. People finish it in the comments. It's quick to answer, so it suits followers who rarely comment.
- How to enter
- Comment your answer once. Draw one winner at random from all the comments when the post closes.
- Prize idea
- A $25 gift card (about $25).
- Avoid
- Don't make a like on the Page the only entry. Make the comment the entry and keep likes optional.
Local hero nomination
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Facebook Page post
- Concept
- Ask the community to nominate a local teacher, nurse or volunteer who deserves a treat. A small panel picks the winner from the nominations with set criteria. It puts your business at the center of good news in town.
- How to enter
- Comment the person's first name and one sentence about why they deserve it. The panel scores the nominations, then contacts the chosen person privately before any announcement.
- Prize idea
- Dinner for two at a local restaurant plus flowers (about $100 to $130).
- Avoid
- Don't post a nominee's name or photo before they agree. Some people would rather stay private.
Members-only group giveaway
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Facebook group
- Concept
- If you run a customer group, hold a giveaway only for its members as a thank-you. Groups are smaller, so the chance of winning feels real. The winner is often one of your regulars.
- How to enter
- Comment on the pinned group post before the deadline. Copy the comments into the picker by hand, remove admins and staff, and draw.
- Prize idea
- $50 in store credit (about $50).
- Avoid
- Don't let admins or staff enter. Exclude them in the rules and in the picker.
Messenger quiz
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Facebook Page and Messenger
- Concept
- Post a three-question quiz about your business, such as the year you opened. People send their answers by private message, so nobody copies answers from the comments. Everyone with all three right goes into a random draw.
- How to enter
- Send the three answers to the Page by message before the deadline. Add each correct entry to a list, then draw one name from the list.
- Prize idea
- A $30 gift card and a branded mug (about $40).
- Avoid
- Don't promise replies you can't keep up with. Set an auto-reply that confirms the entry and gives the draw date.
Event night prize wheel
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Facebook event and in store
- Concept
- Promote an in-store evening on your Facebook Page and let every guest spin a prize wheel at the door. The event post brings people in, and the wheel gives everyone a small win. Keep the odds on a sign by the wheel.
- How to enter
- Come to the event and spin once at the door. No purchase needed. Replying 'going' to the Facebook event is optional and doesn't change the odds.
- Prize idea
- Samples and $5 vouchers, plus one $75 top prize (about $150 for the night).
- Avoid
- Don't make guests check in on Facebook to spin. That asks them to publicize your promotion, which Meta's policy doesn't allow.
Birthday month weekly draws
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Facebook Page post
- Concept
- Celebrate your business's birthday with four weekly draws in that month. Each week asks a different question about the past year. Weekly winners keep the Page busy without one big prize.
- How to enter
- Comment on that week's post to enter that week's draw. Each week is a separate draw with its own winner.
- Prize idea
- Four $25 gift cards (about $100 in total).
- Avoid
- Don't let one person win twice unless the rules allow it. Decide in advance and leave past winners out of later draws.
Tip swap
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Facebook Page post
- Concept
- Ask followers for their best tip related to what you sell, like a recipe for a bakery or a care tip for a plant shop. Each tip is one entry in a random draw. Later, gather the best tips into a post with credit and permission.
- How to enter
- Comment one tip before the deadline. Draw one winner at random from all tips.
- Prize idea
- Products that match the tip theme (about $35 to $45).
- Avoid
- Don't publish someone's tip with their name without asking. Message them first.
Guess the date
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Facebook Page post
- Concept
- Pick a local event with an unknown date, like the first snowfall or when the shop's sunflowers open. People guess the date, and the closest guess wins. It gives you a reason to post updates for weeks.
- How to enter
- Comment one date. If several people guess the right date, draw one of them at random.
- Prize idea
- A $50 gift card (about $50).
- Avoid
- Don't pick an event you can't check. Name how you will decide the date, such as the local weather service's report.
Questions and answers
Can I ask people to share my post to enter a Facebook contest?
No. Meta's promotion policy says a promotion must not require or incentivize people to share, repost or tag others, or publicize it in any other way. That includes bonus entries for sharing. Use comments instead.
Do I need to mention Meta in my contest rules?
Yes. Meta requires entrants to fully release Meta from liability and to acknowledge that the promotion isn't sponsored, endorsed or administered by Meta. Put both lines in your rules.
Can I require people to like my Page?
Meta's promotion policy doesn't mention likes, but a comment is easier to collect and check than a like. Make the comment the entry and keep likes optional.
How do I pick a winner from Facebook comments?
Switch the comment view to all comments, copy them and paste them into the Facebook comment picker. Remove duplicates and staff accounts before you draw.
Can I run a contest in a Facebook group?
Yes, if you're an admin and the group allows it. The same promotion policy covers Pages, groups and events. Copy the group comments by hand into the picker.