Facebook Bans Like-Gating

Effective November 5, 2014, “like-gating” will be removed from Facebook applications. Like-gating is a method used by business pages to gain fans while running a promotion. With like-gating, users are required to “like” the page in order to enter the promotion. The removal of like-gating raises questions regarding the effectiveness of future promotions hosted on Facebook.

One of the main reasons for this change is Facebook’s goal to create quality connections to business Pages. Forcing a user to do something because a Page requires them to and not because they want to is a tactic Facebook is working to eliminate.

Like-gating has been possible due to the Facebook API that allows app developers to “read” Facebook’s information about the user and determine if the person is a fan of the Page. On November 5, Facebook will remove this ability from the API.

What does this mean for the future? It’s hard to determine how this will play out over time. For app developers, they will need to adjust the structure of the apps. For page administrators, promotions should not be viewed as the main way to drive fan growth. However, this doesn’t mean promotions should be ignored; they just need to be viewed differently.

To learn more about this recent Facebook change and how you can still run a successful Facebook promotion, contact us, at info@digitalbrandexpressions.com. 

Creating Social Media Promotions That Perform!

Social media promotions can be a great way to build your followers and increase engagement on your social media channels. New fans, new leads, increased website traffic, sound like a good idea? Without a strategy and plan in place, your promotion won’t achieve the new fans, new leads, or increased website traffic you’ve hoped for.

The first, and most important, step in starting a social media promotion is determining your goals. What do you want to achieve? Is your focus on engaging current fans? Increasing your followers? Generating a specific action from your audience? Setting your goals is the first step in determining the strategy of your promotion.

The next step is determining the logistics of the promotion. Choose the platform that is right for your goal, and be sure you understand the rules for each. It’s crucial that you understand the difference between a contest and sweepstakes in order to correctly (and legally) identify your promotion.

Consider the following questions when setting up the creative aspects of your promotion.

• What will be the theme of the promotion? Will it be around a holiday, event, or season?
• What will you give away? Do you have a new product to introduce?
• How will you choose the winner?
• How long will the promotion run?

Before launching your promotion, consider the long-term - how will you track results? It’s important to use a tracking program to provide data, analysis, and insights to help you determine the success of the promotion.

After your promotion ends, gather your data and determine what worked, what didn’t work, and what you would change. Implement the results into your next promotional strategy and keep improving!

Remember, a social media promotion is more than just giving away a prize. It is a strategic and thoughtful representation of your brand.

To download this POV please e-mail us an inquiry at: info@digitalbrandexpressions.com.