The end of Like & Shares?

Most regular PrizeFinder users are Facebook compers too, and it seems lots of you have been getting into trouble with Facebook recently, some of you even receiving the dreaded '30 day ban' from commenting. But what's it all about, and why are compers being targeted?

Security checks are commonplace on Facebook right now, and lots of compers are being kicked off the site and asked to do a 'friend recognition' test or input a verification code from their phone in order to prove they're real and get back into their account. This security check is happening three or four times to some compers! Worse than that, lots of compers are actually being handed a Facebook 'ban' where they can't comment or share posts. But what has suddenly caused this to happen?

The BBC tell us that around 8% of Facebook accounts are fake - multiple accounts set up for comping, gaming, spamming and more. Facebook is keen to clear these fakes from their database, and it seems that their systems are flagging up compers as possible fakes, which may be because of all the link and photo sharing we do. Have a scroll down your own timeline - most of your posts will be competitions - and you'll see why Facebook isn't happy with us! Those pesky pages that ask us to 'Like and Share' their competition photos are causing a massive amount of spam - we need to share those posts to Public in order to enter, and our non-comping friends are bombarded with photos of retro sweets, cheap jewellery and light-up penguins. These companies are getting a TON of publicity for free (well, the cost of a cheap prize) - but Facebook would much rather these companies were using an App and paying for an advert in the sidebar.

It seems Facebook are trying to cut down on the spam, which can only be a good thing. Unfortunately they seem to be targeting the sharers instead of the companies who post the spam in the first place. Which is frankly rather infuriating for compers!

A few suggestions for compers to prevent future Facebook bans and make security checks easier

• Add your phone number to your profile - and make sure it's set to 'Only Me'
• Go through your photo albums and untag yourself from competition photos
• STOP commenting 'Liked and Shared' - if you MUST comment, write something relevant to the prize/promoter
• Don't share competitions if it's NOT an entry requirement (you'll also have a better chance of winning if you don't share, because your friends won't see the comp in their news feed or ticker!)
• Stick to Apps, and select 'Only Me' before you Allow or share (unless it's a comp where you need referrals)
• Post some 'normal' chatty updates once in a while!

Unfortunately, most companies running a 'Like & Share' don't even know that their competition VIOLATES FACEBOOK TERMS OF USE - Facebook can delete the competition post or even deactivate the page. These rules aren't new - they have been around for years and can be found here. BUT it's only recently that Facebook have started enforcing them and taking action against offending pages - last week a photography company with 5000 fans had it's 'Like & Share' competition removed with no warning by Facebook – and that's bad news for the promoter AND the entrants! Read more about this on my SuperLucky blog.

Here at The PrizeFinder we won't list any type of 'Like/Share/Comment to win' competitions on the website OR Facebook page - we like to share promotions hosted on Facebook Apps, which are properly administered and (usually!) much fairer. We want to see ALL companies running legal promotions on Facebook and asking entrants for their email addresses so they can contact the lucky winner.

If you're a promoter, please think twice about running a 'Like & Share' competition. It's difficult to pick a winner fairly and at random, it can be impossible to contact your winner via Facebook posts and messages, and you're creating a shedload of cheap, tacky spam on timelines and News Feeds. And, of course, you're also risking Facebook taking your page down! You can find plenty of good advice in the new IPM (Institute of Promotional Marketing) Guidelines on Running Promotions on Facebook document.

If you're a comper and see a company running a 'Like & Share' promotion, why not send them a polite message on Facebook asking them to read this blog post, suggesting that it's much easier and fairer to use an App such as Rafflecopter (which is FREE!). You could add that their fans are risking Facebook bans by sharing the prize draw, and the company themselves are risking the removal of their promotion AND page. You can also choose to report their 'Like & Share' photograph as spam, by clicking the X at the top right of the photo on the company's timeline. The PrizeFinder will be right behind you!