Help with Facebook Rules

[Biomech]

No not that old pigeon again.

I want to increase my facebook fan base. I'm started a "photo of the month", but next month I want to offer up say 5-10 photos for public vote. The photo with the most votes gets to be Photo of the Month.

But I'm struggling with the facebook contest rules;

Facebook

I pretty much get the rules. But the grey area is the monetary value. They clearly state that they define a contest, competition and sweepstake as a mechanism that results in a prize of monetary value.

So is voting on a photo using the "like" feature to suggest a PotM against these rules?

There is no condition of entry - as I will be chosing the entries.
"5. You must not use Facebook features or functionality, such as the Like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion." - but they don't define what they mean by a promotion.

Thoughts?

[BuddhaPi]

I too have struggled with the way they have the "rules" written out. I finally gave up and run my contests outside of facebook. This way I can skirt the rules as it were. I generally use linkedin to post my contests and post it to several groups, telling them to go to my page, smash the like button, then comment on a specific post, or in your case like the page, then like a photo in a specific album... Another method i have seen used is to make a post announcing the contest, have the user visit your blog or outside page, where the rules are stated..technically you're hosting the contest outside of facebook, and I think you're good to go as the biggest issue is asking people to "like" your page with FB.

[IABoomer]

Jared Polin of FroKnowsPhoto does this on his website where he'll do a weekend assignment, pick the top 5, then put them on his page and have people "Like" them and comment on them.

To the best of my knowledge, he's hasn't caught flack from Facebook over it, despite the fact that the winner gets a photo book.

Here's the most recent weekend voting page if you want to see how he's done it: http://froknowsphoto.com/top-5-for-o...utside-nature/

[BuddhaPi]

Originally Posted by IABoomer

Jared Polin of FroKnowsPhoto does this on his website where he'll do a weekend assignment, pick the top 5, then put them on his page and have people "Like" them and comment on them.

To the best of my knowledge, he's hasn't caught flack from Facebook over it, despite the fact that the winner gets a photo book.

Probably as stated in the above post he's actually running the promo away from FB, then directing users there after the fact...problem with FB by the time you do figure out the actual rules, they up and change them.

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by Biomech

No not that old pigeon again.

I want to increase my facebook fan base. I'm started a "photo of the month", but next month I want to offer up say 5-10 photos for public vote. The photo with the most votes gets to be Photo of the Month.

But I'm struggling with the facebook contest rules;

Facebook

I pretty much get the rules. But the grey area is the monetary value. They clearly state that they define a contest, competition and sweepstake as a mechanism that results in a prize of monetary value.

So is voting on a photo using the "like" feature to suggest a PotM against these rules?

There is no condition of entry - as I will be chosing the entries.
"5. You must not use Facebook features or functionality, such as the Like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion." - but they don't define what they mean by a promotion.

Thoughts?

if they define it that way then a lot of people are already breaking the rules, but if you want to follow the rules to the "tee" then do so by taking votes by comments saying a certain phrase like "I vote for this" or whatever.

[Xposurepro]

If you would like to watch your photography business go straight in the crapper and all your competitors get rich off your potential clients then follow Facebooks rules.

The only trick is don't be a prick .. if you don't annoy people by using unethical marketing tactics and you hide your actions from other photographers (use a profile not a page and control your privacy) you can break as many rules as you want and 99.9% be A-Ok ... do you really think FB forks over insane expenses to spy on you? No they wait until there is a complaint. Even the major international corporations don't follow their rules. Those rules are nothing more than a "let's cover our butts" legal requirement.