Guide to Deciding What Type of Facebook Contest (Timeline or App) to Use

The options have increased!  The decisions are now a bit more difficult to make.

Your company wants to increase fans, Likes, Comments, and Leads on your Facebook Page and you know that a contest can help…..

But now, there are more options since Facebook loosened up the promotion policy and allows contests on both the Timeline via a post, and via apps on tabs.

So how can you decide which to use?  Let us help! 

Here’s a guide to deciding between using a Timeline Contest, a App Contest on a tab, or both!

contests

Guide to Deciding: Timeline Contest or Tab App Contest:

Here’s the quick overview:

Timeline Contest is best if:
  • If you want to launch right away (like today!)
  • If you want fast engagement (like’s and comments on a post)
  • If you have no budget at all

Facebook timeline contest will give you fast engagement and can be deployed quickly.

App Contest hosted on your Facebook page Tab is best if:
  • You want to grow Page likes.  (Offers Like Gate to ensure fans like the Page to access the contest)
  • You want to capture lead information such as email addresses for future marketing
  • You want more design control
  • You want advanced features

Facebook contest on a tab will give you greater control and better lead capture.

That’s the quick overview.  Yes, TabSite offers both types;

– TabSite’s Timeline Contest app

– TabSite’s Tab app Contest tools

Want more information?  Continue on..

Advantages of a Timeline Contest

  • Quick and easy to setup, simply create a post!
  • Fun way to engage fans & visitors
  • Free to run
  • Runs totally in News Feed where users spend the most time
  • Offers way to increase your Reach and Engagement
  • The more Reach and Engagement, the more potential to grow your community

Disadvantages of a Timeline Contest

  • Cannot collect email addresses
  • Cannot have a Like Gate to ensure entrant Likes your Page
  • The Page cannot re-share the post easily to tell people about the contest multiple times
  • Need to post or link to full rules and the required release of Facebook’s responsibility for the contest, which can be cumbersome to do in a post
  • Without email address, it can be harder to notify the winner

Advantages of a Facebook Tab App Contest

  • As noted, gathering email addresses is significant for future marketing
  • More design and branding control for the contest
  • Can ensure Like Gate is in place so entrants/voters become fans of the page
  • Contest has a “home” on Facebook so it is easy to share and link to for promoting
  • Rules and Terms have simple way to be displayed, viewed, and accessed
  • Great user experience of seeing all entries, voting, and sharing a entry you like
  • Can be accessed on Facebook or also off of Facebook on a web page
  • Can integrate other tools such as a Instagram Image contest

Disadvantages of a Tab App Contest

  • Requires entrants to click from a post to go to the tab
  • Takes more time to setup, add graphics, and customize to deploy
  • Typically is going to cost at least $19-$30+ dollars to run
  • Requires use of the Smart URL to overcome Facebook mobile limitations

That ‘s the low down!  

The TabSite Timeline Contest is a free tool to use.  The  Contest Engagement App  offers a 14 Day Free Trial.

Want a step-by-step guide? Get our FREE eBook!
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About Mike Gingerich

Mike Gingerich, President of Digital Hill & TabSite is a business blogger Marketer and Consultant. Part geek, part marketer, part strategist, total fitness and running junkie. Mike is an author and speaker, having presented at Social Media Week Lima, Social Media Camp (Canada) and more. Mike is a marketing, social media, and business startup enthusiast with 10+ years experience building apps, consulting, and training businesses with winning integrated strategies. Mike loves deploying tactics to increase awareness, sales, and maximize ROI in both B2B and B2C markets via digital media.

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