If you have spent any time on Facebook, you have probably either seen or been tagged in a brand's giveaway. These contests run the gamut from smaller gift certificates to larger winnings such as annual memberships or expensive luxury items like purses and watches.

If you also own or manage a business, you probably have also asked yourself if you should be running a Facebook giveaway as well.

It's true. Facebook giveaways can be remarkably effective at growing a following and gaining new leads. How effective?

According to Post Planner, an online viral media source, the results can be pretty astonishing. Take Trademark Antiques for instance:

"In 7 days, the Facebook contest attracted 557 views & 257 new email leads for Trademark Antiques -- a 53% conversion rate.

"Jessica added 600 new Likes to the page -- bringing the total fan count to 1,700."

Wishpond, a Facebook Giveaway plugin, features even more impressive results. Using their system, Diamond Candles produced the following:

"Diamond Candles ran weekly sweepstakes with entrants simply having to Like their page, and submit their email. Their strategy (what we call "Like-Gating") has been banned by Facebook since this contest was run, but you can still add a "Like-Prompt" to your Facebook contests.

"In less than 6 weeks, they exceeded expectations for gaining an enormous Facebook likes base  - generating over 30,000 new fans. Not only that, but they created a bit of a social phenom. Facebook pages have been popping up from excited Diamond Candles fans, and organic growth of videos showing excited customers getting to their ring are now abundant."

When done right, Facebook contests can drive tremendous traffic to a page and yield BIG wins for a brand. With all of these positives, what could go wrong?

Before you begin a contest or giveaway, make sure you check Facebook's rules. Several giveaway styles can result in a page's ban or suspension, and Facebook is often updating their rules. You want to make sure that your contest does not break any rules.

It's also important to consider any state or local sweepstakes rules as well. There are specific values and wordings that must be used depending on the state or locality where your business is AND the value of the prize.

Audience is also tremendously important. It's vital to make sure your giveaway targets Facebook users who are over 18 years of age and that your giveaway is appropriate for all ages to see if they go viral. Even if a user under 18 may not be able to win your giveaway, you will want to make it family-friendly to avoid being blocked by conservative users.

So you may be thinking, "Great! I'll just slap together a Facebook post and start giving things away!"

Well, it's not that simple. There are several styles of giveaways as well as several goals. For example, do you simply want more followers OR are you looking for greater interactions and to grow your email subscription lists?

Another important factor to consider is the appearance of your giveaway. While yes, it is easy to create simple posts, there are also more complicated platforms that can add gorgeous and eye-catching contest pages to your Facebook page.

For example, Wishpond integrations can give your page a truly professional giveaway look that may entice more participants than simple posts alone. However, this type of integration has costs associated ranging from $49 - $199 PER MONTH.

It's important to realize that this integration may make your page look more professional, but you are still responsible for the additional cost of running Facebook ads to attract users to the page.

If you are looking for a Facebook Giveaway Campaign, contact Cote Media today! We can guide you through all the phases of the campaign and develop an advertising strategy to attract users to your giveaway!