Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I would like to run a simple facebook contest:

1 - Provide a gift to a random fan once I have 1000 fans.

2 - It is as easy as becoming a fan to participate

3 - To make my contest known, I am planning to run a press release.

Is it possible to run a contest that way? I heard Facebook contests plans have changed?

Do I need Facebook approval first? How do I get a contest tab on my facebook page? does it have to be done ONLY by a third party application like wildfire?

To my knowledge there is nothing on Facebook that would prohibit you from running the contest just as you outlined. Here is the contest/promotion outline page created by Facebook --  http://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php -- Hope this helps!

To add tab to the Facebook page, you'll need an application called Static FBML (Facebook's version of HTML). Available at http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=4949752878&ref=ts (click Add to My Page).

Then go to Edit Page --> Static FBML (wou can edit title/content), as well as add 2nd, 3rd FBML box.

let me know if you have other questions!

Blog: Funneled E-commerce

so, how did the contest work out? was it ever posted on facebook? did the press release generate the buzz about the contest you had hoped for?

Yes, let us know how it worked out :)

By the way, I think the only guideline is that people have to be Fans to enter a contest on FB.