With its continuously growing numbers of users, Facebook has become one of the largest social networks where consumers build real communities around a common belief, a product, or a service—and brands jump in to facilitate the process.
One of its most useful features is Facebook Groups, where members of similar interests can easily collaborate, discuss topics, and easily get notified about group activity—much like you would experience in forums, only that these days, most people prefer Facebook because they’re already using it regularly.
Then there are Facebook Pages, where brands reach out to their fans (and potential fans)—perhaps the very fans they hope to one day bring into their community.
Whether you’re using Groups or Pages, you’re probably creating ads and sponsored stories, adding images, creating contests and more. The following best practices should help you in navigating the ever-changing landscape of Facebook rules.
Here are 35 quick Facebook guidelines for brands:
1. For higher interaction, include photos in your post.
2. Use a URL shortening program (like Bit.ly, Goo.gl) to keep track of clicks.
Photos must have the following sizes:
3. Profile Picture: 160 x 160 px
4. App Images: 111 x 74 px
5. Highlighted: 843 x 403 px
6. Timeline Images: 398 x 296 px or 296 x 293 px or 320 x 320 px
7. About Page: Can be up to 255 characters and include keywords.
Advertising (Ads and Sponsored Stories):
8. Must not include excessive capitalization (such as “FREE).
9. No posting of political topics, sexual material, or other sensitive issues.
10. Must not use shock or scare tactics.
11. Must not contain QR codes.
12. Must be at least 399 pixels wide.
13. Text not more than 20%, including logos and slogans.
14. No price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it on website.com“.
15. No company contact information.
16. No Facebook features (i.e. “Like” or “Share”).
17. No Call to Action (i.e. “Get it now” or “Tell your friends).
Contests and Promotions
18. Must not run a Facebook contest on the Wall itself.
19. Must not announce the names of the winners on the Wall.
20. Must not notify winners via Facebook Private Messages (i.e., email sent to an @facebook.com address). These are designed for communication between users, and not a channel for applications to communicate directly with users.
21. Host a separate app for the contest.
22. Must include complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant.
23. Include acknowledgment that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.
24. Disclosure that the participant is providing information to [disclose recipient(s) of information] and not to Facebook.
25. Must not incentivize users to Like your Page (i.e. “LIKE this to win a gift card!”).
26. Must use the exact name of your app.
27. Don’t add any additional keywords to the name of your app. For example, if your app is named “Billiards, don’t submit your name as “Billiards – Pool.
28. Tagline should not include your Display Name. Rather, it should include some promotional copy about your app.
29. Describe how your app works and what makes it unique. Be accurate, so people aren’t surprised when they start using it.
30. Use standard spelling, grammar and capitalization.
31. Don’t include URLs, excessive punctuation, price information, keyword lists or non-standard symbols.
32. Select a category that most people would expect.
33. Review your app settings and remove any old or non-functional integrations. For example, if you’re building an iOS app you shouldn’t have anything in the Site URL, Mobile Web URL or Canvas URL fields.
34. For icons, upload attractive, relevant, original icons. Icons should be simple and free of visual clutter.
35. Must not use arrows or other references to the buttons below your cover image to encourage people to install your app.
Still want more? Check out Facebook’s Best Practice Guide (page 14 has some especially useful links).
Sources:
Facebook Page Terms
Facebook Ad Guidelines
Facebook Platform Policies
Facebook Terms and Policies
Image cred: techsu
Jonha Revesencio
Jonha Ducayag Revesencio is a Storyteller, one of the Top 500 Community Managers Globally and a RebelMouse Wizard.
Learn more about her through her blog, Social Media and Social Good
For collaboration and consultation, you may reach her by emailing: jonharules@gmail.com or connect with her on Twitter (@jonharules) or LinkedIn.
Check out my post for @TheCMgr: 35 #Facebook Guidelines http://t.co/Gs329Bq0 #cmgr #socialmedia
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