Facebook and Instagram promotion guidelines
You can run giveaways and contests on Facebook and Instagram if every entrant releases Meta from liability and agrees that Meta doesn't sponsor the promotion. On both, you can't offer entries in exchange for likes, follows or shares, and on Facebook you can't require or reward tagging friends. Asking people to comment on your post is allowed.
These rules come from Meta's Policies for Pages, Groups and Events (section 7, Promotions), Instagram's Promotion Guidelines and Meta's spam policy, which applies to Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads. Meta can change them, so check those pages before a large promotion. Meta doesn't help run promotions, and you run one at your own risk.
What every promotion needs
On both Facebook and Instagram, you're responsible for running the promotion lawfully. That means:
- Official rules, and the offer terms and eligibility requirements, such as age and residency.
- Compliance with the law where you run it, including any registration or approval the prize needs.
- A release. Each entrant fully releases Meta (or Instagram) from liability.
- A non-sponsorship statement. Each entrant acknowledges that the promotion isn't sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Meta (or Instagram).
What you can and can't ask entrants to do
| Entry action | ||
|---|---|---|
| Comment on your post | Allowed | Allowed |
| Share or repost the promotion | Not allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries | Not allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries |
| Tag friends | Not allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries | Not restricted, as long as the tags are accurate |
| Tag people who aren't in a photo | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Like or react to your post | Not allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries | Not allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries |
| Like or follow your Page or account | Not allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries | Not allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries |
Facebook: a promotion "must not require or incentivize participants to share, repost, tag others, or otherwise publicize" it. That covers extra entries too, not only entry requirements.
Instagram: you must not tag content inaccurately or encourage people to, for example by asking them to tag themselves in a photo they aren't in.
Both: Meta's spam policy doesn't allow exchanging anything for engagement, such as likes, shares or follows. That includes giveaways, and Meta's own example is "Anyone that likes my page will be entered to win $500." So likes, follows and shares can't be an entry requirement or earn extra entries on either platform.
Checking follows: Meta's API doesn't let third-party platforms like ShortStack see who follows a Page or an Instagram account; it only gives the total count. Points for Actions records that someone clicked through to your Page, not that they followed it.
Compliant ways to give extra entries
| Option | What it rewards | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Refer-a-Friend | A friend entering through the entrant's personal referral link | Build and higher |
| Points for Actions | Clicking through to your Page or profile, or watching a video | All plans |
Refer-a-Friend rewards the friend's entry, not the share itself. Points for Actions can't confirm a follow, only the click.
Running the promotion
- Campaigns can't be published inside a Facebook Page. Publish your campaign as a landing page or embed it on your site, then share the link in your post, Story or bio.
- For comment giveaways, import the comments with the Social Importer. Facebook imports capture each person's Facebook name, user ID, comment and reaction; Instagram imports capture the username and comment. Neither captures an email address, so check any other conditions, such as one comment per person, when you pick the winner.
FAQs
Can I run a "comment to win" giveaway on Facebook or Instagram?
Yes. Meta's rules don't stop you asking people to comment on your post. Import the comments into ShortStack with the Social Importer and pick a winner from the list.
Can I ask entrants to tag a friend?
Not on Facebook. Facebook's policy says a promotion must not require or reward tagging others, so tagging can't be a condition of entry or earn extra entries. Instagram's guidelines only ban inaccurate tagging, such as tagging people who aren't in a photo.
Can I require people to like or follow my Page or account?
No, on Facebook or Instagram. Meta's spam policy doesn't allow giveaways that offer a chance to win in exchange for likes, follows or shares. Invite people to follow instead, for example by announcing the winner there.
Can I publish my campaign inside my Facebook Page?
No. Facebook no longer allows campaigns to be published inside a Page. Publish your campaign as a landing page or embed it on your site, then share the link in a post.
Related resources
Sweepstakes rules for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and more
How to import comments and reactions from Facebook
How to import comments from an Instagram post
How to use the Rules Generator
Sweepstakes and contest rules guide
Running a giveaway? Why "No Purchase Necessary" is necessary (Blog)
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