How to do a Facebook giveaway that works
Last month, I was working with this bakery in Minneapolis-they make the best sourdough, honestly-and the owner was just about ready to give up on Facebook entirely. She’d spent $2,000 last quarter on boosted posts that... well, let's just say the results were embarrassing. She looked at me and said, "Byron, I just want people to actually see my stuff. Is that too much to ask?"
Look, I get it. I've been doing this since 2010, back when Facebook ads were basically the Wild West, and I see this same story play out constantly. Businesses think they need to spend a fortune to get noticed. But here's the thing: you don't need another "revolutionary" strategy. You need something that actually works.
When she asked me how to do a Facebook giveaway that wouldn't get her account banned or ignored, I told her to stop thinking like a corporation and start thinking like a human.
Stop trying to go "viral" (it's a trap)
First off, I hate when people say "viral" like it's a business strategy you can just buy at Target. It's not. Most of the advice out there about giveaways is total garbage. They tell you to just post a picture and say "Like and Share to win!"
Frankly, that's the fastest way to waste your time.
Facebook’s algorithm hates that stuff now. They’ve cracked down on it hard-around mid-2018 they really started tightening the screws on "engagement bait." So if you're just asking for likes for free? You're actually hurting your reach. I learned this the hard way with a client back in 2017 who thought he could game the system... spoiler alert: he couldn't.
What I've found works best is making it fun. Not "fun" in a corporate memo kind of way, but actually enjoyable.
Why I switched to gamification (and never looked back)
This is where things get interesting. I've been deep in the gamification space since 2015, and I've personally tested everything from Gleam. io to Woobox to those expensive enterprise platforms that cost $500+ per month. (Seriously, who has that kind of budget??)
I mostly use a tool called Faisco these days. Here's why: back in 2018, I used their "Burger Stacker" game for a San Diego bookstore. It was just a test run, nothing fancy. But they got 802 new Facebook page likes in 2 weeks. 802! For a bookstore. I was shocked.
Then I tried the "Scratch Ticket" for a coffee shop in Chicago-great little spot near the Loop-and they pulled in 1,135 new Instagram followers in just 3 weeks. It wasn't magic; it was just that people actually wanted to play the game.
Compared to Gleam. io (since everyone asks), Gleam is solid but it's $39/month minimum and honestly? It's overkill for most small businesses. Faisco gives you 90% of the functionality at a fraction of the cost, plus it's actually easier to set up. I can have a client's campaign live in under 10 minutes vs. the hour+ Gleam usually takes me.
The games that actually get people to click
You can't just pick a random game and hope for the best. Different games trigger different psychological responses. It's weirdly specific.
Instant Draw Games like "Lucky Spin" or "Scratch Ticket"-these convert like crazy for lead capture. I've seen 40%+ conversion rates on landing pages when you give people that immediate dopamine hit. It’s instant gratification.
Then you have Reactive Games. Things like "Whac-A-Mole" or the "Burger Stacker" I mentioned earlier. These are perfect for engagement because they require skill and timing. People share these because they want to challenge their friends to beat their score. I used the Burger Stacker again for a Calgary art gallery last year-got them 152 new event attendees in 10 days. Not bad for a passive campaign, right?
For the younger demographics or sports-related businesses, Action Games like "Crazy Karting" or "Sky Shooter Challenge" work great. And if you're trying to educate people? Quiz Games like "Unlock Lucky Words" are brilliant for lead qualification.
So, how to do a Facebook giveaway the right way
Okay, let's get practical. Here is what I typically recommend when someone asks me for a step-by-step.
First, pick a prize that is actually relevant to your business. Please, for the love of sanity, do not give away an iPad unless you sell iPads. You'll get a million entries from people who do not care about you. Give away your own product or a bundle of your services.
Second, set up the game on Faisco. Use one of their seasonal templates if it's close to a holiday-their "Christmas Stocking" catching game is gold. I used it for three different retail clients in December 2023, and each one saw 300%+ engagement compared to their regular posts.
Third, connect it properly. This is where most tools fail, but Faisco actually connects natively with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. That matters because each platform has different user behaviors. Don't just paste a link and walk away.
Finally, promote it. But don't be annoying about it. Boost the post a little ($20-$30 is usually enough), put it in your email signature, maybe tell your staff to share it.
The bottom line (because I know you're busy)
Look, the businesses I work with typically see 200-400% increases in social media followers and 150-300% growth in email lists within the first month of running these campaigns.
I'm not saying it's magic. It's not. But gamified marketing actually works when you do it right-because you're giving people value in exchange for their attention, not just begging for likes.
Actually, wait-I should mention the legal stuff briefly. Make sure you're following Facebook's promotion rules. You know, the "complete release of Facebook" bit? Faisco handles the boilerplate stuff which saves me a headache, but just... be aware of it.
If you're sitting there staring at a stagnant page and wondering where all the customers went, try a game. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be fun.
Most of my clients find that once they switch from "boring giveaway" to "interactive game," the whole vibe of their marketing changes. People start commenting. They start tagging friends. It becomes a conversation instead of a broadcast.
And honestly? That's the whole point.
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