Facebook warns more firms for luring users to 'like' themCompanies luring users to cl
Companies luring users to click on the Facebook 'like' button to enter contests have come under scrutiny of the social networking giant which has 700 million users globally and 31 million users in India. Facebook has deleted pages of big brands such as Cadbury's Bournville, French Connection UK (FCUK), India, and Pizza Hut India, and is understood to have sent warning letters to dozens of big companies for misusing the button to promote their brands, thus violating the provisions of its promotional guidelines revised on May 11.
"This is a wake-up call for marketing managers. In an attempt to get access to the maximum number of customers, brands had literally started bribing them through contest prizes. Anyone who commented or pressed the like button automatically won something. This resulted in contest entrants being signed up as "fans" who would receive updates they never wanted,” said Mahesh Murthy, founder, Pinstorm, a digital brand management firm.“Now, the onus is once again on building a community organically, through great content and engagement. At Pinstorm we have never done this for any of the brands we manage, and we have declined work where clients have asked us to bribe and get fans."
Facebook has, in fact, been enforcing the guidelines strictly in the last fortnight said social media strategist and joint CEO of SocialWavelength.com Hareesh Tibrewala. "The company views the misuse of the like button as a dilution of its policy. Most companies may not have read the revised guidelines," he said.
The new guidelines say: "You must not use Facebook features or functionality, such as the like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion; notify winners through Facebook chat, posts on profiles or pages; and use Facebook’s name, trademarks, trade names, copyrights, or any other intellectual property in connection with a promotion or mention Facebook in the rules or materials relating to the promotion..."
Promotions, instead, must be administered within apps on Facebook.com, either on a canvas page or on an App on a page tab. It should also acknowledge the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.