Facebook Actions
Let people enter with Facebook, and reward them for liking, visiting, viewing posts, joining, checking in or submitting photos.
Share on Facebook is no longer available because of Facebook's API policy changes. Use Viral Share to reward entrants for referring friends instead.
More help getting the most from your Facebook contest:
- 40+ Facebook Contest Tips + Tricks Using Gleam
- The Ultimate Guide to Running a Facebook Contest
- Facebook Photo Image Size Guide
When entrants log in or complete a Facebook action that needs it, they authorise the Gleam Competitions Facebook app:
Reward entrants who check in, or have checked in before, at your location on Facebook. It's perfect for local businesses and a nice way to thank loyal customers.
Add your Facebook Page URL and a Check-in Description telling entrants what to do.
We can't check this automatically, because we don't have access to entrants' Facebook posts.
Facebook Entry gives entrants an entry for logging in with Facebook. Choose whether they complete straight away, or get the option to like your page afterwards.
Entrants stuck at the Facebook login? See why Facebook login fails in Chrome.
Entrants like or follow your Facebook page. Paste its URL.
Entrants have to visit your page before they can complete the action. They sign in with Facebook too, so you can check later whether they followed you.
Seeing a redirect error when you paste your page URL? See why Gleam shows a Facebook URL redirect error.
Entrants join your Facebook group. Paste the group's URL.
Entrants have to visit the group before they can complete the action, and they sign in with Facebook so you can check later whether they joined.
Run a photo contest by letting entrants submit a photo from their Facebook feed or albums.
Give it a title (like Show Off Your Summer Style) and some instructions.
Make it clear the photo has to be on Facebook already before entrants can pick it.
Only show entrants photos with your hashtags. Choose whether a photo needs all of them or any one. If an entrant has just one matching photo, the action completes on its own.
On the Business Plan you can also import photos automatically:
- Posts to Page: photos posted publicly to any Facebook Page
- Post Comments: photos posted publicly in the comments of any Facebook post or photo
Entrants sign in with Facebook if they haven't already, then pick from their last 21 photos.
Point entrants to a Facebook post or video. Engaging with it is up to them. The post has to be public.
Paste the Facebook Post URL. Switch on Show Photo/Video Post Text to show the post's text in the widget too.
Facebook Visit sends entrants to your Facebook page. If they like what they see, they can like the page too, but that's always optional.
Paste your page URL, choose whether to offer the like option, and pick what happens After Visiting (complete straight away, add a delay, or ask a question about your page).
Facebook doesn't let you give entries for sharing a link. Instead, Viral Share gives entrants entries when a friend enters through the link they shared.
Facebook shows your prize image when someone shares. It needs to be at least 287px high, and 1080px x 567px works best. A Custom Share Image at 1200px x 630px lets your Feature Image be any size.
The Facebook share uses your prize description. The Default Share Text you set on the action covers every other network.
We've created an example competition that you can play with, it contains all of the actions that we've covered in this guide.
There will be certain scenarios when we're unable to find the PageID for a particular page due to their settings. In this instance you will be required to enter the PageID manually.
On Facebook The PageID is located here: Edit Page → Edit Settings → Page Info → Facebook Page ID
Having certain country or strict age restrictions on a page can make it appear blank when users try to like it within the widget.
