Handy reminder to play by the rules....[web geek admit human frailty and impatience]

[FionaFell]

Hi,

Just a quick learning curve I thought I would share with you all.

READ THE RULES, and PLAY BY THEM.

I forgot to read the mass of conditions when I accepted the T&C of the advertising section on Facebook. (OK, I got a little lazy and skipped to the bottom and clicked agree; like most folks do when installing new software)

This was my 'undoing'. I broke a rule!

Just a quick heads up, and a reminder to read the rules.

My rule break has diverted a major potential lead generation channel. I now have to be a little more creative and find a different way of approaching the scenario.

Lesson 1: Facebook ads and landing pages cannot mention Facebook..

Lesson 2: Advertising a 'Facebook Domination Package' that sells Facebook business page customisation to people on Facebook is going to be a challange.

Takeaway: read the rules during your brainstorming/planning stages, to get ahead of the game -- saves yourself time later adjusting your tactics.

Fiona

[Melinda B]

Oh ouch! I really feel for you Fiona, what an awful way to learn the lesson. Are you able to start another page? Is it only the word 'Facebook' that is banned, or can you use 'Fan Page' or something similar?

Good luck getting it going again.

[FionaFell]

Originally Posted by Melinda_B

Oh ouch! I really feel for you Fiona, what an awful way to learn the lesson. Are you able to start another page? Is it only the word 'Facebook' that is banned, or can you use 'Fan Page' or something similar?

Good luck getting it going again.

Thanks Melinda.

As written by the folks at Facebook: [http://www.facebook.com/ad_guidelines.php]

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SECTION 3: Facebook references

1. The following conditions apply to all ads that have a Facebook Page, application, event, group, or Connect site as its destination, except as otherwise specifically permitted to those subject to the Branding and Promotion Policy section of the Platform Policies:
   1. Ads may make limited references to "Facebook" in its title, body, or image for the purposes of clarifying the destination of the ad;
   2. Ads cannot imply any endorsement of the product, service, or ad destination by Facebook.
   All other ads, destination ads, and landing pages must adhere to the following restrictions:
   1. Ads cannot mention or refer to Facebook, its site or its brand in any manner, including in the title, body, image, or destination URLs;
   2. Ads cannot use Facebook logos, trademarks, or site terminology (including but not limited to Facebook, The Facebook, FacebookHigh, FBook, FB, Poke, Wall, and other company graphics, logos, designs, or icons);
   3. Facebook site features cannot be emulated.

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SECTION 11: Copyrights and trademarks

1. Ads cannot include any content that infringes upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other personal or proprietary right.
2. The advertiser must have intellectual property rights to the creative and be permitted to display such creative as advertising on the Facebook Site.

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I think Fan Page, Fans, Facebook, FB, and all their graphics would be covered by Sec.3 as highlighted above. Will have to try and get traffic to the site in a different way.

[Chris Bates]

One of my new clients had her FB page deleted for holding giveaways. She violated because she required people to "tell us why/your story on X...." to win.

She lost her page of over 7000 people, no warning what so ever.

[Melinda B]

Originally Posted by Chris Bates

One of my new clients had her FB page deleted for holding giveaways. She violated because she required people to "tell us why/your story on X...." to win.

She lost her page of over 7000 people, no warning what so ever.

Yes, the TOS are very clear that you can't run competitions on FB unless you have written approval and use an application. A lot of people do it though, and there are more and more of them getting caught. I wrote a post on it a while back http://superwahm.com/facebook-banning/ Since then I've heard of probably half a dozen businesses having their pages deleted or even their whole account.

You can however promote a competition that is held on your own website.

[Burgo]

I recently dropped out of facebook.
I just got the feeling that, for me it was becoming rather pointless.
I also found some people that I didnt want to see my page were able to, so I thought why bother.
I find Flying Solo , the Carpet Cleaners forum, Linkedin and a couple of other forum style pages more than enough and most of my friends are on them.

Facebook was good a couple of years ago as I was able to find and communicate with one of my younger cousins in the UK, but I have all my rellies emails now and I can communicate with those I choose to.

Maybe when I get to the stage where I have nothing better to do I may rejoin, but I cant see that happening for a few more years. Besides my webpage is starting to generate more business, I may have to work more than 4 hours a week...................Oh my Goodnessgraciousme.