Here's the deal…
Any post about a product on Facebook→ they want their share. Meaning they want us to pay them to show the post to people. So FB either limits the exposure of the post or puts posts in moderation. Not moderation in my group, but actual Facebook moderation where they take their sweet time to decide if a post is a selling post. This decision from them could take days. You don't have that kind of time during the giveaway days since it only lasts 48 hours!
Banned Words:
Facebook will flagged certain words. Sometimes these words put posts into moderation.To avoid moderation here's a list of just a few words FB may flag. Please consider misspelling these words using symbols instead of vowels (G!ve@w@y, Fr33bie) or even find a new creative way to express the word. I don't want posts flagged for moderation from Facebook. If that happens on giveaway day, delete your post, and then reword it being careful change the words listed below or any word you think Facebook may have issue with.
Banned Words:
Giveaway
Free
Sign up
Enter
Contest
Win
Free
Freebie
Link
Comment
Follow
Buy
Purchase
Morality:
Facebook has morals more stringent than the Amish. So be careful about use of words like ‘kiss, kissing, sex, sexy’ or certain body parts, or any profanity.
And they also flag words like ‘beat' or ‘screw’ or ‘pound’. A reader was flagged because she said she ‘beat someone at cards.' An author was shadow banned because she used the word ‘seduction’ in her post.
Be sure to scour your post and graphic for anything FB might get upset about it. Facebook hates bare shoulders, man chest, or kissing. Sometimes it's one of these words or an image in a graphic that we don't even think about, that FB gets all uptight over and then won't show your post to the readers.
Commenting:
Facebook is supposed to be all about SOCIAL connections yet it will shadow-ban you if you comment too frequently. FB doesn't care about many times you comment, but instead cares about the frequency of comments. The best rule is to comment 15-20 times, then take a 30 minute break, then comment 15-20 times, then take another 30 minute break. This isn't fool proof, but the odds are better that you won't end up in FB jail or shadow banned.
And don't comment with the same word or phrase. Facebook will think you are a bot. Mix it up. Use words, or a gif, or an emoji.
No screen shots:
I know this one is difficult, but please DO NOT ask readers to leave a screen shot in the comments and DO NOT ask them to leave a link in the comments. Last year many readers got thrown into FB jail for those two items.
Are you freaking out about No screen shots?:
There are ways around this, you just have to get creative. If you want them to like your Facebook page, you can go in and search their name on your page followers to see if they followed you before you choose a winner. If you invite them to your reader group, you can look at the members and it will even show new members first. If you want them to follow you on Bookbub, there's a way to access the handles of all your followers and you can simply ask them what their handle is so you can check it. Some authors have created google forms that allow a reader to put a screen shot in. It means a little more work for you, but if it keeps everyone out of Facebook jail, then the odds are better that more people will see the authors' posts!
If you ask them to follow you somewhere, or sign up for your newsletter, or fill out a form, still ask them to leave a comment on your post - or better yet - ask them another question they need to answer in the comments. That will help increase the interest in your posts! Comments drive the algorithm. If you don't have people commenting you won't be in the algorithm.
