How to Do a Raffle on Facebook

Running a raffle on Facebook is one of the fastest ways to generate buzz, grow your following, and reward your community. This guide will walk you through setting up a successful and compliant Facebook raffle from start to finish, steering you clear of common mistakes that can get your page in trouble.

First Things First: Understanding Facebook's Rules

Before you pick a prize or write a post, you need to understand Facebook's Promotion Policies. Ignoring them can lead to your post being removed or, in worst-case scenarios, your Page being restricted. Don't worry, the rules are straightforward once you know them.

The Two Golden Rules You Absolutely Cannot Break

Facebook is very specific about how you can and cannot ask people to enter your raffle. The platform wants to keep user feeds authentic and not fill them with spammy giveaway content. Here are the two main things you cannot require as an entry method:

• No "Share a post to enter." You cannot require users to share your raffle post on their personal Timeline to enter. While you can encourage sharing voluntarily, you can't make it a condition of entry. This is Facebook’s most enforced promotion rule.
• No "Tag your friends to enter." You cannot force users to tag their friends in your post to enter the raffle. For example, a post that says "Tag 3 friends to win!" is against the rules. The idea is to prevent people from being tagged in content they have no interest in.

So what can you do? You can absolutely ask users to:

• Like your post
• Comment on your post (This is the most common and effective method!)
• Like your Page (as long as it’s not the sole method of entry)
• Send a message to your Page

The most popular entry method is asking for a comment because it drives engagement a lot harder than just a like. You can ask an open-ended question related to your brand, like "Comment with your favorite way to use our product!" to get the conversation started.

The Required Legal Disclaimers

Every promotion on Facebook must also include two specific legal disclaimers. This may seem like boring fine print, but it’s a non-negotiable part of following the rules. You must include:

1. A complete release of Facebook and acknowledgment that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook. You can simply paste this sentence into your post or your terms and conditions page. It’s a standard liability release that Facebook requires promoters to include.
2. Your official rules. You need to have clear, accessible rules for your raffle. This can be a short list in the post itself or a link to a separate page on your website with the full terms and conditions.

Getting these details right from the start protects your Page and builds trust with your audience. They'll appreciate that your raffle is clear, fair, and professional.

Planning Your Raffle: The Blueprint for Success

A great raffle doesn't just happen by accident. It's the result of thoughtful planning. Walking through these steps before you launch will make the entire process smoother and more effective.

Step 1: Define Your Goal

What do you actually want to achieve with this raffle? Your answer will shape every other decision you make. Common goals include:

• Increasing Engagement: You want more likes, comments, and general activity on your Page. This is great for boosting your visibility in the algorithm.
• Building Brand Awareness: You want to get your name in front of a new audience that might not know about you yet.
• Growing Your Following: A simple goal of getting more "Likes" or "Follows" on your Facebook Page.
• Generating User-Generated Content (UGC): You can ask people to comment with photos of themselves using your product, giving you valuable content to share later (with their permission, of course).
• Promoting a New Product: A raffle can be a great way to put a spotlight on a new launch and get people excited about it.

Pick one primary goal. Trying to do too much at once can dilute your results.

Step 2: Choose an Irresistible (and Relevant) Prize

The prize is the engine of your raffle. If it’s not desirable, no one will bother to enter. But desirable doesn't just mean expensive. The best prizes are highly relevant to your target audience and your brand.

For example, a local bakery giving away a new iPad might get a lot of entries, but many of those entrants probably aren't locals who will ever become customers. A better prize would be a gift certificate for a free cake or a "Bread for a Month" subscription. This kind of prize attracts people who are genuinely interested in what you sell.

Great prize ideas:

• Your own products or best-selling services.
• A gift basket full of your products and other related items.
• A gift card or store credit for your business.
• A unique experience, like a one-on-one consultation or a special tour of your workshop.

Step 3: Establish Clear Dates and Deadlines

Ambiguity kills a raffle's momentum. Your audience needs to know exactly when the raffle is happening so they don't miss out. Define and clearly communicate three key dates:

• Start Date & Time: When can people officially start entering?
• End Date & Time: When is the absolute deadline for entries? Be specific about the time zone (e.g., "Entries close Friday at 5:00 PM EST").
• Winner Announcement Date: When will you pick and announce the winner? Letting people know builds anticipation and keeps them coming back to your page.

Step 4: Write Your Official Rules

Your official rules are your contract with the participants. It keeps things fair, transparent, and legally sound. While you can link to a full page on your website, it's a good practice to summarize the main points directly in your giveaway post.

Your rules should concisely cover:

• Who is eligible to enter: Are there age or location restrictions (e.g., "Must be 18+ and a US resident to enter")?
• How to enter: Clearly state the exact action(s) needed (e.g., "Like this post and comment with your favorite summer memory").
• The exact prize: Describe what the winner will receive. Be clear about the value.
• The start and end dates: As mentioned above.
• How and when the winner will be chosen: Explain the process (e.g., "A winner will be chosen at random from all eligible comments on [Date]").
• How the winner will be notified: Will you reply to their comment, tag them in a new post, or send them a message?
• Your liability release: Don't forget the statement that releases Facebook from any responsibility.

Crafting and Launching Your Raffle Post

With all your planning done, it's time to create the post that will kick things off. This is where you combine exciting copy and eye-catching visuals to grab attention in a busy newsfeed.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Raffle Post

Your announcement post should be clear, exciting, and easy to understand at a glance. Here's a proven structure:

1. Announce the Raffle: Start with an exciting opening line like "🎉 RAFFLE TIME! 🎉" or "GIVEAWAY ALERT!" to immediately signal what the post is about.
2. Showcase the Prize: Use a high-quality photo or video of the prize. Video often performs better because it's more dynamic. Seeing the prize builds desire.
3. State the Prize Clearly: In the text, explicitly state what the prize is. Example: "We're giving away a $100 gift card to one lucky winner!"
4. Explain How to Enter: Use a simple bulleted or numbered list to explain the entry steps. Keep it simple and compliant. Example:
   • Like this post.
   • Follow our page.
   • Comment below and tell us...
5. Mention the Deadline: Clearly state the end date and time for entries.
6. Include the Fine Print: Add your abbreviated rules and the required Facebook disclaimer at the end of the post.

Promoting Your Raffle to Maximize Reach

Once you hit "publish," your job isn't done. Now you need to make sure people see it. Here are a few ways to boost your raffle's visibility:

• Pin the Post: Pin your raffle announcement to the top of your Facebook Page so it's the first thing visitors see.
• Share it to Your Stories: Facebook Stories are a great way to remind people about the raffle. You can use countdown stickers and link directly to the post.
• Cross-Promote on Other Platforms: If you have an Instagram account, email list, or TikTok presence, tell that audience about your Facebook raffle and direct them to the entry post.
• Post Reminders: You can post a "Last chance to enter!" graphic 24 hours before the raffle ends to create a sense of urgency.
• Consider Facebook Ads: For a small budget, you can "boost" the post or run a targeted ad to reach a wider, highly relevant audience that doesn't yet follow you.

The Fun Part: Choosing and Announcing the Winner

The finale of your raffle is just as important as the launch. A transparent and celebratory wrap-up leaves a positive impression on everyone, not just the winner.

How to Pick a Winner Fairly and Transparently

The method you use to select a winner depends on your entry mechanic. If you have dozens or hundreds of comments, doing it manually is tedious and can look biased. Here are a few reliable methods:

• Use a Random Comment Picker: There are many free, third-party tools online that can do this for you. You simply paste the URL of your Facebook post into the tool, and it randomly selects a comment from the list. This is the gold standard for fairness and transparency.
• The Spreadsheet Method: You can manually copy and paste all the participant names into a spreadsheet. Assign each entry a number, and then use a random number generator (like Google's built-in tool) to pick a number.

For ultimate transparency, consider recording your screen while you use the selection tool and sharing it in your Stories or in the winner announcement post. It shows everyone that the process was completely random and fair.

Making the Big Announcement

Once you have a winner, it’s time to share the good news! Create a new post to make the announcement.

• Create a congratulatory graphic: Use a simple graphic that says something like "And the winner is..."
• Tag the winner: In your new post, tag the winner's Facebook profile so they get a notification. Write something like, "A huge congratulations to [Tag Winner's Name]! You are the winner of our raffle!"
• Instruct them on next steps: Tell them to send you a direct message to claim their prize within a specific timeframe (e.g., "Please send us a DM within 48 hours to claim your prize!").
• Thank everyone else: Finish by thanking everyone who participated and encouraging them to stay tuned for future promotions. This makes everyone feel valued and appreciated.

Final Thoughts

Running a raffle on Facebook is a powerful marketing tactic when done correctly. By taking the time to understand the rules, planning your campaign carefully, and managing the entire process with fairness and transparency, you can create a fun event that not only boosts your engagement but also strengthens your relationship with your community.

After a successful raffle, your page will be buzzing with new followers and engagement. The next challenge is keeping that momentum going. We built Postbase to make managing that follow-up content simple. You can use our visual calendar to plan out what you'll post next and use our unified inbox to manage all the new comments and messages that a successful campaign brings in, all from one place.