ShortStack analyzed more than 50,000 active Facebook Pages and 300,000 custom Facebook Page apps that serve more than 1.4 billion Facebook fans, and among the things they discovered: Engagement in December increased by as much as 66 percent on custom Facebook Page apps! Other data they uncovered about brands using Facebook Page apps during December:
- Brands see a 66% increase in contest submissions
- Brands see a 57% increase in custom Facebook Page app shares
- Brands see a 47% increase in custom Facebook Page app views
- Brands see a 33% increase in custom Facebook Page app shares to specific Facebook friends
Those are all-around great results – so get this on your calendar to execute ASAP!
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12 Last-Minute Facebook Holiday Contest Ideas to Boost Engagement
As the holiday season approaches, brands often find themselves scrambling to put together meaningful and festive campaigns that drive engagement without demanding an exhaustive time commitment. Fortunately, running Facebook contests is an effective way to connect with your audience, generate buzz, and have fun—all with just a bit of creativity and a few minutes of setup. Below are 12 holiday-themed contest ideas you can implement quickly and easily on your Facebook page to spark engagement and seasonal cheer.
Photo Contests
Facebook users love to share photos, and a themed photo contest is a natural fit for the platform. On average, Facebook users post more than 217 photos annually, which means visual content is already in their wheelhouse. Setting up a photo contest takes just 10 to 20 minutes and can be highly rewarding in terms of engagement.
- Holiday “Costume” Photo Contest: Invite followers to post photos of themselves or their pets in their most festive holiday outfits. Themes like “Santa Look-Alike,” “Ugliest Sweater,” or “Winter Wonderland Attire” are perfect for encouraging participation and sharing.
- Christmas Tree or Mantle Decorating Contest: Ask fans to submit photos of their holiday décor—trees, mantles, lights, or even front yard displays. You can focus on specific themes like “Patriotic Christmas,” “Rustic,” or “Vintage Holiday.”
- Family Photo Contest: Encourage users to share their funniest, most awkward, or most heartwarming family holiday photos. These types of submissions often get shared widely, expanding your reach.
Pro Tip: Clearly state how winners will be selected—whether by a random draw or community voting—to avoid confusion and keep the contest fair.
Essay-Style Contests
If your audience enjoys storytelling, consider an essay-based contest. These contests typically take just 10 to 20 minutes to set up and provide a great opportunity for deeper engagement.
- Recipe Contest: Ask your audience to share their favorite holiday recipe. For added appeal, let them include a photo of the finished dish.
- Storytelling Contest: Invite users to describe a favorite holiday tradition in a short paragraph. This works especially well for audiences who value nostalgia and culture.
- Dear Santa Letter Contest: Encourage participants to write letters to Santa explaining why they deserve to win a prize. It’s lighthearted and can showcase the personality of your community.
Brands that run essay-style contests often see a 66% increase in comment volume during the holidays.
Tip: Let your community vote for their favorite entry to drive even more interaction.
Timeline Promotions
With Facebook’s relaxed rules around contests in status updates, you can now run simple promotions directly in your Timeline. These are incredibly easy to set up—just 30 seconds—and can still generate substantial engagement.
- Finish the Sentence: Post a sentence like “All I want for Christmas is…” and ask fans to complete it in the comments. Choose a winner at random or based on creativity.
- Holiday Movie Quote Challenge: Ask followers to post their favorite holiday movie quote or scene. This invites fun responses and fosters community bonding over shared memories.
- Santa Claus Truths: Encourage users to share a funny or touching story about when they learned the “truth” about Santa. It’s an amusing way to spark conversation and nostalgia.
Fill-in-the-blank Timeline updates get 182% more engagement than the average brand status update.
Tip: Use random selection tools or meaningful comment triggers to pick winners easily and fairly.
Multi-Day Giveaways
Running a daily giveaway across a specific period—like the “12 Days of Christmas”—is a tried-and-true method for sustaining high engagement over several days. These campaigns may take a little more effort, but each daily entry can be created in just 20 to 40 minutes.
- A Product-a-Day Giveaway: Highlight one of your products each day and give it away to a lucky fan. This works well for ecommerce and retail brands.
- A Promotion-a-Day Giveaway: Instead of products, offer time-limited discount codes or free shipping offers to fans who participate daily.
- A Combination Giveaway: Mix it up by alternating between physical prizes and digital offers like discount codes, downloadable content, or gift cards.
Businesses that host multi-day contests see up to a 47% increase in page engagement during the holidays.
Pro Tip: Make sure the prizes align with your brand’s offerings so the contest draws in a targeted and relevant audience.
These 12 holiday Facebook contest ideas can help you generate meaningful engagement without draining your time or resources. Whether you’re looking for high-visibility photo entries, heartfelt stories, or fast Timeline interactions, there’s a format that fits your brand’s goals and your audience’s preferences. Keep the festive spirit alive by rewarding participants and encouraging them to return daily—and you’ll likely see increased brand affinity that lasts well beyond the season.
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