Why Like & Share Competitions Might Be Holding Your Business Back

If you’ve ever dabbled in like and share competitions—whether as a social media guru, manager, or hands-on business owner—you’re not alone.

They might seem like a fun shortcut to boost your numbers, but a lot more is happening behind the scenes that could harm your long-term growth.

Beyond the Numbers

It’s tempting to celebrate the spike in likes and shares that these competitions deliver. However, while your follower count may look impressive at first glance, those new followers are often only in it for the freebie.

Once the competition ends, many of them disappear, leaving you with a bloated, disengaged audience that doesn’t truly care about your brand / business. This not only skews your analytics but also makes it harder to understand what your engaged audience really wants.

Shifting the Focus to What Matters

Imagine if, instead of just chasing likes and shares, you focused on capturing something even more valuable—emails. By building an email list, you can nurture genuine relationships with people who are truly interested in your message. Emails let you bypass the often unpredictable world of social media algorithms and reach your audience directly. In the long run, this means more meaningful engagement and a stronger connection with your community.

The Risks of Like & Share Competitions

There’s another side to this strategy that you might not see right away: Facebook’s rules. Facebook’s terms and conditions explicitly prohibit like and share competitions. Despite this, you might still notice them popping up everywhere—even from brands that seem rock-solid. The reality is that if Facebook catches you running these types of promotions, there’s a chance your page could be shut down. That risk is simply not worth it.

The Challenge of Fairness

Another point to consider is that due to users’ privacy settings, a like-and-share competition doesn’t always work the way you might expect. It’s hard to ensure a level playing field when some people’s posts might not be fully visible to their networks. In other words, the results you see might not reflect a fair competition, making it difficult to measure true engagement or reach.

Building a Strategy That Lasts

It’s time to rethink your approach. Instead of focusing on quick, superficial wins, why not invest in building a genuine relationship with your audience?

By focusing on creating valuable content and capturing email addresses, you’re setting the stage for a more sustainable and effective digital strategy.

With a strong email list, you can speak directly to your audience, share insights, nurture relationships, and ultimately build a community that’s excited to support you—no algorithms or fleeting competitions required.

In a world where social platforms are tightening their rules and engagement metrics can be misleading, a strategy built on genuine connection is your best bet.

Shift your focus from chasing temporary numbers to fostering lasting relationships, and watch your community—and your business—grow in ways that truly matter.