With more than a billion users currently on Facebook, it does not come as a shock to learn that the social media giant has certain rules and regulations that govern the actions of its users. In many cases, it is impossible for users to engage in certain illegal behaviors on the website but a variety of actions may break the terms and condition that you agreed to when signing up for an account or page. More and more brands have found themselves on the receiving end of punishment recently, which can be anything from a temporary ban to a full deletion of their Facebook pages. Below, we will discuss mistakes that can lead to these consequences so that you may avoid them.

Text Violations in Cover Images

Whether it pertains to your advertising, a cover image for your page or an event header, there are certain new rules that have been adopted by Facebook. The key one in this case is that cover images and advertisement images may be no more than twenty percent text, which has led to quite a few bans as of recent due to violations. Text is still allowed and this will not impact your ability to create calls to action, but users must be aware that pinging your blog‘s URL or contact information needs to be done via imagery in a more discreet fashion than in the past.

Direct Promotions via Your Page

It is vital that you do not mess up on this particular infraction, as it will always lead to a ban if caught. Promotions must be handled through third-party Facebook applications and cannot be promoted through a direct image or pure text. There are dozens of promotion-based Facebook apps available that can each be configured depending on your promotion’s exact dimensions. Nobody wants to lose the hard work that they have put into their brand’s Facebook page, so be sure to follow these guidelines. In summary: do not hold a promotion that encourages users to share photos or status updates – use third-party applications and post to the page using them instead.

Collecting User Information Without Consent

This one can be a bit tricky to understand, but those pages who specifically ask for user information for a variety of purposes (email lists for pinging your blog or site are a common example) will need to ensure that a few criteria are met beforehand. First, it must be made clear that consent is being given by the user in question to submit said information. Second, it should be stated that your brand/page is the one collecting the information, not Facebook itself. Finally, you need a privacy policy that dictates how this information can be used. Pages found in violation of this will receive swift bans and not be allowed to return to Facebook.

Conclusion

Every Facebook page admin should take the time to read the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities and also the Facebook Page Guidelines in order to ensure compliance. There are dozens of ways in which you could have your Facebook page banned on accident, but the aforementioned violations are among the most common. If you are unsure whether a certain action is allowed, consult the terms and conditions or simply do not engage in the behavior.