You've probably seen them: Facebook competitions that need you to "Like" and "Share" a post to enter to win. They are ubiquitous, drawing customers in with alluring benefits like the newest technological advancements or luxurious getaways.

But before you click the "Like" button or share the article, let's pause and consider your agreement. Here are a few reasons why participating in these contests might not be as advantageous as it seems.

Your Privacy Matters: Facebook users frequently change their privacy settings to restrict access to their posts to friends or friends of friends. In certain circumstances, even if you 'Share' a competition post, the page hosting the competition might be unable to view your entry unless you change the privacy settings for that particular post. Although it is possible to change the privacy settings for specific posts, many users forget, making their participation pointless.

'Like and Share' campaigns are a type of low-quality advertising which encourages Facebook spam. Users are frequently irritated by the posts' influx of unrelated stuff they didn't want in their newsfeeds. Like receiving an unsolicited email from a business might annoy you; constant competitive posts on Facebook can make people less likely to support the business and even their friends who shared the information. 

Such advertisements hardly ever improve the Facebook user experience and, at their worst, can be intrusive and off-putting.

Quantity over quality: Several businesses hold contests to increase the number of "Likes" on their Facebook page. But since Facebook's upgrade now permits users to comment or like a post without first liking the page, these likes are fleeting and of lower value. Additionally, many participants are contest enthusiasts who have no genuine interest in your business and may even hide your posts after interacting, which tells Facebook that your material is of low quality and reduces your reach in the future.

Competitions can certainly increase page interaction, but what benefit does this engagement provide? Does it turn participants into potential clients, and if so, how well are you gathering their contact information to turn them into leads? Although it can be wonderful to see a rush of activity on your page without a clear business goal, this engagement frequently amounts to meaningless statistics. Additionally, it may be detrimental to your future reach if users hide your posts due to saturation.

False Customer Loyalty: Ideally, social media marketing should be goal-oriented, whether it's to raise sales, promote a particular product or service, or drive more internet traffic.

While sharing a contest post hundreds of times may feel satisfying, the issue still stands: What do you know about these sharers? Are they prospective clients or merely competition hounds? The increase in short-term, low-quality interaction is likely not worth the potential loss of future reach.

Ultimately, Facebook's terms and conditions expressly prohibit like and share contests. If Facebook detects any instances of such competitions being conducted, there is a risk that they may enforce a ban and revoke your access to their platform.