Photo and video contests seem to be all the rage these days, and with good reason. Brands get useful user-generated content (UGC) from participants. Fans get deeper engagement with their favorite products…oh, and a chance to win some really cool prizes.

But, photo and video contests are not the golden ticket for Facebook success. There is a large barrier to entry because you are asking the user to take time to upload a photo or video and give your brand permission to use it. Facebook’s Terms of Service (TOS) can also make running such promotions a bit tricky. Lucky for you, we’ve put together five tips for a successful photo or video contest on Facebook.

1. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly). Asking fans to submit a photo or video is a bit more demanding than filling out a simple entry form, but there are still ways to make the process as easy as possible. Ask fans for photos of things they might already have on their computers rather than asking them to take a photo with your product in front of one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
2. Make it interactive. After all, isn’t this the essence of a social media campaign? Choose the winner based on votes from other participants. And make it easy for fans to invite friends or post submissions to their walls. Get your fans to spread the word for you.
3. Use a third party app. There are lots of rules to follow regarding contests in Facebookland, just check out their TOS. For example, did you know that you are not allowed to select a winner from fans who post photos to your wall? But, don’t fret. If you use a third party application like Idea Challenges, you can get the exact content you want without having to violate Facebook’s rules.
4. Spread the word. This applies to any sort of promotion, but you’ve gotta get the word out if you want people to participate. Promotions rarely go viral without help from savvy marketers. Send an “update to fans,” announce the promotion on your wall, reach out to key bloggers in your area of interest, run Facebook ads…the promotion possibilities are endless. Choose the options that best align with your goals for the promotion.
5. Use the content. One of the biggest “fails” from user-generated content (UGC) promotions is when the brands fail to do anything with the content. Make a special tab to spotlight the winners, or use the content for other promotional materials, like your Web site or ad campaigns.

We used these tactics in a Facebook contest with Titus Cycles this spring. The promotion generated over 100 unique tattoo designs – and thousands of brand engagements – in under a month.

We hope these tips help you produce some fantastic photo or video contests. If you have any additional tips or success stories, please share them below in the comments.