Inside Facebook
Inside Facebook |
- Third-Party Facebook Mobile Utility Apps Integrate Hardware to Offer Lightweight Social Experiences
- Facebook for iPhone 4.0 Update Ports New iPad App Design and Features
- Facebook Makes Its Move: Brings Viral Channels to HTML5, iOS Apps
- Facebook Finally Releases Official iPad App With Multi-Conversation Chat, Photo Browser and More
- Facebook Acquires Interest Graph-Focused Question and Answer Service Friend.ly
- Featured Facebook Campaigns: Comida Kraft, First Alert, Lipsy and VEVO
- Birthdays, Spotify, Photos, Report Cards and More on This Week’s Top 20 Growing Facebook Apps by MAU
| Third-Party Facebook Mobile Utility Apps Integrate Hardware to Offer Lightweight Social Experiences Posted: 10 Oct 2011 06:30 PM PDT Several developers released new Facebook-integrated mobile web apps today to coincide with the launch of Facebook’s mobile application platform. The Huffington Post, Flixster, AudioVroom and others provide an early showcase of the potential of the platform, including the ability to integrate with a mobile device’s GPS, media player, audio output, and more. While less full-featured than Facebook web apps and slower than native smartphone apps, these third-party Facebook mobile platform apps demonstrate how lightweight experiences built on top of the social graph can provide utility.
Here’s how four of the utility app mobile platform launch partners are integrating social and native phone features into their mobile Facebook apps: HuffPost for Facebook- The Huffington Post’s news reader mobile web app shows a iOS hardware access request to “use your current location”, which allows it surface local news from its Patch network in a “Nearby” tab. This feature will make it especially useful those who want to learn about their surroundings without visiting a dedicated local news site. By pulling a user’s interests and friends, HuffPost can also provide recommendations of articles that friends are reading, Liking, commenting on, or that relate to one’s Likes.
Flixster – This movie reviews Facebook mobile app lets users select to watch film trailers which are instantly opened in the iPhone’s QuickTime player. The app makes it easy to find out what’s in theaters, watch trailers to determine what to see, and then share plans with friends. Flixster also has a native iPhone app so in some cases it will launch that app if installed or open the App Store to download it.
BranchOut – The Facebook canvas app for professional networking now also has a mobile platform version. Streamlined to promote real-time activity, the app defaults to its status update publisher that lets users post simple text updates with those they’ve established BranchOut connections to. This differs significantly from the web app which starts by showing users job opportunities and other more complex options. AudioVroom- This mobile music app creates a streaming radio station based on a user’s Facebook Likes. Music is output directly through a mobile device’s speakers or headphone jack. For those who want mobile streaming radio but don’t want to spend time teaching Pandora their preferences may enjoy AudioVroom.
Facebook doesn’t yet allow mobile apps to integrate with the Open Graph. It says it will soon, though, so mobile platform apps will then be able to publish activity to the Timeline and Ticker in order to attract new users. It will take time for developers to realize the true strengths of Facebook’s mobile platform and see what resonates with users in this new medium. It will need polish in the form of tools and documentation if Facebook wants developers to choose it instead of or as a complement to building native apps for iOS or Android. If Facebook can help guide its launch partners to create unique experiences that show off its deep ties with the social graph, it could convince more utility app developers to experiment with its mobile platform. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook for iPhone 4.0 Update Ports New iPad App Design and Features Posted: 10 Oct 2011 03:33 PM PDT Facebook for iPhone users now have access to all the new features for in the official Facebook for iPad app that launched this morning. Now available in the App Store, the 4.0 update includes a major redesign of the navigation system that facilitates quick switching between features, and the ability to access third-party mobile apps. The new features can also be found on Facebook’s mobile sites m.facebook.com and touch.facebook.com, which can both be accessed from Android phones that have yet to receive native Facebook app update with the lastest changes.
The update to Facebook for iPhone’s 91 million monthly active users and 51 million daily active users gives developers a huge new distribution channel for their mobile web and iPhone apps.
One of the worst things about the old Facebook for iPhone app was the grid screen navigation. If users wanted to switch between in-house Facebook apps such as the news feed, Photos, Messages, and notifications, they had to exit their currently used app to the grid screen, then dive back into another app. This process was both cumbersome and sometimes caused users to lose their place — something especially annoying when one went to look for new Messages or notifications, saw they had none, and wanted to return to the previously used feature. The slowness of switching apps through the grid screen contributed to Facebook spinning out Messages as a standalone app, and preparing a dedicated native Photos app. Facebook for iPhone 4.0 reduces the friction of app switching through a slide-out navigation menu that is accessible from any screen and houses all in-house and third-party app bookmarks. Users can open the navigation menu, but then easily close it to resume their previous activity.
Similarly, a floating top navigation bar gives persistent access to Messages, notifications, and requests. When their icons are clicked, an overlaid screen slides up from the bottom and slides back down revealing the previously used app when a user is done.
When users click on the bookmark, search result, or news feed link for a native iPhone app, that app is instantly launched if already installed, or the App Store is loaded so users can download it. Bookmarks to web apps on Facebook’s new mobile app platform are launched within Facebook for iPhone’s internal browser, and users merely need to confirm their login — they don’t have to reenter their username or password.
The app does lack some of Facebook.com’s newest features. There’s no way to subscribe to someone’s public updates or edit your Friend Lists or Smart Lists. Facebook has also removed the ability to filter the news feed by Friend Lists, which previously allowed users to select to only see updates from a subset of friends. Hopefully these features will be integrated soon. Facebook for iPhone hasn’t received such a major redesign since its launch years ago. At first, some users will surely be grumpy about having to relearn how to navigate the app. With time, though, we believe users will grow to appreciate the streamlined navigation and ability to access their web and native apps. By becoming an app portal and reducing navigation fatigue, Facebook for iPhone’s 100 million MAU milestone could be right around the corner. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook Makes Its Move: Brings Viral Channels to HTML5, iOS Apps Posted: 10 Oct 2011 01:46 PM PDT
Facebook finally unveiled its long-awaited effort to help mobile developers market their native and HTML5-based apps through its platform today. iOS developers will get to take advantage of bookmarks, requests and the news feed in the same way that Facebook canvas developers do. The interesting parts of today’s launch are: Facebook is playing nice with Apple on viral distribution for native iOS apps, not just HTML5-based ones: If a developer wants to distribute a native application, Facebook’s notifications will send prospective users to the iTunes app store. So Facebook is not pressuring developers to build HTML5 apps in order to use its viral channels. This is a big deal because the HTML5-requirement was perceived as a hurdle for adoption of Facebook’s mobile platform. Both indie and mid-size developers have difficulty splitting their resources between building natively and on HTML5. Furthermore, there’s still a noticeable performance disparity between native and HTML5 applications — especially with games, which are the largest revenue driver on both platforms. It’s unclear if Facebook will get affiliate revenue for the downloads it drives of paid apps. Parallel viral channels on Android will be coming soon. There’s no official date though. Facebook Credits have arrived for mobile web apps (as was widely anticipated): HTML5 developers that want to use Credits as their payment mechanism must use it exclusively. Native iOS apps have to use Apple’s payment system, however. This split in payments between web-based and native apps is expected given that Apple is unlikely to give up revenue from in-app payments and paid downloads. For more analysis and a rundown of key viral channels for developers, continue reading on Inside Mobile Apps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook Finally Releases Official iPad App With Multi-Conversation Chat, Photo Browser and More Posted: 10 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT Facebook has just released its official iPad app. The tablet device was unveiled in January 2010, but development and negotiations with Apple stalled the release of Facebook’s app until now. Facebook for iPad is now available in App Store. A slide-out navigation bar will allow users to briskly move between the app’s many features. Persistent access to notifications, messages, and requests means users can check for new alerts without having to losing their place as they do with Facebook for iPhone’s dedicated navigation grid screen. Other features include multi-conversation Chat and a full-screen photo browser. With the iPad app available, Facebook today also announced the launch of its mobile application platform, which you can read more about here. Users will be able to access third-party apps and games from the official Facebook for iPad app, with bookmarks opening previously installed native apps or leading to the App Store where users can download them.
Users have been requesting an official Facebook app since the tablet device’s launch. The developer of the Facebook for iPad app left the company late last month, citing frustration that the app had been ready for so long but not shipped due to stalled negotiations with Apple. The issues were likely surrounding how the iPad would act as a portal to third-party apps. Apple was likely fighting for bookmarks to open native apps. Facebook wanted them to lead to HTML5 web apps where it could earn revenue from in-app purchases made using Facebook Credits. In the meantime, users have had to use Facebook for iPhone on their iPad, which didn’t provide an experience optimized for the tablet’s screen size. Alternatively, they could use third-party Facebook for iPad apps, some of which grew to support over one million daily active users. Developers of these apps have been scrambling to differentiate themselves in anticipation of the official Facebook for iPad app launch. We reviewed much of the iPad app’s functionality in July when it leaked as part of a Facebook for iPhone software update. Here’s a summary of the app’s design and features: Slide-Out Navigation – Users can slide out a navigation menu from the left sidebar to switch between core in-house apps. Notifications, Requests, and Messages can be accessed from the top of every screen via overlaid drop-downs.
Multi-Conversation Chat – A two-pane interface lets users select between conversations on the left and send instant messages from the right. The Chat buddy list can be revealed while using other features so users can quickly check to see if a friend is online.
Full-Screen Photo Browsing – Photos can be viewed and browsed full-screen on the iPad. A thin, revealable photo strip at the bottom of the screen lets users quickly scroll back and forth within an album or feed. Gestures permit zooming, and users can also record HD video or watch it in-line from the news feed.
Mobile App Access – From the navigation menu, users will be able to access bookmarks to open Facebook and native iPad apps they’ve already installed. Users can also search for new apps or discover them through friends. When uninstalled apps are clicked, Facebook for iPad will open the Apple App Store or the app’s web interface. Third-party Facebook iPad app traffic may plummet, but developers of these apps knew it was only a matter of time. The rest of the development community has just gained a powerful new channel through which users can discover and access their apps. Users have finally been granted their wish of an official Facebook for iPad app. . There are many times when users want a richer Facebook experience than available from their phones, but they don’t want to have to lug around their laptop or return to their desk. The iPad app’s laidback experience may drive users to spend more time on Facebook while relaxing on their couch or traveling. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook Acquires Interest Graph-Focused Question and Answer Service Friend.ly Posted: 10 Oct 2011 11:10 AM PDT Facebook has acquired friend.ly, developers of a Facebook-integrated website that lets users get to know their friend better by asking them questions about their interests. The friend.ly website will continue to operate, but the team will be “focusing on new projects at Facebook” according to an announcement on friend.ly’s blog. The friend.ly team’s experience getting people to reveal things about their identities could help Facebook coax more biographical data from users. This data could then be used to strengthen ad targeting.
What distinguishes friend.ly from other question and answer services is that it bases the questions that it suggests users ask on the Facebook interest graph. Friend.ly pulls a user’s Likes and the Likes of their friends, and then suggests relevant questions. For example, if it finds that a friend Likes “skiing”, it might suggest a user ask them where their favorite place to ski is. If a user Likes CNN, they might receive the question “What do you like about CNN?” Users can select to share their answers to their Facebook wall, Twitter, or the wall of an official Page related to the question, all of which drive referral traffic to the service.
This interest graph question strategy provides much more compelling questions than the random, spammy, or purposefully controversial ones suggested by some other Q&A services. This leads to a higher rate of users actually sending the questions and receiving responses back.
We profiled friend.ly in April during the middle of a rapid growth period brought on by this strategy. It gained 6.5 million monthly active users and 350,000 daily active users in a few short months. Since peaking in June and July, the site has fallen back to just 291,000 MAU 10,00 DAU. This could be in part due to a switch to less spammy tactics where sharing is opt in rather than opt out. Such respect for the Facebook user experience may have attracted the social networking giant as an acquirer. The friend.ly blog post announcing the acquisition stated, “We're excited about this because we feel the spirit of friend.ly aligns well with Facebook's vision, and we're thrilled to be joining such an innovative company.” The acquisition price hasn’t been disclosed, but some of it will go to compensate friend.ly’s investors who put up $5 million in funding, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Balderton Capital, Ron Conway, Jeff Clavier, Naval Ravikant, and Michael Birch. Friend.ly Could Improve Facebook Ads, Profiles, Questions and the New User FlowBiographical and interest data powers Facebook’s ad targeting, allowing businesses to reach audiences who may be more interested in their products or services. The December 2010 profile redesign that brought biographical information onto the default view, and the new Timeline which makes a user’s media consumption activity visible both push users to provide more of this targetable data. Friend.ly struck upon an effective, natural, social way to get users to share this same type of data. Through the acquisiton, Facebook could apply friend.ly’s team to building similar data solicitation into its future products. Some possible projects it could work on are Facebook’s ads for Pages and the Suggested Pages sidebar module, both of which suggest Pages for users to Like. Currently, the products are rather dry, with following the suggestions seeming more akin to a chore than a fun way to express oneself. Facebook has removed the “Add Interests” step of the new user flow, so friend.ly could help rebuild it in a better way.
By integrating compelling questions about a user’s interests into Page ads, Facebook could provide a higher conversion rate that brands might be willing to pay more for. An improvement to Recommended Pages and the new user flow could help Facebook encourage users to Like more Pages so that their news feeds are filled with interesting content.
Friend.ly could also build a Q&A product into the user profile. This could give users questions to answer about themselves while viewing their own profile. These questions could increase the amount of time users spend on their own profiles, outfit the Timeline and news feed with high quality social content, and also provide Facebook with more targetable data. The team could also be assigned to improving Facebook Questions, the social network’s in-house Q&A product that it launched as a knowledge base in July 2010, and redesigned as a lighter-weight polling app in March 2011. While fun for users and a powerful marketing tool for Pages, I rarely see Questions in the news feed and I don’t hear about readers or marketers using the product. Overall engagement may be low. Friend.ly’s knack for making Q&A engaging could help it fix that. The friend.ly acquisition follows Facebook’s recent buyouts and acqui-hires of digital book creator Push Pop, developer tool provider Sofa, personal analytics firm Daytum, and HTML5 experts Recrec. When I spoke to Facebook’s VP of Engineering Mike Schroepfer last month, he told me about how Facebook has changed thanks to the talent from these companies:
Friend.ly’s team should assist in this acceleration. With the team responsible for getting millions of users answering and asking their friends questions, Facebook can further its goal of getting users to share more, and improve its monetization at the same time. Here’s Facebook’s official statement: We're excited to announce that we recently acquired friend.ly, a Silicon Valley startup that created a really compelling way for people to express themselves and meet others through answering questions. We've admired the team's efforts for some time now, and we're looking forward to having Ed and his colleagues make a big impact on the way millions of people connect and engage with each other on Facebook | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Featured Facebook Campaigns: Comida Kraft, First Alert, Lipsy and VEVO Posted: 10 Oct 2011 10:20 AM PDT Contests once again were a key way that some brands sought out and engaged fans on Facebook this past week. First Alert (a maker of fire alarms) is giving away a trip to Chicago to bring attention to fire safety and prevent catastrophes such as The Great Chicago Fire, and online video site VEVO is giving away music-related prizes such as iPods and concert tickets as the Page marches towards 2 million Likes. You can see the full week's coverage in the Facebook Marketing Bible, which also includes detailed breakdowns of over 100 other featured campaigns by top-performing brands and other organization on Facebook.
First Alert's The Great Escape SweepstakesGoal: Page Growth, Network Exposure, Brand Loyalty, Public Service Announcement Core Mechanic: First Alert is the maker of safety equipment like fire alarms and is promoting a sweepstakes in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week and Fire Prevention Month. The sweepstakes offers as a grand prize a trip to Chicago, where the Great Chicago Fire took place. Method: The sweepstakes is wound into the brand and the purpose for the brand's products. The company's Director of External Affairs, Debbie Hanson, told us that the main point was to try to make something important like safety messaging fun. "It's always a struggle to come up with how to make safety exciting," Hanson said, noting that the principle goal of the campaign was Page growth, and that First Alert's Facebook community enjoys a straightforward sweepstakes. The campaign has also had a good response in terms of sharing and network exposure. "We are really finding that Facebook is becoming increasingly important to bring people into the space for us," she added, noting that post views since the campaign began are up 90%. Impact: The Page grew past 6,000 Likes since the promotion began and about 700 people were mentioning the Page last week, that number is up to 1,300 today. Overall the prizes aligned well with the goal of the contest and this appears to be a useful strategy for organizations trying to get out public service announcements. PageData shows dramatic growth over the past few days, since the contest began. How are top brands in the industry designing their Facebook marketing campaigns? See the Facebook Marketing Bible for detailed breakdowns of hundreds of Featured Campaigns by top-performing brands and businesses on Facebook. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birthdays, Spotify, Photos, Report Cards and More on This Week’s Top 20 Growing Facebook Apps by MAU Posted: 10 Oct 2011 08:09 AM PDT
The titles on our list gained the most MAU of any apps on the platform, growing from between 329,000 and 7.8 million MAU, based on AppData, our data tracking service covering traffic growth for apps on Facebook. Top Gainers This Week
MyCalendar – Birthdays grew by 3.4 million MAU, 21 Perguntas grew by 581,200 MAU and MiCalendario grew by 454,400 MAU. Each of these asks users to invite their friends before being able to use the app. Then there were the report card apps that "rate" your Facebook friends, publishing a photo and perhaps tagging your friends in the process. These were Profile Report Card with 551,900 MAU and My Report Card with 329,000 MAU.
The Guardian's app continued to grow this week, by 1.1 million MAU. Then fbpotterapps.com grew by 1.1 million MAU; the app allows you to select a Harry Potter figure and publish a photo to the stream, inviting your friends to follow suit. Another photo app, Banner de perfil en espagnol, grew by more than 1 million MAU and creates a photo banner at the top of your profile. Another photo app, TopFace, which doubles as a dating app grew by 708,700 MAU.
Spotify continued its growth, too, with 879,00 MAU this week. The rest of the list included an app that doesn't appear to work, Text Page, with 984,600 MAU. State Farm Welcome grew by 404,100 MAU and also doesn't appear to work. Then Page tab app Static HTML: iframe tabs grew by 382,500 MAU and musician app for Pages, BandRx, grew by 361,600 MAU. All data in this post comes from our traffic tracking service, AppData. Stay tuned for our look at the top weekly gainers by daily active users on Wednesday, and the top emerging apps on Friday. |
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