Inside Facebook
Inside Facebook |
- Hearsay Social Helps Corporations Manage the Facebook Pages of Their Local Branches
- Appssavvy, ValueClick and More Networks Join Facebook’s Ad Providers Whitelist
- Soft-World Brings Pre-Paid Cards for Facebook Credits to Key Chinese-Language Markets
- Highlights This Week from the Inside Network Job Board: Digital Chocolate, Games Cafe, & More
- Facebook Deals Also Now Available for Windows Phone 7 and in Canada
- GraphEffect Secures $2 Million in Funding to Expand Its Facebook Ads API Services
- Android, Foursquare, Microsoft Lead in This Week’s List of Top Growing Facebook Apps by DAU
| Hearsay Social Helps Corporations Manage the Facebook Pages of Their Local Branches Posted: 03 Feb 2011 05:00 AM PST
As the only platform designed specifically for corporate/local, Hearsay Social could solve a complex and growing problem in exchange for enormous licensing fees from flush corporations.
The fact is that corporations need both an international and a local presence on social media, especially Facebook. Granting branches, franchises, and representatives digital autonomy can lead to them misrepresenting the brand, violating FINRA and other federal regulations that mandate communication limits and archiving, and failing to fully engage their potential audience. Conversely, running tens of thousands of local Pages, Twitter accounts, and LinkedIn networks from a central command is unruly and inauthentic if not impossible. Most existing Page management solutions are designed for running a few dozen horizontally-integrated Pages, and don’t address compliance. Independent research indicates that due to compliance concerns, only 21% of insurance and financial professionals use social media for business, compared to 64% socially. The cost of compliance lawsuits and the lost potential from inefficient and neglected social media presences mean corporations are in dire need of a solution. Hearsay Social FeaturesHearsay Social supports the hierarchical relationship between corporations and local branches by providing each with a specifically tailored interface. Corporations can compose posts and configure tab applications such as landing pages, Twitter and YouTube that can then be distributed to the admins of all the local branches. The reps can then localize the updates and app templates with relevant information and photos and share them with their own fan bases. This allows for the coordination of global campaigns, and shifts the burden of content creation to corporate, where production efforts benefit can benefit all the local branches. This solves the problem of local representatives ceasing to engage their fan bases because they can’t think of anything to post. An optimized scheduling tool lets posts be published at a later date when user engagement is highest. Keyword flags and filters can be set up by corporate that prevent posting of prohibited content such as profanity or stock tips. Corporate is notified of such attempts, and can choose to permit or delete the post, and add a note to explain its decision. All posts and messages, including LinkedIn messages thanks to a private API, are archived for 10 years to comply with regulations. Corporations can view real-time analytics detailing the fan acquisition and engagement progress of all its local branches, helping it identify representatives that are underperforming. Posts, Likes, comments, admin actions, total number of active branches, and specific geographic regions can all be monitored. A single post composed by corporate can be tracked across all the branches that posted it, providing accurate marketing performance assessments. The local admin view includes a basic CRM tool designed to help representatives track customers. Early results from the launch partners are promising. State Farm was able to achieve 100% regulation compliance, and 24 Fitness saw higher engagement from both consumers as well as local club staff. Of the 15,000 Farmers Insurance agents who received the local admin tool, more than 90% quadrupled their number of Facebook fans and quintupled user feedback in the first 60 days. However, these relative statistics could merely indicate very low initial fan counts and engagement for the Farmers Insurance local Pages. The demo we saw of the product seemed powerful and full featured, yet simple enough that most representatives could use it with a little training, which Hearsay provides through webinars and other materials. Clara Shih told us she thinks Hearsay Social is a multi-billion dollar business because “Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are serious disruptions that are changing the relationships and interactions of companies have with their customers, and that’s why they’re seeking new tools.” Hearsay Social proficiently allows a corporation to manage the social media presences of all levels of its business. The challenge will be conveying the complex issue, which Hearsay attempts through an animated video, and convincing brands that the security and brand lift the SaaS provides is worth its lofty price tag.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appssavvy, ValueClick and More Networks Join Facebook’s Ad Providers Whitelist Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:37 PM PST Facebook has updated its Ad Providers whitelist to include six more advertising networks. Platform application developers are only supposed to work with the listed networks, though Facebook is yet to specify a penalty for non-compliance. Still noticeably absent is Google’s AdSense network, meaning the company has yet to sign on to Facebook’s Platform Terms. Facebook has been updating the list every two weeks or so with more networks, 40 in total now. The newcomers include high profile networks such as appssavvy and ValueClick as well as international networks from France and Germany. Those newly added to the list are: ad:C Media is a German performance media company specializing in placing ads in e-commerce and shopping environments. The company also provides SEO and affiliate marketing services. appssavvy helps brands deliver their message by leveraging existing audiences and social activity through custom integrated sponsorships of games, video and applications. Its direct advertising team has previously struck deals with Zynga and LivingSocial. Blue Noodle provides in-social game video advertising services, helping brands get their videos watched through incentivized views, pre-rolls, and other video ad units. MakeMeReach is a French marketing company that focuses on social advertising for French and European brands such as Orange mobile and L’Oreal. ValueClick is an established independent ad network that offers typical online advertising placement as well as a full-service suite. Ybrant Digital offers Facebook, social game, mobile, and display marketing services. It recently received $48 million in funding, and launched its new FBM Facebook marketing technology that “personalizes messages into micro-segmented groups”.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soft-World Brings Pre-Paid Cards for Facebook Credits to Key Chinese-Language Markets Posted: 02 Feb 2011 02:09 PM PST Last week at our Inside Social Apps conference, Facebook Credits lead Deb Liu told the audience that Facebook is planning to introduce more and more payment options for specific markets around the world. The goal is to help users more easily buy Credits through the payment options they’re familiar with. A great example of that actually launched last week, although the news was only picked up in local press. Soft-World International, a developer and distributor of massively multiplayer online games and related products in Taiwan and mainland China, is introducing a version of its MyCard pre-paid cards for Facebook Credits as part of what it’s calling a strategic relationship between the two companies. The cards are available in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau now — Chinese-speaking areas that, unlike mainland China, do not block Facebook. The point is to help convert the millions of avid social gamers in the region to paying customers. Soft-World is clearly making the most of the deal, blanketing its landing page with more information about it. The economically strong market has been getting bigger and bigger for Facebook, despite the ban on the mainland. The latest data from our Inside Facebook Gold report shows 11.8 million monthly active Facebook users in Taiwan as of February 1, 3.70 million in Hong Kong and 187,000 in Macau. Nearly all of the Taiwan and Macau users, and two-thirds of the Hong Kong users are using Facebook in Chinese — around 14 million of the 18.3 million Chinese-language Facebook users in the world. Anecdotal reports from developers over the past year or two suggest that social games have been driving Facebook adoption. The increasing prevalence of social games in Chinese, including a heavily localized version of FarmVille from Zynga, indicates the success developers have been having from monetizing these users. Facebook’s entrance is no surprise. A report from Taiwan-based technology publication DigiTimes about the Soft-World deal reveals more about the market. In addition to Facebook, Soft-World has already cooperated with several operators of social network games at Facebook, such as 6Waves and Playfish, to provide pre-payment services, bringing in average revenues of NT$150 million (US$4.6 million) a month in 2010, according to industry sources in Taiwan. In other words, that’s money that hasn’t previously gone through Credits, that now is going to — Facebook will be getting its 30% cut, and hoping that it can further grow revenue for developers on top of that. Based on the operation of Facebook games in the Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao markets, Soft-World will generate revenues of an estimated NT$3 billion a year from MyCard Facebook, the sources indicated. However, Soft-World would have a gross margin of as low as 2-3%, the sources said, adding this shows that the deal will not bring substantial profits for Soft-World but may afford many business opportunities derived from the large Facebook user base. That’s around $35 million a year if the sources’ estimates prove correct. The gross margin for Soft-World is likely similar to what most other payment providers get through Credits — not that much, but also around the typical amount that payment providers get in a competitive market, anyway. For more on Credits expansion, check out our video of Deb’s panel, here. The Credits discussion starts at minute 14:15.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highlights This Week from the Inside Network Job Board: Digital Chocolate, Games Cafe, & More Posted: 02 Feb 2011 11:39 AM PST The Inside Network Job Board is dedicated to providing you with the best job opportunities in the Facebook Platform and social gaming ecosystem. Here are this week's highlights from the Inside Network Job Board, including positions at Digital Chocolate, Games Cafe, Meteor Games, Gaia Interactive, and Ubisoft.
Listings on the Inside Network Job Board are distributed to readers of Inside Facebook and Inside Social Games through regular posts and widgets on the sites. That way, you can be sure that your open positions are being seen by the leading developers, product managers, marketers, designers, and executives in the Facebook Platform and social gaming industry today.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook Deals Also Now Available for Windows Phone 7 and in Canada Posted: 02 Feb 2011 11:37 AM PST The Facebook Deals location-based promotions is now available for Windows Phone 7. It also became available in Canada earlier this week along with being rolled out to Europe and Android devices. By expanding the feature’s potential user base, Facebook can achieve the critical mass necessary to spread awareness via the feed and attract businesses to offer Deals.
According to the new Deals page that includes a nearby Deals locator, Facebook for Windows Phone 7 users can now view and redeem promotions. Now the only major phone operating systems without Deals are Blackberry, which didn’t receive Places until November, and Palm webOS, whose users had to wait until December to be able to check in. Last we heard, Facebook for Windows Phone 7 still didn’t have push notification or Chat, though, keeping it at the bottom of the pack in terms of Facebook app features, despite Deals access. With the most of the popular smart phone operating systems and citizens of many first world nations able to claim Deals, Facebook now needs to produce hard data demonstrating that the feature can attract new customers and increase loyalty.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GraphEffect Secures $2 Million in Funding to Expand Its Facebook Ads API Services Posted: 02 Feb 2011 10:31 AM PST
The funding indicates growing investor interest in the Facebook Ads API as a crucial part of any online marketing strategy.
Founded last year by Clark Landry and James Borow, GraphEffect soon reached profitability. Its clients include LiveNation, Sears, Kleenex, and Bacardi. Ad spend from these major brands can be up to hundreds of thousands of dollars a month, of which Ads API service providers can take between 2% and 20% depending on advertiser commitment. Investors, including Thrive Capital, CrossCut Ventures, Rincon Venture Partners, Founder Collective, Lerer Ventures and Baroda Ventures that joined the round, are likely betting that more brands will be shifting their advertising budget to Facebook. Coffin’s former company Experian just acquired Techlightenment, which includes Ads API tool Alechemy, so he may of taken the hint. We expect more Page management companies and traditional marketers to look for access to the Ads API industry this year, either through acquisition, partnership, or internal development. There’s simply too much money to be made in the industry for them to stay out.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Android, Foursquare, Microsoft Lead in This Week’s List of Top Growing Facebook Apps by DAU Posted: 02 Feb 2011 07:45 AM PST
Facebook for Android topped the list this week, adding more than 618,400 DAUs — millions of people around the world are buying Android phones then using their devices to access Facebook. Top Gainers This Week
Aside from a few regulars, like Windows Live Messenger, location game Foursquare posted a big jump in growth for unclear reasons over the last day or so. Then there were a few apps that utilized Valentine’s Day themes to help bring in users. Horoscopes, which came in second on the list with a 16% increase of 515,000 DAUs, has been running Valentine’s- and Super Bowl-themed content. Zoo World also has been running a Valentine’s Day-themed welcome in its game, perhaps enticing users to utilize the game for holiday purposes in addition to gaming. Touch HD added 96,500 daily active users since last week, a 1,569% increase for them. The app allows users to customize the interface of Facebook on their iPads and iPhone 4s. PicBadges added a bunch of users in the past week, too; an Egyptian flag app it promoted on its Wall appears to have caught on due to all of the Egypt talk in everyone’s news feeds. Among other apps, Badoo slid down from its second place position last week when it counted a gain of more than 2.4 million DAUs; what goes up must come down and this week that share was down to 89,200. Zynga's games, Texas Hold'em Poker in fourth place and FarmVille in seventh, growth that continues to be incredible, given their age and size — both games have among the most daily active users on the list with 7.5 million and 15 million, respectively. Kebap Dünyası also showed tremendous percentage gain this week, the ArcadeMonk game is in Turkish and promises to help people become "masters of the kebob." In the past week Kebap Dünyası added most of its 90,000 DAU.  |
Powerful investors seem to agree, as Hearsay is backed by Sequoia Capital as well an elite selection of angel investors including Ron Conway, Dave Morin, Thomas Layton of OpenTable, Michael Abbott of Twitter, Steve Chen of YouTube, and Aaron Sittig of Facebook. Led by Clara Shih, author of The Facebook Era, Hearsay Corporation’s nearly thirty employees have been working on the product for a year. Corporate launch partners Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and 24 Hour Fitness have already signed six and seven figure contracts.
Canada was the fourth country to get access to Places back in the September, and is likewise one the first outside the U.S. to get Deals. Several Canadian brands including Indigo Books and Retail, Garage clothing, and Telus telecommunications are now offering lucrative promotions such as 40% off, $10 off, and spend $25 for a $25 gift voucher. These promotions are more valuable than those initially launched in Europe, indicating higher confidence in Facebook Deals amongst Canadian brands.
GraphEffect, formerly Focused Labs, previously developed 
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Gogo Inflight Internet, which provides commercial airplanes with Wi-Fi hotspots, has announced it will provide Facebook access for free to passengers on seven major airlines during the month of February. By giving users access to a channel filled with links to interesting content posted by their friends, they’re likely to want to purchase the ability to follow those link
