Metrics: Where Users Come From Eric Yieh, Director of Product Management

What is RockYou? RockYou is the leading provider of widgets on the web—we provide tools for people to express individuality and interact with friends. Self Expression Slideshows Glitter Text Fun Notes PhotoFX Voicemail Countdown Timer Corkboard Voice Comment Scratcher Gizmoz Games Social Interaction: Connection & Discovery Super Wall Horoscopes Hug Me Likeness Likeness Unrated Zombies Vampires Werewolves Emote MyGifts

Self Expression

Slideshows

Glitter Text

Fun Notes

PhotoFX

Voicemail

Countdown Timer

Corkboard

Voice Comment

Scratcher

Gizmoz

Games

Social Interaction: Connection & Discovery

Super Wall

Horoscopes

Hug Me

Likeness

Likeness Unrated

Zombies

Vampires

Werewolves

Emote

MyGifts

“ To engage the world through social applications” The RockYou Mission

“ To engage the world through social applications”

Source: eBay Investor Presentation, RockYou eBay starts Q2 98, PayPal starts Q1’00, Yahoo! starts Q1’95, AOL starts Q1’92, Facebook starts Q4’04, and RockYou Starts Q4’05 Facebook data represents active users, which was disclosed on 12/05 and 12/06. Undisclosed active user data is extrapolated by applying an average active user penetration to global Unique Visitors (per comScore Media Metrix) (2) Registered Users (MM) Fastest growing company ever by reach Facebook platform launch

Source: eBay Investor Presentation, RockYou

eBay starts Q2 98, PayPal starts Q1’00, Yahoo! starts Q1’95, AOL starts Q1’92, Facebook starts Q4’04, and RockYou Starts Q4’05

Facebook data represents active users, which was disclosed on 12/05 and 12/06. Undisclosed active user data is extrapolated by applying an average active user penetration to global Unique Visitors (per comScore Media Metrix)

How did we grow so fast? Rise of open platforms + laser-like focus on metrics and viral channels Flash Widget Era Profile Bulletin Profile Requests Notifications Email News Feed Profile action Profile Messages Notifications Email Activity stream Home surface

Rise of open platforms + laser-like focus on metrics and viral channels

Profile

Bulletin

Profile

Requests

Notifications

Email

News Feed

Profile action

Profile

Messages

Notifications

Email

Activity stream

Home surface

RockYou approach to product design Apply advertising principles to user-facing web design Each touch point equivalent to an ad pageview Grow by increasing number of touch points and maximizing conversion on each touch point Must consider implications for long-term user experience Build fast and launch asap Super Wall coded in a weekend Iterate on original design A/B test when in doubt Let data guide product decisions There are no user experts (we’re all too old) Do user studies when you don’t have web metrics

Apply advertising principles to user-facing web design

Each touch point equivalent to an ad pageview

Grow by increasing number of touch points and maximizing conversion on each touch point

Must consider implications for long-term user experience

Build fast and launch asap

Super Wall coded in a weekend

Iterate on original design

A/B test when in doubt

Let data guide product decisions

There are no user experts (we’re all too old)

Do user studies when you don’t have web metrics

Tenets of social application development Accept the fact that channels >> features Channels bring in new users and keep them coming back Only the top 0.1% of features can accomplish this alone Viral channels should drive product concept and feature development Not the other way around! Have a plan to maximize use of every channel Tune the viral loop…then keep tuning to stay ahead of the competition Build new features to keep users engaged and happy!

Accept the fact that channels >> features

Channels bring in new users and keep them coming back

Only the top 0.1% of features can accomplish this alone

Viral channels should drive product concept and feature development

Not the other way around!

Have a plan to maximize use of every channel

Tune the viral loop…then keep tuning to stay ahead of the competition

Build new features to keep users engaged and happy!

Launching winning application concepts Half art, half science Intersection of psychology & web analytics Develop your concept around high-converting calls to action Simplicity Universal Social persuasion Novelty (art) Potential for sustainable long term engagement Nail down a killer viral loop Timing is key Be the first to market Launch with maximum virality so competitors can’t carbon copy quickly

Half art, half science

Intersection of psychology & web analytics

Develop your concept around high-converting calls to action

Simplicity

Universal

Social persuasion

Novelty (art)

Potential for sustainable long term engagement

Nail down a killer viral loop

Timing is key

Be the first to market

Launch with maximum virality so competitors can’t carbon copy quickly

Metrics for your viral loop User Call to action to invite friends x = invited friends Accept? Yes y% = invite accept rate x * y > 1 gives you viral growth!

Hypothetical viral numbers Install flow x = 5 (friends invited on average) y = 22% (acceptance rate for invites) Viral factor = 5 * 0.22 = 1.1 VIRAL! Engagement flow Repeat users can generated additional virality!

Install flow

x = 5 (friends invited on average)

y = 22% (acceptance rate for invites)

Viral factor = 5 * 0.22 = 1.1 VIRAL!

Engagement flow

Repeat users can generated additional virality!

Combine multiple flows and channels Install flow x = 5 y = 10% Viral factor = 5 * 0.1 = 0.5 Engagement flow, request channel x = 3 (invites) y = 10% (acceptance rate for invites) Viral factor = 3 * 0.1 = 0.3 Engagement flow, notification channel x = 6 (notifications) y = 5% (acceptance rate for notifications) Viral factor = 6 * 0.05 = 0.3 0.5 + 0.3 + 0.3 = 1.1 VIRAL!

Install flow

x = 5

y = 10%

Viral factor = 5 * 0.1 = 0.5

Engagement flow, request channel

x = 3 (invites)

y = 10% (acceptance rate for invites)

Viral factor = 3 * 0.1 = 0.3

Engagement flow, notification channel

x = 6 (notifications)

y = 5% (acceptance rate for notifications)

Viral factor = 6 * 0.05 = 0.3

What to track Requests sent & request CTR Notifications sent & notification CTR Feed events & feed CTR Adds / removes And everything else…platform tracking is not 100% reliable How to track … if you’re tight on resources (aren’t we all) Paid or home grown if you’re serious about growing big Get stats in real time instead of waiting a day Store events that can’t be tied to a page (i.e. number of requests sent) Slice and dice data however you want Tuning the viral loop – watch your metrics

What to track

Requests sent & request CTR

Notifications sent & notification CTR

Feed events & feed CTR

Adds / removes

And everything else…platform tracking is not 100% reliable

How to track

… if you’re tight on resources (aren’t we all)

Paid or home grown if you’re serious about growing big

Get stats in real time instead of waiting a day

Store events that can’t be tied to a page (i.e. number of requests sent)

Slice and dice data however you want

Using metrics to drive product decisions A/B test entire user flows A/B test calls to action Base decisions off of statistically significant data Flow A Flow B A n new users B n new users X% user dropoff Y invites sent/user Z% invites accepted

A/B test entire user flows

A/B test calls to action

Base decisions off of statistically significant data

Making the most of viral channels Graph and compare activity metrics over time to analyze trends Focus resources on tuning the largest traffic drivers All viral channels eventually decay – why? Invites sent decreases due to saturation Response rate decreases due to user conditioning So keep tuning to stay ahead of the curve! … and when you’ve exhausted your primary channels it might be time to explore some creative alternatives

Graph and compare activity metrics over time to analyze trends

Focus resources on tuning the largest traffic drivers

All viral channels eventually decay – why?

Invites sent decreases due to saturation

Response rate decreases due to user conditioning

So keep tuning to stay ahead of the curve!

… and when you’ve exhausted your primary channels it might be time to explore some creative alternatives

Developer created growth channels Advertising Many ad networks exist to promote and monetize your application Partner Trade clicks with another app developer Create your own! Cross promote your own applications in creative ways Super Wall API Deep feature integration

Advertising

Many ad networks exist to promote and monetize your application

Partner

Trade clicks with another app developer

Create your own!

Cross promote your own applications in creative ways

Super Wall API

Deep feature integration

Does it work in practice? RockYou! worked with Yahoo! on the re-launch of the Music Videos application on Facebook. After viral tuning—consultation on application flow and design—and cross promotion on the RockYou Ad network, app grew to 1.5M+ users

RockYou! worked with Yahoo! on the re-launch of the Music Videos application on Facebook.

After viral tuning—consultation on application flow and design—and cross promotion on the RockYou Ad network, app grew to 1.5M+ users

Questions? Email: eric@rockyou.com