Facebook Platform Best Practices (Facebook Developer Garage Bangalore 10.10.10)

Facebook Platform Best Practices Lalit Patel, BitRhymes. www.bitrhymes.com Facebook Developer Garage, Bangalore. 10/10/10

About BitRhymes • Who are we? • Started in 2007, based out of Bangalore and Silicon Valley • 26 people team at Bangalore. • What we do? • Social Games on popular networks Facebook and MySpace – 6 Titles on Facebook, 9 Titles on MySpace • Market Position – 20 million users and growing fast. – #3 Developer on MySpace (4 apps in top 20)

Facebook Apps: Best Practices 1. FBML vs iFrame 2. Virality 3. Retention 4. Metrics 5. Monetization 6. Tips / Common Pitfalls 7. Q&A

1. FBML vs iFrame: Comparision • iFrame: Flexibility, Javascript independence. • Facebook JS library gives excellent features to implement almost all FBML features. • FB recommends iFrame apps. – No new FBML apps from late 2010 http://developers.facebook.com/roadmap • Few FBML tags are not available in iFrame (but not a show stopper) • FBML is faster to implement.

1. FBML vs iFrame: How it works • App: http://apps.facebook.com/your_app/ • Callback: http://www.example.com/canvas/ • You type: http://apps.facebook.com/your_app/foo/bar • iFrame loads (FBML App fetches code from): http://www.example.com/canvas/foo/bar

2. Virality: Requests • Until few weeks back was supposed to be retired. Now the ONLY viral channel • Can be sent to friends not playing the app • Most efficient way to get users to the game. • Quota/Bucket – Number of requests your users can sent to their friends is calculated based on accept/ignore/block ratios. – Anywhere > 50% accepts is very good. Ignore 75% accepts Facebook shows as Avg of all apps. That number is wrong and impractical. – If your request quota goes down your virality goes down

2. Virality: Requests • Tip: You can add tracking code to request to check with requests works best. <fb:req-choice url=“http://example.com/accept_req.php?ref=request _type=1" /> • Tip: There are two type of requests: – Invitation & Request – Quota is shared between both of them

2. Virality: Requests • Recent change to the way requests are shown on user’s home page.

3. Retention: Feeds • Recent Changes in the FB Privacy Policy: – Feeds wont be shown on friends not playing the app -> The most efficient way to attract new users disappeared overnight with no pre announcement! – Now you do not need to ask for users permission to show him feed dialog box . Ensure that as every click reduces by 20% – http://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/409 • Tip: Add tracking info to feeds to judge performance. • Tip: Comments / Likes on the feed promote it to the top in the user’s news feed. (API also available.)

3. Retention: Bookmarks + Counter • New Bookmarks menu on LHS • Automatically added for your application when user starts using it • Once a user has your bookmark, you can set a counter which will appear next to it. • Counters remind users of actions they need to take within your application. $facebook_api->dashboard_incrementCount($uid);

3. Retention: Like • Make users like your application. • Helps you post Application Updates to your Fans (people who Like the app) • Updates appear on your Fan’s news feed.

3. Retention: Like • Facebook has made it real easy to add `Like` button on your app. • You should prompt users to like the app and reward them with some bonus in the game. • XFBML: <script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js #xfbml=1"></script> <fb:like></fb:like>

3. Retention: Email • Applications can ask for users Email address at the time of adding the app (or later) <?php $user_id = $facebook->require_login('email'); ?> • Applications can then email users directly about updates and notifications in the app.

4. Metrics: Facebook Insights • Facebook Insights (http://facebook.com/insights) – Excellent data driven insights on your applications performance • Users – Daily Active Users – Daily New Users – Demographics • Gender and Age / Countries / Language – Visitors Sources – Daily New Bookmarks Add/Remove

4. Metrics: Facebook Insights • Daily Permissions – Stream/Email/ Grant/Revoke – Daily Blocks • Daily Request Feedback – Accept/Ignore/Blocks • Feeds Performance – Posted / Comments+Like / Hides

4. Metrics: Google Analytics • Google Analytics works for both iFrame / FBML apps. • Provides tracking of complex user behavior. • Provides Goals tracking • Best Practice: use Google Analytics + Insights

5. Monetization • You can *also* make $$$ out of your applications • Ways to monitize – fb Credits (FB API) – OfferPal / Super Rewards (Vender specific API) – Implement your own payment gateway (Paypal / CC)

6. Tips / Common Pitfalls • Submit your application to FB Directory – Appears in search results inside Facebook. – Get FB compliance – Free QA ;) • Put Privacy Policy on each of your application pages and Application Profile Page. – Facebook blocks your apps without notice. • Developer accounts need to be verified by mobile number or credit card • Be prepared to adapt to FB mood swings

Questions? We are hiring! www.bitrhymes.com/jobs

Facebook Platform Best Practices (Facebook Developer Garage Bangalore 10.10.10)

by Lalit Patel

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