Social Apps - Utility vs. Triviality

Social Applications aka Widgets Since May 2007, when Facebook opened up its network to third party developers, 24,000 widgets have become available through Facebook’s application directory The are currently 1,020 “photo” applications on Facebook Selection of top photo applications: SuperWall Utility: Posting photos on friends profile pages Active Daily Users: 2.2MM Facebook Mobile Utility: Uploading pictures from mobile phone to Facebook profile Active Daily Users: 410K Private Photo Gallery Utility: Sharing photos only to those people you allow to see them Active Daily Users: 31K Picnik Utility: Photo editing Active Daily Users: 20K SlideShows Utility: Turn photos into a slideshow within a Facebook profile Active Daily Users: 15K The social applications space is very crowded and fragmented While some widgets have actual utility, some of the most popular are merely quirky programs with no real purpose

Since May 2007, when Facebook opened up its network to third party developers, 24,000 widgets have become available through Facebook’s application directory

The are currently 1,020 “photo” applications on Facebook

Selection of top photo applications:

SuperWall

Utility: Posting photos on friends profile pages

Active Daily Users: 2.2MM

Facebook Mobile

Utility: Uploading pictures from mobile phone to Facebook profile

Active Daily Users: 410K

Private Photo Gallery

Utility: Sharing photos only to those people you allow to see them

Active Daily Users: 31K

Picnik

Utility: Photo editing

Active Daily Users: 20K

SlideShows

Utility: Turn photos into a slideshow within a Facebook profile

Active Daily Users: 15K

The social applications space is very crowded and fragmented

While some widgets have actual utility, some of the most popular are merely quirky programs with no real purpose

Widget Ad Spending Advertisers are investing more and more of their advertising budgets in widgets Based on the exponential growth in the widget space and the penetration rates, advertisers see this a an excellent opportunity to reach users

Advertisers are investing more and more of their advertising budgets in widgets

Based on the exponential growth in the widget space and the penetration rates, advertisers see this a an excellent opportunity to reach users

Active Users on Top 10 Apps While top 10 apps have been installed millions-of-times, the percentage of active users (app used within the last 24-hours) is very low On Facebook alone, apps have been installed 921MM times, but only 4% of those people who installed an app are considered active users This suggests users typically hear about or are forwarded an application, install it, and just let it sit within their profile without using it

While top 10 apps have been installed millions-of-times, the percentage of active users (app used within the last 24-hours) is very low

On Facebook alone, apps have been installed 921MM times, but only 4% of those people who installed an app are considered active users

This suggests users typically hear about or are forwarded an application, install it, and just let it sit within their profile without using it

Top 10 Apps - % Active Users These are the top ten applications in terms of active daily users (Only apps with +1MM installs were included) There is a greater percentage of daily active users for the applications probably because most of them provide some utility or function for the users These applications are in the following categories: Gaming, Identity Presentation, Dating, Social Causes and Mobile

These are the top ten applications in terms of active daily users (Only apps with +1MM installs were included)

There is a greater percentage of daily active users for the applications probably because most of them provide some utility or function for the users

These applications are in the following categories:

Gaming, Identity Presentation, Dating, Social Causes and Mobile

Viral Apps Daily Active Users Apps like Zombies and Vampires serve no real function other than being viral, where users receive points for “biting” (invitation to install the app) their friends These applications peak in user installation very quickly because users are forced to install, then typically faze-out as users realize there lack of utility and function of the application Currently, 1% of Zombies installs are active users and 2% of Vampires installs are active users

Apps like Zombies and Vampires serve no real function other than being viral, where users receive points for “biting” (invitation to install the app) their friends

These applications peak in user installation very quickly because users are forced to install, then typically faze-out as users realize there lack of utility and function of the application

Currently, 1% of Zombies installs are active users and 2% of Vampires installs are active users

Utility vs. Non-utility Applications Non-utility applications like Zombies, peak in user installation very quickly and then typically decline in active users, as users realize there lack of utility and function of the application Utility applications like Bumper Sticker (Identity Presentation) and Scrabulous (Gaming) tend to increase in active users because they continue to serve some function for the user While it might appear that non-utility viral applications are dominating in total installs, when looking at overall trends in daily usage this is not the case

Non-utility applications like Zombies, peak in user installation very quickly and then typically decline in active users, as users realize there lack of utility and function of the application

Utility applications like Bumper Sticker (Identity Presentation) and Scrabulous (Gaming) tend to increase in active users because they continue to serve some function for the user

While it might appear that non-utility viral applications are dominating in total installs, when looking at overall trends in daily usage this is not the case