6waves is one of the top 5 application developers on Facebook, with over 40 million monthly active users across Asia, Europe, North America and South America. For apps to go viral on Facebook, viral features must be built into the core app design rather than added as an afterthought. The document discusses strategies for optimizing an app's "viral loop" through invitation, notification and news feed channels on Facebook. It also provides recommendations for promotion, such as focusing on demographics and locations that are most engaged, and being among the first apps in a genre to gain network effects through growth.

1. Growing Viral with FB apps Leading Apps Distributor on the Facebook Platform 6waves Game Network

2. Intro to 6waves Game Network 6 waves is one of the top 5 application developers on Facebook, with over 40 million monthly active users. We have a large international reach with a collection of social games that have been localized for countries throughout Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

4. Which app is the most viral? according to developleranalytics.com

6. Positive Viral Loop X : percentage of users who invites (via invitation, feed, & notification) Y : average number of friends invited Z : average acceptance rate If X * Y * Z > 1, then you have a Positive Viral Loop (Snowball Effect) e.g. Daily Horoscope: 4.8% * 9.83 * 59% = 0.28 (low viral factor) Street Wars: 42.8% * 63.4 * 67% = 18.2 (super high viral factor) Note: numbers can vary dramatically per country

7. Tuning the viral loop X : percentage of users who invites (via invitation, feed, & notification) Encourage users with incentive, but beware of FB changing policy. Y : average number of friends invited FB dynamically adjust Y base on acceptance rate. Get verify to gain extra slots. Z : average acceptance rate Make feed/notification/invitation message relevant to the user (social) A/B test, measure, and fine-tune to achieve maximal viral factor. Don’t bother with large scale promotion until viral factor > 1!!

8. FB viral channel (invitation) Invitation used to be the most effective viral channel (circa mid 2008), but it become less apparent and useful. However, invitation should be compelling and social. Instead of ask friends to join a new app, give them compelling reasons: to compete, to collaborate, to show off, etc!

9. FB viral channel (notification) Even though feeds are more apparent, but notification are more persistent. It’s an effective communication protocol for app to users (promotion + update) and users to users (social action)

10. FB viral channel (news feed) News feed is what users pay most attention to on Facebook. They are the most apparent, and as of late the most effective viral channel. Use attention grabbing graphics, and include relevant social message!

11. Why Promote 2 similar quality apps, the first to reach critical mass will win it all! Over time, positive network effects can create a bandwagon effect as the network becomes more valuable and more people join, in a positive feedback loop. Nowadays, it is no longer good enough to have a compelling idea. You need both a compelling idea and an growth strategy to become the #1 app in your genre. Nobody care if you come up with the original idea!

12. Promotion (Farmville vs. Farm Town)

13. Promotion Strategy: Demographics From our experience, Female 18-24 are the most viral users with the most number of invites, notification sent, and feed posted. This varies depending on apps! Profile your app users, measure which demographics are most viral, then concentrate your limited marketing on them!

14. Promotion Strategy: Geographics With FB marketing, running targeted campaigns are cheaper than mass campaigns. Also, targeting a campaign to a more focus audience (school - city - state - country) will increase the potential social effect of your app.

15. Promotion Strategy: case study (Bingo)

16. Promotion Strategy: 1st mover There are still 1st mover advantage on the FB platform, developers just have to look harder. Any changes to FB and its community represent opportunity to leverage. LivingSocial leverages new graphical news feed with embedded links. (www.insidefacebook.com) 6waves leverages sudden growth of FB users for various countries. (google trend)

17. Building viral app (social) Nowadays, building a viral app involves creating compelling social components! It’s more of an Art than a Science. Key Components: Social Equity : self expression Social Interaction : keeping in touch, and collaboration Social Competition : gaming and competition

18. Positive Netwok Effect Apps should be designed to get better as more people/friends play!

19. Building viral app (monetization) Paying users are nice, but non-paying are equally important, they are your Free Marketing Distribution! Don’t over emphasize on monetization in the early life cycle of the game/app to drive off non-paying users. Incrementally add monetization features and monitor its effect.

20. Thank you! 6waves is a game network, and we always look for opportunity to collaborate with app developers. [email_address] - Managing Director [email_address] - Director of Product Development