Social Application Development 101: Elements of Style

Jia Shen (RockYou), R. Tyler Ballance (Slide.com)

Jia started. some basic info/stats on social channels (FB, etc.) App verticals – channel, content, quiz,games, gifts, self -expression.

viral multiplier – apps grow without marketing. 1 user causes more than 1 to install. need to track. notifications needed also.

Then need engagement of users. Virality vs engagement – grow outside of core. get users to spread. don’t hurt user experience.

engagement – build user experience. stickiness. prevent uninstalls.

email is important for engagement/reengagement. in profile engagement is also useful. non-user page is even mopre important because it engages them before they install.

OpenSocial – can add functionality. but can monetize? Different model that used to. huge audience. profile vs news-feed. what is the viral channel?

opensocial channels – profile. also main page on FB. but most opensocial channels are up in the air since many are being conservative.

plan is no different than Facebook launch. focus on demographic. instrument virality but focus on Apps that are not dependent on virality.

Tyler – works at slide (used keynote on Mac). will take about FB platform (include Bebo also). need to understand audience. need to be ready for cross-platform development that is more than just specific widgets. FB has had 10 months. Bebo is getting closer. but FB has a lot more to use (i.e. mobile).

transition from widget to apps. can use same codebase going from FB to bebo. FunWall is example. but need to maintain look and feel (myspace is hectic. FB is blue.) but need to maintain branding. example iLike is orange. slide has a banner logo.

FBML tags are important aspects of look and feel.