Growing Viral with FB Growing Viral with FB appsapps

Leading Apps Distributor on the Facebook Platform

6waves Game Network

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.

Viral-ness on FB

• Viral marketing is the primary distribution channel on FB, and it’s free!

• Viral-ness should be built into apps, NOT an after thought!

• On Facebook,viral features are also social features.

• Of all SNS, Facebook currently offer the most viral channels.

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

Agenda

1. Positive Viral Loop

2. Facebook viral channels

3. Promotion Strategy

4. Characteristics of Viral App (Social)

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

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 invitedFB dynamically adjust Y base on acceptance rate. Get verify to gain extra slots.

Z: average acceptance rateMake 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!!

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!

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)

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!

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!

Promotion (Farmville vs. Farm Town)

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!

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.

Promotion Strategy: case study (Bingo)

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)

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

Positive Netwok Effect

Apps should be designed to get better as more people/friends play!

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.

Thank you!

6waves is a game network, and we always look for opportunity to

collaborate with app developers.

rex@6waves.com - Managing Director

chris@6waves.com - Director of Product Development