Facebook Application (and Widget) Development

Two options Facebook Application – users add to their page (appears in profile and other locations) Facebook Application – users add to their page (appears in profile and other locations) Facebook widget – appears typically inside a facebook page that users can go to. Facebook widget – appears typically inside a facebook page that users can go to.

Why create a Facebook app? Primary Account Creation and Login = Real Identities Facebook users are already profiled. (No need for more info forms.) Primary Account Creation and Login = Real Identities Facebook users are already profiled. (No need for more info forms.) Distribution:You have a global audience that you can tap Millions of Users (and growing) Distribution:You have a global audience that you can tap Millions of Users (and growing) Automatic Social Graph Users can find their Facebook friends on the site. Automatic Social Graph Users can find their Facebook friends on the site. Facebook Connect’s ability to Publish content to the Facebook News Feed in a social and therefore highly relevant way Facebook Connect’s ability to Publish content to the Facebook News Feed in a social and therefore highly relevant way

Facebook Application Development Popular Facebook Apps... GAMES! Popular Facebook Apps... GAMES! Texas HoldEm PokerTexas HoldEm Poker Mafia WarsMafia Wars ZombiesZombies Embedding Facebook Connect Embedding Facebook Connect TrazzlerTrazzler

Trazzler Case Study Stats (February 2009) Stats (February 2009) Monthly Visitors: 70,000 Monthly Visitors: 70,000 Total Trazzler Trips: 15,098 Total Trazzler Trips: 15,098 Writers: 7455 Writers: 7455 Most prolific writer: 286 trips Most prolific writer: 286 trips Monthly Active Users:14,000 today, climbing fast Monthly Active Users:14,000 today, climbing fast Page Views Per Visit: 14 Page Views Per Visit: 14 Average Wishlisted Trips: 13 Average Wishlisted Trips: 13 Demographics 63% Female, 70% between the ags of Demographics 63% Female, 70% between the ags of 25-44

Starting with a Facebook Idea Target your audience. Look for a niche interest not currently served by Facebook, such as books, stock market or manga. Target your audience. Look for a niche interest not currently served by Facebook, such as books, stock market or manga. Think viral. Imagine how your initial users "infect" their friends with the app. Think viral. Imagine how your initial users "infect" their friends with the app. Make it sticky. Offer something fun or useful that will engage your users. Make it sticky. Offer something fun or useful that will engage your users. Keep it simple. Sophisticated apps can turn off users with short attention spans. Keep it simple. Sophisticated apps can turn off users with short attention spans.

Facebook App Anatomy Applications Directory This is where beautiful imagery and concise, descriptive text pay off. You need to submit your application to Facebook so it can be included in the directory. Applications Directory This is where beautiful imagery and concise, descriptive text pay off. You need to submit your application to Facebook so it can be included in the directory.submit

About Page The About page tells users about your application and is accessed from the Facebook Application Directory. The About page tells users about your application and is accessed from the Facebook Application Directory. It should inspire users to interact with your application. The About page is a Facebook Page It should inspire users to interact with your application. The About page is a Facebook PageFacebook PageFacebook Page

Canvas Page This is the main page of your application on Facebook. This is the main page of your application on Facebook. Application canvas pages appear within the Facebook frame and can either be FBML (Facebook's version of HTML) or an external Web site presented within an iframe Application canvas pages appear within the Facebook frame and can either be FBML (Facebook's version of HTML) or an external Web site presented within an iframeFBML

Profile Box The profile box is usually the place to show the most recently updated information or the most recent actions of the user. The profile box is usually the place to show the most recently updated information or the most recent actions of the user. This information should reflect how the user would want to represent their identity through your application on their profile This information should reflect how the user would want to represent their identity through your application on their profile

Facebook Application Development Facebook.NET – By Nikhil Kothari, author of Developing Microsoft ASP.NET Server Controls and Components Facebook.NET – By Nikhil Kothari, author of Developing Microsoft ASP.NET Server Controls and Components Facebook Developer Toolkit – Developed by Clarity Consulting and endorsed heavily by Microsoft; integrates very well with Visual Studio Express. Facebook Developer Toolkit – Developed by Clarity Consulting and endorsed heavily by Microsoft; integrates very well with Visual Studio Express. Visual Studio Starter Kit for Facebook – By Steve Trefethen Visual Studio Starter Kit for Facebook – By Steve Trefethen Facebook API Client Library for VB.NET – By Jay Lagorio; this is earliest implementation of the API that I had come across. Facebook API Client Library for VB.NET – By Jay Lagorio; this is earliest implementation of the API that I had come across.