Facebook Cookbook

Noteworthy Notifications

Problem

How can I keep my users coming back to my app after they’ve installed it?

Solution

Getting users to install your app is like G.I. Joe’s message about knowledge: it’s only half the battle. Your app’s real success will be measured on your total install base and your percentage of active daily users, which is particularly relevant if you’re planning to monetize by selling ads. You need to think about how you’re going to get users engaged with your app on an ongoing basis. What’s going to keep them coming back for more, and how are you going to let them know when there’s more to come back to? Notifications are the key. Your app has the ability to send on-Facebook Notifications (and off-Facebook emails if users have opted into receiving them), letting your install base know about something relevant to them. It’s important to keep them relevant or else users will start blocking your app, so try to think about things about which you can notify them that will really draw their interest. Scrabulous (and any game in which you challenge your friends) is a great example, since Notifications (like the one in Figure 2-29) are used to let you know that it’s your turn to play.

Figure 2-29. Scrabulous new game Notification

Discussion

As part of its ongoing effort to combat app spam, Facebook clamped down on Notifications in February 2008, implementing a scheme that grants ...