Facebook Newsfeed, Not the Primary Source of App Installs

Justin Smith just posted an interesting article about Facebook revealing new application statistics to developers. I went and checked out my own application statistics and compared them to the ones that Justin posted. The result? An almost duplicate chart depicting the source for application installs. Contrary to popular belief, the newsfeed came in third as a source for application installs.

Surprisingly, the most popular source for application installs was the “Add” link within profile boxes. The second runner up was the application directory. Given that I launched this specific application months ago, it is surprising that the application directory was still providing so many installs. The newsfeed came in a close third for application installs. This is definitely valuable information for all application developers.

The lesson learned from this data? Spend more time optimizing content within the profile box rather than focusing on news feed optimization. Valuable content within profiles will entice users to add the application to their own profile. Additionally, this information supports the argument that widgets may in fact be more valuable than I previously suggested. While interactive and engaging applications makes up the majority of activity on Facebook, compelling profile widgets have a place on Facebook.

Application Add Stats

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63026 Comments2007-10-22+16%3A12%3A08Nick+O%27Neill »

You should probably point out that NFO does not come into application installs since news feed items only show to users who have the app installed.The news feed stats purely refer to the "x has added the y application".

Comment by Craig Bovis — October 22, 2007 @ 7:22 am
You should probably point out that NFO does not come into application installs since news feed items only show to users who have the app installed.

The news feed stats purely refer to the "x has added the y application".

Comment by Craig Bovis — October 22, 2007 @ 8:22 am
agree with craig above; News Feed doesn't matter as much right now for new user adoption since app messages aren't visible to non-app users (except for the one-liner about "user X installed app Y).that may change if/when FB re-enables app messaging for non-app users.still, i agree that profile box visibility is a big driver for adoption. probably moreso for apps like Fluff Friends that use profile box real estate for app info updates than other less-interesting ones, but regardless it's probably a high priority acquisition channel for most apps.it is surprising that app directory is a significant channel… wonder whether that means we're seeing over-representation of the geek audience as new app adopters.- dmc

Comment by dave mcclure — October 22, 2007 @ 10:05 am
agree with craig above; News Feed doesn't matter as much right now for new user adoption since app messages aren't visible to non-app users (except for the one-liner about "user X installed app Y).

that may change if/when FB re-enables app messaging for non-app users.

still, i agree that profile box visibility is a big driver for adoption. probably moreso for apps like Fluff Friends that use profile box real estate for app info updates than other less-interesting ones, but regardless it's probably a high priority acquisition channel for most apps.

it is surprising that app directory is a significant channel… wonder whether that means we're seeing over-representation of the geek audience as new app adopters.

- dmc

Comment by dave mcclure — October 22, 2007 @ 11:05 am
Just found similar results for my app (Smarter Than My Friends). Profile Add boxes and Product Directory drove 80%+ of installs. Given that the Directory is such a key driver of current app installs, I'd love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps. This would run totally counter to some of the "conventional wisdom" I've heard (e.g., "Your app name and URL doesn't matter" — if the Directory is important, then it could be ALL about naming. And to push that one step further… Has an economy formed around "domaining" for FB app names?

Comment by yee — October 22, 2007 @ 11:09 am
Just found similar results for my app (Smarter Than My Friends). Profile Add boxes and Product Directory drove 80%+ of installs.

Given that the Directory is such a key driver of current app installs, I'd love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps. This would run totally counter to some of the "conventional wisdom" I've heard (e.g., "Your app name and URL doesn't matter" — if the Directory is important, then it could be ALL about naming.

And to push that one step further… Has an economy formed around "domaining" for FB app names?

Comment by yee — October 22, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Iâ€™d love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps.And to push that one step furtherâ€¦ Has an economy formed around â€œdomainingâ€ for FB app names?yee, Thanks for posting that, I'm interested in learning more about naming apps, if you see anything, please let me know…

Comment by Mark — October 22, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Iâ€™d love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps.

And to push that one step furtherâ€¦ Has an economy formed around â€œdomainingâ€ for FB app names?

yee,

Thanks for posting that, I'm interested in learning more about naming apps, if you see anything, please let me know…

Comment by Mark — October 22, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
[...] I have been extremely skeptical about making money via Facebook applications. That was until I saw yesterday’s data which suggested profiles are the number one source of application installs. These are installs that [...]

Pingback by Can Facebook Increase Your Sales? Definitely. - The Unofficial Facebook Blog — October 23, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
[...] optimization was in fact the new SEO. By the end of October, both Justin and myself had data that showed otherwise. Since then a lot has changed. Facebook has increased their campaign against spammy applications [...]

Pingback by Is News Feed Optimization Making a Comeback? - The Unofficial Facebook Blog — February 18, 2008 @ 9:00 am
hola, busco proteger mis archivos fotogràficos

Comment by angel calderon — February 25, 2009 @ 9:11 pm
hola, busco proteger mis archivos fotogràficos

Comment by Gliceth Rocio Munive — February 26, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
quiero que nadie pueda guardar mis fotos solo las mire gracias

Comment by Juanito Grande — February 26, 2009 @ 10:01 pm
super espectacular

Comment by yahaira — February 28, 2009 @ 10:53 am
DO NOT COPY MY PICS

Comment by EVELYN — March 1, 2009 @ 10:54 am
solo quiero que vean las fotos cuando las tenga

Comment by Angela Maria — March 2, 2009 @ 10:54 am
como funciona esto, ojala sea cierto es que eso de que copien las fotos no me gusta para nada

Comment by JENNIFER ANDREA — March 2, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
… que molesto q tomen tus fotos sin permiso alguno….!

Comment by Jiced Muñoz — March 3, 2009 @ 11:13 am
como puedo hacer paar protejer mi facebook fotos y archivo que solo puedan ver y no puedan copiar ni fotos ni nada

Comment by Facebook User — March 4, 2009 @ 3:19 am
buenisimo

Comment by Jacqueline Guevara — March 4, 2009 @ 10:49 am
hola no quiero que nadie tenga mis fotos

Comment by lina — March 5, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
no quiero que nadie baje mis fotos sin autorizacion

Comment by lina — March 5, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
deseo unirme al grupo para que mis fotos tengan seguridad y no la puedan copiar o guardar

Comment by eliana — March 6, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
quisiera instalar el software de proteccion de las fotos q descargo en mi fb para evitar q las bajen sin autorización y sean utilizadas con otros fines….ya hice los primeros pasos me uni al grupo invite mis contactos pero no entiendo lo q sigue, agradezco la ayuda, espero la respuesta…

Comment by Alejandra — March 8, 2009 @ 11:42 am
mm

Comment by Fahad S Al — April 6, 2009 @ 4:16 pm
theire is need of putting UNLIKE wich is the opposiyte of like

Comment by auwalu habibu — August 23, 2010 @ 11:15 am

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You should probably point out that NFO does not come into application installs since news feed items only show to users who have the app installed.The news feed stats purely refer to the "x has added the y application".

Comment by Craig Bovis — October 22, 2007 @ 7:22 am

You should probably point out that NFO does not come into application installs since news feed items only show to users who have the app installed.

The news feed stats purely refer to the "x has added the y application".

Comment by Craig Bovis — October 22, 2007 @ 8:22 am

agree with craig above; News Feed doesn't matter as much right now for new user adoption since app messages aren't visible to non-app users (except for the one-liner about "user X installed app Y).that may change if/when FB re-enables app messaging for non-app users.still, i agree that profile box visibility is a big driver for adoption. probably moreso for apps like Fluff Friends that use profile box real estate for app info updates than other less-interesting ones, but regardless it's probably a high priority acquisition channel for most apps.it is surprising that app directory is a significant channel… wonder whether that means we're seeing over-representation of the geek audience as new app adopters.- dmc

Comment by dave mcclure — October 22, 2007 @ 10:05 am

agree with craig above; News Feed doesn't matter as much right now for new user adoption since app messages aren't visible to non-app users (except for the one-liner about "user X installed app Y).

that may change if/when FB re-enables app messaging for non-app users.

still, i agree that profile box visibility is a big driver for adoption. probably moreso for apps like Fluff Friends that use profile box real estate for app info updates than other less-interesting ones, but regardless it's probably a high priority acquisition channel for most apps.

it is surprising that app directory is a significant channel… wonder whether that means we're seeing over-representation of the geek audience as new app adopters.

- dmc

Comment by dave mcclure — October 22, 2007 @ 11:05 am

Just found similar results for my app (Smarter Than My Friends). Profile Add boxes and Product Directory drove 80%+ of installs. Given that the Directory is such a key driver of current app installs, I'd love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps. This would run totally counter to some of the "conventional wisdom" I've heard (e.g., "Your app name and URL doesn't matter" — if the Directory is important, then it could be ALL about naming. And to push that one step further… Has an economy formed around "domaining" for FB app names?

Comment by yee — October 22, 2007 @ 11:09 am

Just found similar results for my app (Smarter Than My Friends). Profile Add boxes and Product Directory drove 80%+ of installs.

Given that the Directory is such a key driver of current app installs, I'd love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps. This would run totally counter to some of the "conventional wisdom" I've heard (e.g., "Your app name and URL doesn't matter" — if the Directory is important, then it could be ALL about naming.

And to push that one step further… Has an economy formed around "domaining" for FB app names?

Comment by yee — October 22, 2007 @ 12:09 pm

Iâ€™d love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps.And to push that one step furtherâ€¦ Has an economy formed around â€œdomainingâ€ for FB app names?yee, Thanks for posting that, I'm interested in learning more about naming apps, if you see anything, please let me know…

Comment by Mark — October 22, 2007 @ 8:36 pm

Iâ€™d love to see a comparative study to see if apps that have matching appname and URL (on apps.facebook.com) have higher install rates than other apps.

And to push that one step furtherâ€¦ Has an economy formed around â€œdomainingâ€ for FB app names?

yee,

Thanks for posting that, I'm interested in learning more about naming apps, if you see anything, please let me know…

Comment by Mark — October 22, 2007 @ 9:36 pm

[...] I have been extremely skeptical about making money via Facebook applications. That was until I saw yesterday’s data which suggested profiles are the number one source of application installs. These are installs that [...]

Pingback by Can Facebook Increase Your Sales? Definitely. - The Unofficial Facebook Blog — October 23, 2007 @ 5:09 pm

[...] optimization was in fact the new SEO. By the end of October, both Justin and myself had data that showed otherwise. Since then a lot has changed. Facebook has increased their campaign against spammy applications [...]

Pingback by Is News Feed Optimization Making a Comeback? - The Unofficial Facebook Blog — February 18, 2008 @ 9:00 am

hola, busco proteger mis archivos fotogràficos

Comment by angel calderon — February 25, 2009 @ 9:11 pm

Comment by Gliceth Rocio Munive — February 26, 2009 @ 12:17 pm

quiero que nadie pueda guardar mis fotos solo las mire gracias

Comment by Juanito Grande — February 26, 2009 @ 10:01 pm

super espectacular

Comment by yahaira — February 28, 2009 @ 10:53 am

DO NOT COPY MY PICS

Comment by EVELYN — March 1, 2009 @ 10:54 am

solo quiero que vean las fotos cuando las tenga

Comment by Angela Maria — March 2, 2009 @ 10:54 am

como funciona esto, ojala sea cierto es que eso de que copien las fotos no me gusta para nada

Comment by JENNIFER ANDREA — March 2, 2009 @ 1:25 pm

… que molesto q tomen tus fotos sin permiso alguno….!

Comment by Jiced Muñoz — March 3, 2009 @ 11:13 am

como puedo hacer paar protejer mi facebook fotos y archivo que solo puedan ver y no puedan copiar ni fotos ni nada

Comment by Facebook User — March 4, 2009 @ 3:19 am

buenisimo

Comment by Jacqueline Guevara — March 4, 2009 @ 10:49 am

hola no quiero que nadie tenga mis fotos

Comment by lina — March 5, 2009 @ 4:23 pm

no quiero que nadie baje mis fotos sin autorizacion

Comment by lina — March 5, 2009 @ 4:25 pm

deseo unirme al grupo para que mis fotos tengan seguridad y no la puedan copiar o guardar

Comment by eliana — March 6, 2009 @ 2:44 pm

quisiera instalar el software de proteccion de las fotos q descargo en mi fb para evitar q las bajen sin autorización y sean utilizadas con otros fines….ya hice los primeros pasos me uni al grupo invite mis contactos pero no entiendo lo q sigue, agradezco la ayuda, espero la respuesta…

Comment by Alejandra — March 8, 2009 @ 11:42 am

Comment by Fahad S Al — April 6, 2009 @ 4:16 pm

theire is need of putting UNLIKE wich is the opposiyte of like

Comment by auwalu habibu — August 23, 2010 @ 11:15 am