Karl Bunyan

Good idea but poor execution?

A common Facebook app problem:

You have a good app ideaYou’re convinced users will love itYou design it, build it and launch it… and nobody uses it

So was it a good idea?

04/12/23 Confidential. Copyright (c) 2009 by SocialCash. 2

Some reasons an app may fail It wasn’t a good idea after allThere’s a better version out thereNo viral loop or marketingYou haven’t reached the right usersYou didn’t implement it very well

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Some reasons an app may fail It wasn’t a good idea after allThere’s a better version out thereNo viral loop or marketingYou haven’t reached the right usersYou didn’t implement it very

well

04/12/23 Confidential. Copyright (c) 2009 by SocialCash. 4

The importance ofpost-launch tuning

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Write developer monetisation toolsHeadliners (banner ads) for Social CashDevelop applications:Soccer Stars (20k MAU, 3k daily)Six Degrees of Separation (RIP)Four in a Row (155k MAU, 10-15k daily)And various other partial successes and

complete failures

04/12/23 Confidential. Copyright (c) 2009 by SocialCash. 6

Salvaging a crappyapp from failure

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“Four in a Row”Sold by Hasbro as Connect Four®

But they didn’t invent it Which means I can build it

A game with proven popularityExisting competition on Facebook

not goodFairly easy to build

04/12/23 Confidential. Copyright (c) 2009 by SocialCash. 8

Core app featuresStart games against friendsPlay games at different speeds

either real-time or asynchronousMake “open” challenges that

anyone can accept

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HomepageGames in progressChallenges sent and receivedLeaderboardLets you start a new game

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Game pageWhen it’s your turn, drop a counter into a column

Early traffic resultsSent 96 clicks

At a cost of around $40Had 75 app installsOnly 24 games played

Only 1 in 3 users even started a game

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Why wasn’t it working? It wasn’t a good idea after all? - possibly There’s a better version out there? –

nope, the competition isn’t up to much No viral loop or marketing? – I’m buying

clicks from Facebook Haven’t reached the right users? –

unlikely, targeting people who like board games I didn’t implement it very well???

– surely not…?

04/12/23 Confidential. Copyright (c) 2009 by SocialCash. 13

Another look at the homepageWhy aren’t users starting games?

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Homepage, as possibly seen by a new user

What do I do here?How long is a good time per move? What does it even mean?

What’s this showing me?Oh, nothing yet.

What’s this?It looks scary. What will I get myself into?

04/12/23 Confidential. Copyright (c) 2009 by SocialCash. 16

Homepage, as possibly seen by a new user

What do I do here?How long is a good time per move? What does it even mean?

What’s this showing me?Oh, nothing yet.

What’s this?It looks scary. What will I get myself into?

How to fix it Get users playing games more quickly

Just drop them in a game Take away the decision-making process

Just drop them in a game Remove the social barriers for new

users to make and accept challenges Just drop them in a game

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Game pageGeared towards getting users into a game asap

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Game page

I play a game now?I reckon so

A quick game?In case I missed the other button

Play a friendType their name and send

Play against an online friendLike an invite, but in a low-key way and more immediate

Much more wondrous statistics

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Date New users Paid clicks # Games15/09/2009 75 96 2416/09/2009 187 135 28117/09/2009 292 145 46318/09/2009 252 176 81519/09/2009 273 173 1117

…. …. …. ….15/10/2009 3999 0 2480516/10/2009 4270 0 2727617/10/2009 5714 0 33921

Version 1

Version 2

If the idea is good then the implementation may be wrong

Measure as much as you can so you know the weak points

Version 1 is only half way there

04/12/23 Confidential. Copyright (c) 2009 by SocialCash. 21

[email protected]/karlbunyan

apps.facebook.com/playfourinarow

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