Facebook Applications for Marketing

3 rules for marketing your app on Facebook

Leverage user connections

Facebook has more than 125 billion connections which means that there are infinite opportunities for reaching your target audiences. By leveraging the existing connections between people, app developers can effectively increase brand visibility and reach. The average Facebook user has 130 confirmed friend connections, which means that every time they “like,” share, or post something on their timelines, there is an opportunity for their activity to be seen by at least 130 people, normally significantly more. This is the whole premise of Facebook “word-of-mouth marketing at scale.”

Reward users

There is no better way to attract users to your app than through the use of rewards. Consumers have come to expect something in return from their favorite brands, which is often why they become fans of brands’ Facebook pages and “like” their content. In a world where social media governs a consumer’s outlook on a brand, marketers are realizing that they have to do more than just advertise to their consumers; they need to engage them. Engaging and incentivizing content and offering consistent rewards for engagement are key elements of a successful app.

When consumers are presented rewards from their most beloved games, apps, or brands, they are highly likely to share that content with their connections. By “liking” the reward or incentive, they are contributing to its exposure. Sponsored Stories increase the visibility of friends’ engagement with brands by featuring their interactions with the brand pages in the news feeds and on the right-hand side of Facebook, whether it be through a “like,” check-in, or post on their page.

Target page post ads at relevant demographics

Along with reaching a large target audience, app marketers utilize Facebook page post ads to target very specific demographics. Page post ads are a powerful marketing tool and incredibly effective type of ad, which enables your fans to virally share your marketing message with their friends, leveraging word-of-mouth marketing at scale. When your app is geared toward a distinct group of people, whether it be 13- to 18-year-old males, fans of Britney Spears, or fitness enthusiasts in the New York area, Facebook’s targeting tools are the most effective in identifying and targeting ads toward a desired group of consumers.

In order to reduce ad spend and increase paid media effectiveness, page post ads should be targeted at current fans who are demographically and geographically relevant to the content or reward being offered. This is most effective if there is a high correlation between friends’ likes and interests. Coupling the two ensures that page post ads are having the most powerful effect on consumers.