How do I grow my facebook application?

With over 500,000 facebook applications currently active on the platform, application developers are always looking to cut through the clutter and have their application rise the ranks. Constantly this question arises - so I have decided to lay out what I know in this blog post.

The first thing of course, is to have a great, engaging, and viral application. This is dead obvious however, and a massive sub-topic on its own, which I will not delve into. However - many application developers simply have an app that sucks! They spend money and effort attracting users, but these users don't stick, and these users don't bring on others. As a rough guideline, a good app with well-built viral features means that for every 1 new user you bring on, that user should attract 4 other users.

Now that your app is engaging and viral - and you have submitted your app to the directory, let's talk about how to cost-effectively bring users to your app.

1 - Cross-promote - If you already have an application on the facebook platform with a significant user base, this is the first place you should be looking to promote your new application. You can very cost-effectively start bringing users over onto your new app by simply creating ads for your own application. If you don't have any existing apps, you may want to scour the developer forum and see if there are any larger application developers, that are willing to advertise your app.

2 - Paid Advertising - Banner Installs - There are several Ad Networks out there that will allow you to purchase installs on a CPI (Cost per Install) basis. The idea is that an advertisement for your application will be shown - as banner ads - on other applications. A facebook user on another application (with the ad networks reach) will see your ad, click on it, and proceed to install your app.

The ad network will ask you to place a pixel (small chunk of code - usually an iframe or an img) that will allow them to track whenever a user clicks on an advertisement for your application and then proceeds to install your app. As a tip, you should only place this pixel such that it fires when a new user enters your application - and not for existing users.

Networks will have different CPI rates based on the country of the users you are trying to attract. For example, US users would be roughly twice the price of users in Thailand. Some networks will also offer a cost per engagement model, where you are only charged if the user installs the application - and then proceeds to complete a certain action (i.e. pass level 1). You would then place the tracking pixel after the user completes this action. Of course, the cost per engagement rate would be higher than a simple cost per install rate.


3 - Paid Advertising - Incentivized Installs - Many networks that monetize virtual currency will also allow you to purchase incentivized installs from them. In this case, a user would be awarded an in-game virtual currency in another application as a reward for installing your app. For example, they could be playing 'World Domination' and within this game they collect gold coins so that they can buy more weapons. The network would work with the developer of 'World Domination' such that any user who installs YOUR app is rewarded with X gold coins within World Domination. The major problem with this form of install, is that most users will install your app simply to get their gold coins, and then never engage with or return to your application at all!

There are some pros to this method however. The volume of incentivized installs available is very large. These installs can be purchased cheaper than the banner installs, so it is a good way to inflate your MAU number. Incentivized installs actually work moderately well for gaming applications, as it is mostly other gaming applications that these installs come from. Finally, the portion of users that stick around with your application are usually quite monetizable as they are comfortable with the concept of completing offers to earn virtual currency - as that is how they got to your app in the first place!

4 - Paid Advertising - facebook direct - Another way to advertise your application is to buy advertising directly with facebook. Right away, you will notice that ads can only be purchased on a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) or CPC (cost per click) model as opposed to a CPI (cost per installs) model! This means that you need to have some way to monitor the conversion rate and calculate your effective CPI. Any developer can go directly to the facebook ads manager and begin advertising, however there are certain agencies that will also manage this spend for you for a small markup fee. These services can often be VERY helpful as the optimization skills they have from experience and skill will more than make up for the markup they are taking. CPC's from facebook can range from $0.02 to $2.00 depending on your target market and CTR - so there is a ton of variability there depending on your ability to produce effective ads targeted to the right market.


There is a wide range of ways paid options to grow your application. Keep in mind that all users are not created equally. Normally Banner and facebook advertising users have the highest engagement rate - while incentivized installs have a lower engagement rate. The market prices reflect this. Based on your method and the country of the users you are attracting, your CPI cost can range anywhere from $0.10 to well over $1.00. It makes a lot of sense to bring on the right partner to grow your application if you want to make a significant splash into the market, and so that you can focus on building a great app. Looking forward to replies on this post - and I can be reached at any time for advice at hussein [DOT] fazal [AT] adparlor [DOT] com