There is no doubt that Web 2.0 is cool. It works and it gets the job done for everyone that knows a little bit about the online world. But perhaps what isn?t highlighted enough is just what a robust springboard this virtual world really is. What does that mean? Think of the Web as the human genome. Depending on who interacts with it, the features and characteristics of the developers with the cool ideas and the relevant technical expertise can add on molecules and bonds, allowing the user to have a very rich experience.
Marketing doesn?t have to be ?in-your-face? all the time. Have you considered how a software or web developer actually markets their brand or name? By creating products that people want to use to make their lives more comfortable, companies able to not just create the right product, but trigger the right demand. How many times have you used an application and thought to yourself, ?hmmm? how did I survive before this came into my life?!? That?s the demand trigger. And we have a lot of young companies who do simply this: target and identify how specific applications can be developed so the Web becomes a more intrinsic part of you.
Salsoft is just one such company we came across. Amongst other apps, Salsoft has a service known as Facebookster through which they stake a claim to their niche? Developing applications for Facebook which enable you to have a more enriched Facebook experience. Salman Ghaznavi, the President of Salsoft took some time out of the virtual world, to speak to us about some of the opportunities, scope and risks involved in running the business they way do.
Their work at Facebookster.com speaks for itself and it is really the best example of the company?s own viral marketing. Their work might be diverse within the niche itself however their motto is simple: they are the ultimate insiders of social media application development. If you want to read how Application development for social networks can be integrated into your marketing plan, read on!
ence to our client. Hence remuneration depends on the scope of the project and how our client wishes to work with us.
What?s the response been like to some of your apps? Could you name the apps and discuss the number of installations?
The response has been fabulous! We had an exhilarating experience as we increased in strength. We have opened offices in the US and in other cities of Pakistan. We have appointed representative in far corners of the world and plan to open offices in other markets soon.
We do consistently well and continue to strive for stronger footing in the market. There is a long list of successful applications that we have developed. Some of these include;
? BlockStar (Tetris Game)- this gets more than 250,000 users each month,
? Snapdollars- more than 3000 users,
? MightofMany- more than 45,000 users.
These are dozens more successful applications but NDAs disable us from mentioning them.
What are some trends in apps development for social networking sites? What kind of people have which kinds of apps created?
Every application is unique, just like every song is different from the other, but you have to keep a few things in mind during the development process. It is these considerations that will make the difference between the success or failure of the application. Ensure the app is user friendly, social and viral and has an organic connection to Facebook?s intrinsic environment. We design applications as per clients needs and use your vast experience to polish their ideas to deliver a satisfactory consumer experience. Every application is different and is developed accordingly.
The application you develop, at the end of the day, can only be as robust or dynamic as the environment it is in. Is Facebook?s fabric really that flexible and powerful?
Of course it is. If it wasn?t, it would not survive and thrive among hundreds of social networks. Facebook only recently overtook its longtime rival MySpace in membership and affinity. Facebook is unique and perhaps the new platform to do everything you want to do online.
A common problem (which you seem to have also address in this blog entry: http://facebookster.com/blog/2008/08/20/good-bad-news-about-facebook-applications/) is that there is so much going on with every user, a cool application will be installed but seldom used. How would you ensure that the users actually USE the developed application on a regular basis?
Once again, applications are like songs – you have your favorites but you always like new ones. We keep a record of our application users. Every time the users use the application, it is monitored at our end and we keep a track of the number of users using our applications on a daily basis. For this we use Google Analytics -the best in class. We can build viral hooks, news feeds and user other tools to keep the interest alive.
Would you recommend a company advertise their product or service through a custom-made app instead of placing an ad on Facebook?
We are in the brave new world of 21st century communication. Just like the last century, new media vehicles are forming whereas old ways to reach consumers and old media is being pushed aside. Consumers are spending stupendous amount of quality time on interactive social media. My question is, can a manufacturer or a service provider ignore such a growing tide like social media, at its peril. Applications are the new message carrier in line with other content and information that is being brought to consumers. They offer tremendous opportunities to brands to promote in an interactive and entertaining fashion. If you place a simple banner ad people would just have a look at it but if you develop an application, things would go a few steps further.
Any advice for a newbie blogger and affiliate marketer?
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the great work Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
I think this website contains some real fantastic info for everyone : D.
Awesome post this will really help me!
“gagged…
Spouse to a BDSM Lifestyler Keep These Aspects in Mind:”…