Facebook Home: What is means for advertisers

Facebook just had a press release about Facebook Home. Our summary below. If you want to see the event you may find it here (when available from Livestream).

Summary for the lazy ones

• Facebook want to turn your phone into a newsfeed called Facebook Home.
• Other operating systems to come.
• Some Android users may Download Facebook home 12.april 
• No need to change anything for advertisers, really. Just create great content.
• Ads to Facebook Home will not be available at the launch, but maybe later.

Bottom line: 

For now, don't worry about anything than your content. 

Geek summary

Well. A bit more geeky, at least.

From apps to news feed

Today our mobile life spins around apps (browsers are also an app). Facebook is the by far most used app in time spent. 

Top apps in time spent

Facebook thinks our life should spin around people, not apps. For that reason, Facebook launches Facebook Home, a layer that connects the apps on your phone in a different way. 

The main news are the gui, the home screen, and the chat heads,

The home screen

The home screen will be like your newsfeed. Stories passing by

• Read more, comment, like and share directly from the home screen
• Options from the home screen will be messaging, Facebook or see your apps

Apps available one click away from the home screen

Chat heads: Fight for messaging

Messaging will always be available from the home screen from Chat heads. Click a head no matter which app you are in and you will see the dialogue. 

Platforms and operating system

Facebook will not make a Facebook phone. They will not stick to Android only, but is launching on Android now (because Android is more open, of course). 

Tablets to come in some months. Other OSs also later. 

HTC will be the first phone with "HTC First". A phone sold in US with the telco AT&T. Other operators to come.

What does it mean for advertisers?

• If Facebook succeeds, the status updates are even more important. They take control of the home screen for the users of Facebook Home.
• Your content will be even more important. The content will be the hub.
• Facebook willl bring ads to coverfeed eventually, but they’re not their at launch. There’s also no video stuff, no group stories. 
• No changes needed at all for now.

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Facebook changes: all apps to sandbox mode

Earlier today Facebook announced a change to how new apps are created.

All apps created from today will start from in sandbox mode. The main reason for the change is that Facebook wants apps to be tested before they go live. This is what Facebook writes on their blog:

Starting today, all newly created apps will be in "sandbox mode" by default. This hides your app for people not listed as admins, developers or testers, so you can build your app without worrying about other people accessing it. When you are ready to take your app live, sandbox mode can be toggled off in the basic settings area of the App Dashboard.

What it means

• When you have created an app and are ready to go live, you must toogle off sandbox mode.
• You can play around with an app before its live. Good for testing.

Bottom line: the change is good for those who appreciate testing, but bad for those who tend to forget stuff. We will for sure see examples where page owners forget to make their applications live.

Sandbox mode

The app we are testing (Page Metrics) is only visible for page admins.

How to fix (Fanbooster customers)

Per now it is not possible to toggle the sandbox on and off outside Facebook. This means you have to log in to the admin panel after you have created an app. Please contact us if you need any help. You may also use our web site chat to get in touch with our support team.

1. Add to page as usual

2. Go to Change App Settings in Facebook

3. Disable the new Sandbox Mode! 

By default sandbox mode is set to Enabled. Choose Disabled to make your app live.

When possible, we will implement the sandbox-toggle directly in Fanbooster. Until then we will take care of our customers manually. No need to worry, really.

How to fix (All)

Sandbox mode

The app we are testing (the yellow one) is only visible for page admins.

How to go live with an app

1. Find your app in the list or click more

2. Pick your app from the list or use the search field

3. Click Edit settings

4. Disable the new Sandbox Mode! 

By default sandbox mode is set to Enabled. Click Disabled to make your app live.

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