Snap Summit: RockYou Metrics Presentation

Eric Yieh, Director of Product Dvlpt
RockYou Metrics

RockYou approach to product design:

Apply advertising principles to user facing web design.  Think of everything as a page view.
Grow by increasing the number of touch points and maximizing conversion on each touch point.

Build fast and launch asap
- Super Wall coded in a weekend

Iterate over and over with A/B

Data guides product decisions, no user experts. 

Tenets of Social App dvelopment:
- Channels are better than features
- Channels bring in new users
- Don't let concept drive viral channels
- Have a plan to maximize use of every viral channel
- Tune the viral loop - user adds, engages, invites, new user adds...
- Build new features to keep them engaged and happy

How do you launch a winning app:
- Half art, half science
- Intersection of psychology and web analytics
Develop concepts around high converting calls to action
- SImple
- Universal
- Social Persuasion (reciprocity)
- Novelty (get it out first)

Potential for sustainable long term engagement
Nail down viral loop.
Timing with launch is key - launching with maximum virality (as opposed to features) is key.

Metrics for Viral Loop

Install Flow, Engagement Flow (request), Engagement Flow (notifications)

Number of requests sent and CTR
Notifications sent and CTR
Feed Events and Feed CTR
Adds / Rmoves
And everything else

How do we track?  Started with Google, but it didn't meet their needs.

When you're more serious, you need to build your own. 

A/B Test Flows AND invividual calls to action.

Making the most of viral channels:

Graph and compare activity metrics over time
Focus resources on tuning the largest traffic drivers
All viral channels eventually decay.
Keep tuning and stay ahead of the curve

Other Channels to drive installs:

Paid
Link Exchange
Cross promotion of apps