Client’s Marketing Manager: We have this cute free web app and it’s hosted on appdeveloper.com/ourbrandname and we want to put it in a facebook tab…it currently redirects to the developer’s website, but we just don’t want them to go to the developer’s site or see the developer’s URL.
Me: You want them to go to the app, but hosted on your URL? Sure.
Client’s Marketing Manager: Yes. Not developer’s URL.
Me: Easy. We’ll iframe the developer’s app page on your site – say, yoursite.com/app – and then iframe that page in Facebook. The framebuster we installed on your site will make it jump people out of facebook and take people to your site where they can see the buy now buttons and product banners above the app, and potentially purchase while they are there. Booya!
Client’s Marketing Manager: No, we want a seamless user experience. We ideally don’t want to take people away from Facebook when they use the app.
Me: We can do that, we would make a static html iframe page that bypasses the frame buster – but – are you sure? The whole point of the framebuster is that it turns a Facebook user into a visitor to your own website where you have the chance of making a sale. Free traffic from Facebook to your site, with the app as bait.
Client’s Marketing Manager: No, we don’t want to do that. We just want to give them the app seamlessly.
Me: So they don’t accidentally get distracted from using the app and buy your product when on your site by accident? Or so that Mark Zuckerberg can make more money displaying your competitor’s ads to people while they are using your free app, because they never left Facebook? Which they might then buy instead of your product?
Client’s Marketing Manager: You’re not listening to me. It’s messing with the user experience, if they click on the app, we don’t want to then show them our marketing information. We just want to give them the app. nothing else.
Me: But the app is just a free app. So – bear with me, I am just being devils’ advocate here and making sure you know what you want and why, and that there is solid reasoning behind it. What’s the strategy behind the app?
Client’s Marketing Manager: To build an audience on Facebook.
Facebook friends is like an arms race. Everyone wants to get lots of them but nobody knows what to do with them. – Jen Sheahan
Me: Okay, so – to do what with that audience?
Client’s Marketing Manager: To engage with them.
Me: To engage with them, and then what?
Client’s Marketing Manager: Just build brand awareness.
Me: Okay. Complete this sentence… “Coca Cola wants to build brand awareness so that they can… ”
Client’s Marketing Manager: … sell Coca Cola…
Me: Exactly. and the way I suggested to set it up, they want the app and click – so we take them away from Facebook with a frame-buster, give them the app – hosted on your site and wrapped up nicely in your marketing materials, and they may even get curious and read about the product while they are there, Maybe even buy!
Client’s Marketing Manager: But we don’t want to sell them product. We just want them to use the app…and see our URL not the developer’s. But please hide everything except the app. It’s all in the email.
Me: So you want them to be on your site but not realise they are on your site, because we are hiding the menu, banners or buy now button so they don’t even know they are on your site, and there is no way to access marketing materials or buy anything?
Client’s Marketing Manager: Yes, exactly.
