Do Facebook Apps have greater value if they can exist beyond Facebook? We’re about to find out.
Last Friday on Facebook’s Developer News blog ,Wei Zhu unveiled the JavaScript Client Library for Facebook API which allows calling Facebook API’s from any web site. Currently in beta, the script library allows entire Facebook Apps to reside on web servers (web sites) beyond Facebook’s.
The post includes the simple instructions for acquiring and implementing the relevant code.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Robert Neal 01.27.08 at 6:00 pm
Interesting. Do you think this will increase or decrease traffic to facebook.com? It seems like facebook will either be marginalized or pervasive. Google has managed to have some application (ie Ads, Analytics, Search, etc) of theirs on nearly every website in existence. Is that Facebook’s goal? I think it is possible. If I can implement only the aspects of Facebook that I want into my website, I can find use for the data from Facebook. Currently I find no use for Facebook except as an advertising medium. Pretty interesting.
Scott McAndrew 01.27.08 at 9:24 pm
@Robert: I’m not sure of its effect on overall traffic. That’s an obvious place to start for any Internet company, however. I’ve been contemplating what Facebook’s overall goal is online since the community at large started contemplating Facebook’s place in the search space-which in turn brings up the point “why would Facebook want to give its members a reason to leave.” In this case, the question is “Why would Facebook not only passively, but actively encourage users to spend less time on Facebook?” What could they possibly gain? Well, at the core, what is Facebook’s business model? Facebook doesn’t overtly discuss finances (nor does it need to as a private company). Are they making a killing on advertising? One would have to assume that they are making decent money on ads, but not enough to propel them in the grandiose directions they’re heading. What is it that Facebook has of value? Extremely valuable data for marketers. Facebook’s value lies in the data it collects about its users. The kind of data that companies (and the government for that matter) pay good money for. What they’re retaining likely has companies like Acxiom wishing Mark would have just finished his degree and gotten a job with them.
Jason 01.29.08 at 9:57 am
Yeah, I was reading about this over the weekend, and am glad you posted about it. I had some of the same questions that Robert had… Seems pretty cool though, on FB end to open things up like they have. I am trying to think of how an app on my (or anyone’s) site would be beneficial. But, I am going to play with it and get one of our apps on a site to see how things work. Nice new site BTW.