Facebook launches its Like Button for mobile app developers

Facebook is just creeping its way more and more into our digital lives, and today it launched its mobile Like Button for iOS and Android developers, which it first showed off at its f8 conference in April.

Mobile developers can now embed a Like Button into their app, and as Facebook explains on its blog, this means that Facebook’s influence outside of its core apps will continue to grow:

People using a mobile app can directly Like the app’s Facebook Page, or any Open Graph object within the app, and share on Facebook. The mobile Like Button works seamlessly with the Facebook account the person is logged into on their device, allowing people to Like any piece of content, while in your native app.

Facebook also recommends developers consider the timing and placement of the button for optimal engagement, and that they close the loop by linking back to their product’s Facebook page — ensuring these pages get some love, since those users will consequently be receiving updates and information in their feeds.

Not surprisingly, this new mobile button is touching upon two very key things for Facebook: mobile, and continuing to get people interacting with brands on Facebook (which means more revenue). By enabling mobile developers to embed this button inside their apps, Facebook is hoping developers will continue to believe in the value of having a Facebook page where they can keep in touch with their fans, keep them informed, show them ads and promotions, or even just keep them interested in using their apps and products outside of Facebook.

But it’s also smart, or at least very logical. Mobile app developers’ main interaction with their users is through their apps, so having a Like Button there will surely be more beneficial than having a Like Button on a website or marketing email.

Facebook is also very aware that we are moving into the mobile era at a very rapid speed (Zuckerberg certainly knows that), so someday, the Like Button that currently sits on websites might lose relevance. We’ll all spend most of our time in apps — that’s where brands and developers need to hook us.

And in the end, this is just Facebook’s latest tactic in keeping brands on its platform. If you can make it easier for app developers to get their users to follow them on Facebook, you can convince them to invest in their Facebook page, and then maybe even spend some money with Facebook.

Well done, Facebook.

via TechCrunch