Techtalk: Facebook App Suite Turns Brand Pages into Crowdsourcing hubs

Just when you thought Facebook has showed you all they have to offer, think again.  This time, the new app they are offering may actually be of real significance than most of the entertainment apps that they offer now.  Facebook perks up  its kind of “becoming sleepy” users — most of them due to the Timeline innovation by offering the app called “Napkin Labs”.  We don’t know for sure why its called napkin labs, but we’re thinking that’s because most brilliant ideas have all been put in a napkin first in some restaurant when future business partners suddenly have that lightbulb moment.

Napkin Labs  makes interactive marketing tools for Facebook. The idea is that it makes a suite of customized apps that make brand pages interactive.  You see, most brands that have Facebook pages have already made the first step in marketing through Facebook, and that is, making their presence known through the Like button.  However, aside from comments here and there, and some promotions, brand pages still have a lot of potential business usage that hasn’t been applied yet.

Now, enter the Napkin Labs, what does it really have to offer?  The company offers four different apps. “Brainstorm” is a basic crowdsourcing platform that lets brands ask their community a question. “Photoboard” collects and displays community-sourced images. “Pipeline” turns Facebook pages into open forums. And “Superfans” shows who participates the most in campaigns, then rewards them. Most of the tools come with analytics and moderation features.

It is basically an online “lab space” where the brands get to collaborate with their users on products, designs and anything else.  However, the app will cost companies and brands some $1,000 to be able to customize their Facebook page.  For big companies, this start-up price may seem easy, but for those who are still in the early stages of their business, and planning to use this app for crowdsourcing, the cost may be overwhelming.  Although tests performed using the app are said to have generated 29% more Likes, it is up to the brand or company whether the traditional research and development would suffice, or whether they would ride with another upcoming e-commerce wave.

Source:  http://mashable.com/2012/03/16/napkin-labs/

Submit a Comment