Facebook keeps trying to bolster its mobile platform monetizing methods, probably the social network’s weakest arm although it is growing to be the biggest one as well (which places the company at financial vulnerability). So after making it easier to advertise only on mobile, now Facebook is going directly after the consumers.
Under a new post on Facebook Developer Blog called “Helping Monetize The Mobile Web” (mostly help Facebook that is) the company announced it is starting to roll out a new simple method for users to acquire Credits (the social network’s currency) on the mobile web. The new system is already available today for users from over 60 countries across the globe.
Now, when a user from the 60+ available countries will try to buy/pay by using Facebook Credits, he would be able to do so in two simple fast steps and get charged by his local mobile carrier. The service operates for all popular mobile carriers in the U.S. (Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T) and in the U.K. (Three, Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone and 02), full list of countries can be found here.
Reducing the number of steps for users whenever they wish to use Facebook Credits obviously raises the chances they’ll eventually pay. Whenever the payment process it too long and complicated, many people will abandon it without completion. This simple 2-step process without the necessity of entering a payment method (which is a deterring thing by itself) will surely make Facebook’s giant mobile community to spend more money.
But Facebook won’t be the only beneficiary from this move, developers will obviously profit as well. Just as a reminder (or if you didn’t knew that), Facebook takes 30% of each Credit redemption inside apps while the developer takes 70% ($0.07 per $0.10 Credit). Then if you are an app developer, don’t be surprised to see a boost in earnings soon.
The integration of the new payment system for developers should be pretty simple process of copying a few lines of codes. If you already integrated Facebook Credits before then you don’t have to do anything for it to update. For more information you can read this Facebook Credits for Developers help page.