I’m actively following all the discussion about new metrics for Facebook widgets. I’m fascinated by apps that are supposedly “wildly popular” but seem really shallow to me. Facebook metrics went from number of installs (something that could easily be manipulated) to daily usage (something that encourages flashy content and fleeting engagement). Which is why the latest move to tracking monthly active users for apps is a smart move on Facebook’s part. It forces app developers to think about how to sustain interest and engagement over time.

Thinking about my own Facebook usage recently. I was a near addict to the game Pack Rat. I spent hours playing on a daily basis for nearly 2 months. But now, I’m done with it. I’ll probably never go back.

And then there’s GoodReads (it’s also my favorite social network). I never spend a lot time on it but I come back throughout the month to update what I’m reading and rate the books that I recently finished.

Which use is viewed as more successful to developers in my case? We’ll let the ever-evolving metrics to decide.

Ranking and Monthly Active Users on both apps from developerAnalytics:
PackRat #223, 81,261 MAU
Goodreads #879, 30,040 MAU