Measurement

    Measurement for Games

    Overview

    To build the best possible experience for your players, it is important to track how they are interacting with your app and how this changes over time. To make informed decisions and design new features in your game it is important to test, measure, and learn from effective instrumentation. In this guide we will cover important tools you can use to measure your game like App Events and referral tracking.

    Instrumentation with App Events

    In order to measure X you will need to be logging events with an instrumentation solution. One such solution is App Events, which unlocks some powerful marketing automation.

    Adding support for App Events is simple when using the Facebook SDK for your platform, or if you are server inclined you can use our App Events API. Integration is lightweight and in the simplest case, each event only takes adding a single line of code. These events can be one of several predefined events or a custom event you define for your app.

    In addition to common events shared across most genres of apps, there are 3 predefined events for games:

    Event Name Event Description Parameter

    Level Achieved

    The player has achieved a level in the app.

    FBSDKAppEventNameAchievedLevel (iOS)


    EVENT_NAME_ACHIEVED_LEVEL (Android)


    AchievedLevel (Unity)


    ACHIEVED_LEVEL(JavaScript)

    Tutorial Completed

    The player has completed a tutorial in the app.

    FBSDKAppEventNameCompletedTutorial (iOS)


    EVENT_NAME_COMPLETED_TUTORIAL (Android)


    CompletedTutorial (Unity)


    COMPLETED_TUTORIAL(JavaScript)

    Achievement Unlocked

    The player has unlocked an achievement in the app.

    FBSDKAppEventNameUnlockedAchievement (iOS)


    EVENT_NAME_UNLOCKED_ACHIEVEMENT (Android)


    UnlockedAchievement (Unity)


    UNLOCKED_ACHIEVEMENT(JavaScript)


    To get started visit the Facebook App Events documentation and follow the directions for your relevant platform. Find best practices and vertical-specific examples on the App Events Best Practices Guide.

    Referral Tracking

    For games on Facebook.com, players can reach your game through a number of surfaces. It can be helpful to measure these traffic sources through the use of referral parameters. When a player navigates to your game from a location on Facebook.com, like bookmarks, Feed, or a person's Profile, a query string parameter fb_source will be appended to the URL. You can use this parameter to measure incoming traffic to your game.

    Parameter Values

    This list refers to the set of fb_source parameters returned when a user clicks on the bookmarks or recommendations while playing a game on Facebook.com (i.e. from apps.facebook.com/*).

    Name Description

    canvas_bookmark

    When your app is visited from a bookmark shown while playing a game on Facebook (i.e. from https://apps.facebook.com/*).

    canvas_recommended

    When a user is brought to your app via the recommendations section.

    ego

    When a user is brought to your app via the Games You May Like recommendations section.


    Sidebar navigation

    This list refers to the set of fb_source parameters returned when a user clicks on the bookmarks on the Facebook sidebar. The sidebar is shown to a selection of targeted, active app users and appears on the right hand side of every page, if the user's screen size is wide enough to support it. This unit, if enabled for the viewing user, appears above the chat and ticker sections of their sidebar.

    Name Description

    sidebar_bookmark

    When your app is visited from a bookmark located on the sidebar.

    sidebar_recommended

    When a user is brought to your app via the recommendations section of the sidebar.


    Homepage Bookmarks

    This list refers to the set of fb_source parameters returned when a user clicks on the bookmarks on the user's homepage.

    Name Description

    bookmark

    When your app is visited from a bookmark on the user's homepage under the Apps section.

    bookmark_favorites

    When your app is visited from a bookmark on the user's homepage under the Favorites section.


    Homepage Right side column

    This list refers to the set of fb_source parameters returned when a user clicks on the links on the right side column of the user's homepage.

    Name Description

    reminders

    When your app is visited from a reminder on the user's homepage. At the top of the right hand column on the Feed, where reminders for commonly played games are surfaced. These appear near birthday reminders, pokes, and other notifications.

    rightcolumn

    When a user is brought to your app via the recommendations on the right side column of the user's homepage.

    There is a search bar is present on many pages within Facebook. If a user reached your app from the Facebook search bar, we will add the search fb_source parameter.

    Name Description

    search

    When your app is visited from the Facebook search bar.


    Notifications

    There are a variety of ways a user can be sent a notification about your app, see [Game Requests] and [App Notifications]. If a user reached your app from the Facebook notification tray, we will add the notification fb_source parameter.

    Name Description

    notification

    When your app is visited from the Facebook notifications tray.


    App Center

    This list refers to the set of fb_source parameters returned when a user installs apps from the App Center.

    Name Description

    appcenter

    When a user installs an app from the App Center homepage, category pages or an App Detail page.

    appcenter_request

    When a user clicks on an invite or request from within App Center.


    Feed

    Feed stories are surfaced in many places around the site. If a user reached your app through one of these stories, we will add the feed fb_source parameter.

    Name Description

    feed

    When your app is visited from a Feed story within Facebook.


    Timeline

    Facebook users can choose to show what Apps and Games they use on their Facebook profiles. If a user reached your app from the timeline of a Facebook user, we will add on the timeline fb_source parameter.

    Name Description

    timeline

    When your app is visited from the timeline of a Facebook user.


    Referral Tracking (sub-categories)

    While fb_source defines broad referral categories, you may look into fbs parameters that refer to specific UI elements.

    App Center

    fbsDescription

    100

    APPCENTER

    101

    APPCENTER_CURATED

    102

    APPCENTER_EXTERNAL

    104

    APPCENTER_FRIENDSUSING

    105

    APPCENTER_MOBILE

    106

    APPCENTER_MYAPPS

    107

    APPCENTER_RELATEDAPPS

    108

    APPCENTER_REQUEST

    109

    APPCENTER_SEARCH

    110

    APPCENTER_SEARCH_TYPEAHEAD

    111

    APPCENTER_SUGGESTION

    112

    APPCENTER_TOPLIST

    113

    APPCENTER_SALES

    114

    APPCENTER_GETTING_STARTED

    115

    APPCENTER_USAGE

    116

    APPCENTER_DETAIL_PAGE_CTA

    117

    APPCENTER_HERO_FEATURED

    118

    APPCENTER_HOMEPAGE_CAROUSEL

    120

    APPCENTER_CONTEXT_MENU

    121

    APPCENTER_APP_PAGE_CAROUSEL

    122

    APPCENTER_BROWSE_GRID

    123

    APPCENTER_MOST_POPULAR_LIST

    124

    APPCENTER_POPULAR_AMONG_FRIENDS

    125

    APPCENTER_TOP_GROSSING

    126

    APPCENTER_DIRECT_NAV

    127

    APPCENTER_BROWSE_GRID_FEATURED

    128

    APPCENTER_HERO

    129

    APPCENTER_HOMEPAGE_CAROUSEL_FEATURED

    130

    APPCENTER_HOMEPAGE_TOP_LIST

    131

    APPCENTER_HOMEPAGE_TOP_LIST_FEATURED

    132

    APPCENTER_APP_PAGE_HEADER

    133

    APPCENTER_APP_POPOVER_HEADER

    134

    APPCENTER_CONTEXT_MENU_FEATURED

    135

    APPCENTER_APP_PAGE_CAROUSEL_FEATURED

    136

    APPCENTER_SALE_BANNER

    137

    APPCENTER_HOMEPAGE_BOOKMARK

    138

    APPCENTER_DESKTOP_APP_LINK

    Facebook Web (Canvas)

    fbsDescription

    201

    CANVAS_BOOKMARK

    202

    CANVAS_BOOKMARK_FEATURED

    203

    CANVAS_RECS

    204

    CANVAS_RECS_FEATURED

    206

    CANVAS_GAMEBAR

    207

    CANVAS_GAMEBAR_CAROUSEL

    208

    CANVAS_GAMEBAR_CAROUSEL_FEATURED

    209

    CANVAS_GAMEBAR_SLIDER

    210

    CANVAS_GAMEBAR_SLIDER_FEATURED

    211

    CANVAS_GAMEBAR_BOOKMARKS

    212

    CANVAS_PA_SLIDER

    213

    CANVAS_TRENDING

    214

    CANVAS_LIVE_PLAYERS

    215

    CANVAS_TOP_LISTS

    216

    CANVAS_GAME_SUGGESTIONS

    217

    CANVAS_BOOKMARKS_LIST

    218

    CANVAS_DESKTOP_SEARCH

    219

    CANVAS_BLUEBAR_BOOKMARKS

    220

    CANVAS_JEWEL

    221

    CANVAS_RHC_DESKTOP_APP_DOWNLOAD_UNIT

    222

    CANVAS_DESKTOP_DOWNLOAD_LEARN_MORE

    223

    CANVAS_SPOTLIGHT

    224

    CANVAS_SPOTLIGHT_FEATURED

    225

    CANVAS_RHC_DESKTOP_APP_PLAY_ON_APP_DOWNLOAD_UNIT

    226

    CANVAS_BANNER_DESKTOP_APP_DOWNLOAD_UNIT

    Bookmarks

    fbsDescription

    301

    BOOKMARK

    302

    BOOKMARK_APPS

    303

    BOOKMARK_DEVELOPER

    304

    BOOKMARK_FAVORITES

    305

    BOOKMARK_FEATURED

    306

    BOOKMARK_SEEALL

    307

    BOOKMARK_RIGHTCOL

    308

    BOOKMARK_ARCADE