AppAddictive
AppAddictive is a social media platform that businesses can use to create Facebook pages, optimize Facebook ad campaigns, and run social-loyalty programs.
The company launched out of the DreamIt Ventures start-up incubator program. It is known for its “drag-and-drop” Facebook customization tools.
AppAddictive is based in New York City. Its CEO is Michael Onghai.
History
AppAddictive was founded by Michael Onghai, who was the third employee at GeoCities, which Yahoo! bought in 1998 for $3.5 billion. When Facebook launched its API in 2007, Onghai was working in New York City at a hedge fund. His initial Facebook apps gathered over 50 million users.
Onghai left his job to spend three months at the DreamIt Ventures incubator in 2011, where he launched AppAddictive. The incubator program guided the company’s transition into a business-to-business model. His sister, Judy Onghai, Ph.D., joined him to co-found the company.
At the beginning of 2012, AppAddictive received $1.2 million in seed funding from Great Oaks Venture Capital, Charles Gregoire de Rothschild of GDR Privee, Seimer Ventures, and Tholons.
The drag-and-drop catalog of apps for designing Facebook pages was the first service offered by AppAddictive. Soon after the investment, AppAddictive released its advertising platform. In 2012, AppAddictive partnered with Sticky Street to create social loyalty programs on Facebook.
The company has announced plans to expand its tools to Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. AppAddictive’s revenue comes from premium pricing for advanced features and performance-based advertising. As of April 2012, 50,000 businesses use AppAddictive's Facebook apps. AppAddictive has access to the Facebook Ads API.
Brands that use AppAddictive include ABC Television Network, Aston Martin, Alibaba, DHL, Lindt, Sears, Infosys, Samsung, Virgin Mobile, Qatar Airways, and National Geographic.
Product
AppAddictive’s platforms are designed to keep customers on social media sites by offering a Facebook page-management platform, ad-optimization technology, and a social-loyalty platform. Media coverage has noted that AppAddictive’s tools are ideal for small business that want social media campaigns as professional-looking and engaging as big business counterparts, but lack the budget for a web professional.
The page management platform allows customers to “drag and drop” different apps to build their Facebook page. Examples of available apps include a Flickr, Vimeo, YouTube, Google Maps, sign-up forms, surveys, and customizable HTML boxes. Plans for expansion include industry-specific apps, such as currency quotes for financial companies or mortgage rates for mortgage companies. The Facebook page-management platform was the first service to roll out.
AppAddictive’s social loyalty apps operate like a game on Facebook. Users have the opportunity to earn points and rewards when they use a company’s Facebook social loyalty app. Elements of a social-loyalty app include points and levels, challenges, virtual goods, leaderboards, and gifting.