Facebook Debuts New Events App

If you are right at the start of your app franchise business opportunity journey, you might want to take some inspiration from social media giant, Facebook and its Events app this week. While you’d be forgiven for thinking that the world’s largest social network can do no wrong, the latest Facebook launch is proof that not even the best in the business get it right all the time. And guess what? That’s ok because each failure is also an opportunity to figure out how to do something better.

So where did Facebook go wrong and what does this have to do with your fledgling app development business?

Every entrepreneur knows that there are no straightforward paths to success and Facebook is a case in point. Back in 2016, it launched an app called Events. The app was intended to make it easier for Facebook users to see what was happening near them, and for event organisers to boost attendance. It combined a calendar function with app listings. A social networking app for social butterflies, sounds like a sure fire winner, right? In fact, the app was a rare miss for Facebook and just a few days after its launch, it fell out of the most downloaded iOS apps chart and never returned.

Going back to the drawing board

With the Events app failing to capture user interest, Facebook realised that a new approach was needed. This week, it launched a new incarnation of Events, rebranded as Local. The new app has a new look and a new name but, some of the fundamental bones of the Events app remain. They have simply been tweaked to better serve customer needs and expectations – a lesson that every entrepreneur starting an app development business can learn from.

Local will work in a similar manner to Events – the app will still provide users with a rundown of what’s happening near them but this will be supplemented by reviews and useful local business information. Local product manager, Aditya Koolwal said, “The new app, Facebook Local, helps you easily find what to do, where to go, where to eat, or what you need — all recommended by the people you know and trust.”

What’s interesting about Local is that it uses many existing Facebook features, but pulls them out into a dedicated app rather than force users to dig around in the main Facebook app. Some insiders suggest that the app more closely resembles Foursquare and could be a sign that Facebook will start to sell event tickets in the not too distant future, much like it recently confirmed it was now possible to order takeaway food through Messenger.

Image source: Google