Thread: Is using Facebook Connect Worth it?

Is using Facebook Connect (and others) worth it?

I read a posting in the thread "social site" and it made me really think about whether or not I want to use FB connect for my community. I feel lost on the topic. I think it is worth exploring...


It seems as though there are 3 main options for the user registration process:

1) Built from Scratch using No FB Connect. (I like this option)
2) Total FB connect, meaning that users must click the Facebook Connect Button to register with their existing profile. ( I hate this option)
3) Hybrid - FB connect (and or/something else) & registration for those of us who don't like to click that FB Connect Button. ( I like this option)

I personally hate clicking that Facebook connect button for some reason. I will go out of my way to fill out a registration form, but I know that most people are not weird like me.

So is it worth using? That is a question that I am trying to figure out. I'm leaning towards option #3 or #1, But either way I think that there are a lot of things to look at here.

1) Energy Output - It seems as though it is human nature for us to attempt to do things the fastest and easiest way possible without exerting ourselves. In other words, we like to converse our energy. Example: we see an open door and we will walk through the open door, rather than opening another door to get to the destination (how many times do you see those non-handicapped people use that button which automatically opens the door?). This comes into play big time with the Internet.

I believe that this logic should be applied when creating a website that relies on user generated content for growth. We must think economical about our users. How can we extract the largest return out of each action, while keeping their energy output at the lowest level possible? In other words, find a way to minimize the amount of steps that it takes to complete or carry out the process of creating user generated content. Think about it...the user needs to concentrate, click buttons, spell check, etc.. There is a lot of energy that goes into creating content. If we therefore build the framework of our systems to allow for economical energy output, then we ought to assume that our consumers will continue to exert their energy to create more user generated content on our sites. And the more content that a user places on the site, the more likely they are to become consistent with using the site--- following the commitment and consistency principle.

This is where that Facebook Connect Button seems to come into play. All you really have to do is click it and then BAM, you are part of the network. In my case: I would have the Facebook Connect Button set up in such a way that it not only makes it easy to register, but it also collects and redistributes the information in such a way that it instantly propels the user into an action when they join the site. For instance, the user joins, inputs information, logical connections are made between the information and other structure on the network and then BAM they are instantly thrown into a conversation or something of that nature. So in other words, the Connect button can do a lot of work outside of just registration. It can initiate the user's experience and make them kinetic, rather than placing them in a ghost town land full of potential energy, which may never be used. This is where a lot of social sites fail. The initial actions from the users (such as signing up) create no ripple. You need to treat every action as the rock that is being thrown into the pond. You throw it in and it creates a ripple that spreads throughout the rest of the pond.

2) Is the Facebook Connect Button bad For Your Brand-

Let’s say that you are starting a social network. Are there any underlying psychological drawbacks to using the FB connect button? The reason why I question about this is because a social network is a community. Communities are made up of people who have common interests and can easily identify with the community. When you click that Facebook connect button does it minimize the connection that one may feel to the community? It is not like you are clicking a button that says “my site name connect” it clearly states Facebook on it! How do you create strong community presences when the Door (join button) is labeled with another community? In my opinion this is the biggest drawback to the button.

Also, if we follow the commitment and consistency principle then we want to the user to click something that says your sites name on it. Not another site like Facebook.

3) Who Owns the Information? What happens if FB goes dark?

This is another big drawback. Does Facebook own the user information of the users who click the Facebook connect button?

And what happens if Facebook goes dark? How can the users sign in? It may never happen but it’s possible.

So the above are some questions that I have about the issue. I think that the button serves a great purpose, especially with making the process easy and fast. But is it worth it?

Rather than using the FB connect button (or something comparable) why not do one of the following:
1) Create a button that says (your site name connect?) and hide that over the Facebook connect button. Is this even possible?
2) Or just ask for an email then send them to a page that says “Your almost there!” And take them through some more steps. Sometimes it helps to break apart a process. By breaking a process into smaller sections you make it seem shorter and it is not as overwhelming to the user. If you have the user input just a little bit of information at the start of the process then it sort of makes them feel like they are connected anyway.

I don’t think that anything is as fast as the FB connect button. But I still have a lot of questions about whether or not it is worth it. For some sites yes it is. But for those of us who are building major community driven sites, I’m not so sure. Maybe it is bad in the early period and good later on, or the opposite.

Thanks!