I'm looking at setting up an Instagram app so I can push content from my app directly to Instagram. I'm already doing this for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
I know that Instagram is in the middle of moving to the Facebook Graph API, and it seems like there are several barriers to even start developing an app.
At the top of the Getting Started link there's a blurb stating that I need to undergo "Business Verification" to use the Instagram Graph API. Do I need to do this in order to use these endpoints in sandbox mode? (Edit: I believe this must be done in order to test the non-beta aspects of the API) In addition, the Content Publishing API seems to be locked down even further, requiring parternship with either Facebook or Instagram, and neither are accepting new applications.
Is there some way to test this in sandox mode without becoming a partner?
(Edit: Testing your app Suggests that I must do business validation in order to use the non-beta aspects, and there's no permission for publish_content, leading me to believe that I must be a business partner to even test this feature. Can anyone confirm?)
Januray 26, 2021
The Content Publishing beta has ended and all developers can now publish media on Instagram Professional accounts. Refer to the Content Publishing guide for usage details.
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-api/guides/content-publishing
i got an email from google this morning that my account would not be approved due to insufficient content . i run a social networking site which does not have contents but more of users images e.t.c is adsense allowed on social networks or dating sites .. see email below
Your AdSense application status
As mentioned in our welcome email, we conduct a second review of your AdSense application once AdSense code is placed on your site(s). As a result of this review, we have disapproved your account for the following violation(s):
We did not approve your application for the reasons listed below
Insufficient content: To be approved for AdSense and show relevant ads on your site, your pages need to have enough text on them for our specialists to review and for our crawler to be able to determine what your pages are about.
To resolve this issue, please work through the following suggestions:
Make sure that your pages have sufficient text - websites that contain mostly images, videos or Flash animations will not be approved.
Your content should contain complete sentences and paragraphs, not only headlines.
Ensure that your website is fully built and launched before you apply for AdSense - do not apply while your site’s still in a beta or “under construction” phase or only consists of a website template.
Place the ad code on a live page of your website. It does not have to be the main page, but test pages that are empty except for the AdSense ad code will not be approved.
Provide a clear navigation system for your visitors so that they can easily find all of the sections and pages of your website.
If you’d like to monetize YouTube videos, please apply for the YouTube monetization program. Note that blogs and websites that contain only videos will not be approved.
No, you can't.
See tutorial : https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/48182?hl=en
I have a Facebook app (canvas app), let's say https://apps.facebook.com/test, that redirects and works as expected on the desktop (on all browsers that I have tested).
On mobile phones (both from the FB app and the browser) the path gets redirected to https://m.facebook.com/apps/test/?ref=web_canvas, which gives a "This page cannot be found" error. Why?
This has been reported as a bug to Facebook and Facebook has confirmed it as a bug. They have not provided a date on when the fix will be ready.
You can follow the status of the bug here:
https://developers.facebook.com/bugs/1051463851558493/
Update: Facebook have (since the information struck-out below) completely removed support for this. The thread about this is here:
https://developers.facebook.com/bugs/1051463851558493/
The top-level information is:
We have now deprecated Mobile Canvas URL. This means that you will no
longer be able to direct to a website/app directly within the Facebook
mobile web based upon the external destination URL you have specified
in the 'Mobile Site URL' field for the app on developers.facebook.com.
Furthermore, we have removed the 'Mobile Site URL' field from the app
setup going forward. This deprecation also applies to apps that were
previously whitelisted.
So it's time to move away from this functionality, and either integrate the newer FB Instant Games functionality or just link to an external website as having your canvas app hosted inside the FB mobile app simply isn't possible as it was in years gone by.
Facebook has disabled mobile URLs working by default:
We recently identified a handful of apps misusing our mobile App Center to redirect people to unauthorized sites. As a precaution, we have temporarily turned off the ability for developers to direct to a destination URL for any app in the "Mobile Site URL" field on the dev site.
Now if you wish for this functionality to work, you need to be logged into Facebook and then go to the following URL:
https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/588209321338256
This URL will effectively put your request in a queue, for someone at Facebook to manually verify your app configuration isn't malicious, and then enable the redirection. I do not like posting this answer, as I know it will eventually become invalid, but as of today it is the only answer. As stated by Scott, you can follow progress on this issue here:
https://developers.facebook.com/bugs/1051463851558493/
Please ignore the fact it claims the issue has been 'Fixed' as Facebook count the above workaround as a fix. If you read through the comments on the bug you can note the waiting time to get the URL fixed (on a per app basis) is typically several weeks.
On May 28th, 2017, Facebook confirmed that the Mobile Canvas URL has now been deprecated. Any apps already using (and white listed) will stop working, and no new apps will be accepted.
Hi everyone,
First, please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in getting
back to you with an update on the status of Mobile Canvas URL. I
understand your frustrations, particularly if you submitted your
details via the form and were waiting on a response.
We have now deprecated Mobile Canvas URL. This means that you will no
longer be able to direct to a website/app directly within the Facebook
mobile web based upon the external destination URL you have specified
in the 'Mobile Site URL' field for the app on developers.facebook.com.
Furthermore, we have removed the 'Mobile Site URL' field from the app
setup going forward. This deprecation also applies to apps that were
previously whitelisted.
The Mobile Canvas URL feature is a vestige of a long ago deprecated
product called Mobile Canvas. Facebook maintains a high commitment to
quality, so we don't want to leave unsupported products active —
especially when they continue to cause bugs for our developers. Going
forward, we're recommending you take advantage of the well-supported
Facebook Games on Web product to drive traffic to your app.
We've also introduced Instant Games which lets people play mobile
games within Messenger and Facebook News Feed. We invite you to sign
up for our closed beta program. We believe letting people play games
together on Facebook is a powerful experience for both players and
developers.
If your app is still set up to rely on Mobile Canvas URL
functionality, we recommend taking the following actions:
If you're using Mobile Canvas to link to a page on mobile web, you need to update your app to handle the redirection in the desktop
iframe. User interaction is required to redirect away from web canvas
as our Platform Policy does not allow automated redirects from canvas.
If your app was previously whitelisted, you will need to take action as this deprecation supersedes any workarounds you have in place.
Thank you for your understanding as we continually improve the
products and services we offer to both developers and players. Again,
please accept my apologies for the wait in getting back to you with
this information
Best regards,
Tim
See this thread https://developers.facebook.com/bugs/1051463851558493/
My app free daily horoscope was disabled after almost one year. I didn't get any notice from facebook it's just wanish from my facebook developer account.
It didn't have negative feedback - I was regullary check it in apps insights. It has more than 10.000 active users and sudenly dissaper.
The only change I made was this week - I add ads from slovenian provider in it, but the adds has information that they are from someone other not facebook. I also has tos, privacy everything.
Where can I get information why this happened and is there any way to get my app back? I can't make appeal because there is no message from fb.
Grettings
Leo
Check out this page http://developers.facebook.com/policy/
I think you may have fallen fowl of one of the following passages, but you will need to do a little research.
III. Content > 3
"b. You can only utilize advertising or similar monetization related products or services from companies that appear on this list of Advertising Providers within Apps on Facebook.com."
http://developers.facebook.com/adproviders/
VIII. Branding and Promotion Policy
You must follow the guidelines set forth in the Facebook Brand Resource and Permissions Center.
Your app's description, display name and icons must adhere to our Advertising Guidelines.
I hope this is helpful.
Paul
I want to develop an online application and I am considering EITHER building a website with community features built in or building ONLY a facebook app. I was wondering if other people have had to make the same decision and what things I will need to consider.
The website I want to build will be an educational portal where people can make and take tests online
I disagree with some of the other answers here. There is a huge difference between a) trying to advertise a new place on the web and b) trying to advertise a new functionality of an existing place. Even if this new website would offer a very tight integration with Facebook and some other social platforms. Keep in mind: facebook users really don't like to leave facebook, no matter what the reason would be. That's why the click-through rate for the advertisements is so embarrassingly poor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook#Company
That said you can of course always do both: build a website and offer the same functionality through a facebook app. However my opinion here is that if you're application only offers its users a single functionality, you'll be better off just doing the latter.
What exactly is the advantage you expect by creating a Facebook-ONLY-App for that?
If it's only about taking tests you can still build a "normal" portal and include some of the Facebook-functionality through the JavaScript-SDK, like posting to the wall, Single-Sign-On, find your friends and so on. This way the user still has the choice if he wants to connect with Facebook or not. This way you also don't minimize your userbase to Facebook-users
(yeah I know, "everyone" has Facebook these days... ;) Still not everyone wants it to be connected to every single site he's using through Facebook)
Considering this comment:
Well I guess its easier for people to recommend my app if it is a facebook app, is the main reason I want to know if facebook is a good option – Zubair Mar 3 at 14:51
Build a website and then add the Facebook 'like' button. See: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/guides/web/#plugins
You should put a Twitter button as well:
http://twitter.com/about/resources/tweetbutton
In my opinion you have to develop both. First develop you website. Although facebook is having millions of users But in my opinion you cannot implement every thing as freely as you can in your web application than facebook application. You should have a website and a page on facebook. You can integrate other facebook social plugins on your website to interact with facebook.
From monitization point of it is easy for new users on website than application on facebook. Other reason website especially related to educational purposes have a huge click through rate which you cannot find on facebook application advertiser.
What is the goal of the website?
If its to make money dont do a facebook app, you have far more control of your site by designing it entirely yourself.
If you want social networking features there are plenty of APIs you can tie in to which will provide you with functionality and allow you to link into facebook / twitter etc.
A website would look more professional, it would allow you to gather statistics on unique hits, revisits etc, having your own database of users means you can gather information and market your site more specifically ( which users took which tests).
A website also allows you to monetize it by adding advertisement if that is your goal, and you can gain search engine rankings.
If you want to get publicity for your website you can use facebook by creating a group / page for the site and promoting it that way.
Also your own website wont leave you vulnerable to changes in Facebook, what if you put in all this work and in a year the terms change and a portion of your app is now in violation of the terms. What if you want to add X feature and facebook wont allow it?
Basically your site = 100% in your controll, thats a big advantage to you. With facebook you loose that advantage but maybe gain a little in being able to use more of their features. Personally id always go for my own site.
You should go for the website first, then add the social elements in the website.
Like you can enable users to login using there facebook credentials. Like/share Button.
And later on, you can also go for the facebook app, when you want to shoot for much much more traffic. Therefore, whenever you think that you have figured out what exactly you want out of your application then only go for it, otherwise try your options with website. Because once your facebook app is up, you will get hell lot of traffic.
Let me know if you need help in creating facebook application or social elements enabled website. I have built an Facebook Easy API on top of all facebook features, which will enable you to easily access anything on facebook and meanwhile reducing your work effort.
You first build it like web app and use Graph API and FBConnect to use Facebook functionalities. Then you need to create a facebook app version also because getting facebook traffic is also required. People from facebook most like come to facebook app then to another web.
You will not need to convert it to facebook app, it will be just less in width and it would be a facebook iframe app. as I some where read that facebook is depreciating fbml and iframe app is recommended.
So now you can make both things, as I think , test app can have flexible layout so that you don't need to change width for facebook iframe. So you can both things by doing one.
thanks
i'm pretty sure many people will not agre with me, but IMHO you should focus on build a good Web-App that work well also on Mobile-Phones. keep it simple, intuitive, responsive, lightweight, cross-browser and straight to the point.
if your only concern is about "recommend your app to other people" make it SEO and Multi-Language too. google will do the rest.
then if you want make your app bold, slowly and planty of useless stuffs start to add all the facebook widget you want.
PS: i'm also on facebook, twitter,
flickr, google etc etc, i'm also
sharing photos, links and usefull
stuffs, my google rss reader is full
of links with tons of nice things, well i
have never had a minute to look at it, when i need something i just start searching google
I agree with most of the answers here—a native website is the way to go. Personally, I don't trust/like FB apps. Dunno what they do, and given the number of scammers out there and FB's lack of responsibility (IMO), I rarely if ever use an FB app.
Creating the website gives users choice about whether they want to share results/integrate with their FB wall/profile. Users don't like to be forced into something.
And in the spirit of adventure that is typical of SO, it's always more fun to build your own website than to build a template-based (sort of), boring and nearly irrelevant (drowning in a sea of other poorly made apps) FB app. But that's just my 2¢
In your case, I would do a hybrid. First, build your website, but integrate it with Facebook via connect. This way you can concentrate on building your value added services and let Facebook worry about the community.
I would also not ignore the Facebook app. Now, with iframes being fully supported on Facebook, you can adapt your existing site to work within Facebook with minimal effort, as long as you keep this requirement in mind when building your original application.