Every year, more partners are choosing to embed their FanMaker program in the primary team app via the FanMaker SDK. The SDK provides a no-compromises integrated experience for fans that increases loyalty program use and satisfaction. With the new version 2.0 SDK, we are adding some amazing features that our partners are sure to love.
Background Check-ins
Currently, fans can check-in to events utilizing GPS when they open the SDK portion of the host app. Over a million fans do this every year, but wouldn’t it be better if they only had to open the host app to check in?
Starting in SDK version 2.0, every time the host application is opened, we will attempt to check the fan into any applicable events, assuming they have enabled location permissions for the host app. If the fan is in the geofenced area of the event and it is the right time, they will be successfully checked in without ever having to visit the loyalty program section of the host app. Fans can even receive a push notification to confirm check-in, which includes points, bonuses, and a custom message. Additionally, each time a fan opens the host app, it will log an increase in dwell time for the event and award stay-late bonus points if applicable. We expect this new feature to drastically increase check-in data, and we believe fans will appreciate the convenience.
Reward Usage of Host App
With the introduction of SDK 2.0, we now log each time a loyalty member opens the host app. Partners can capture this highly useful data or award points for each day the fan uses the host app. With the points incentive, fans have a new reason to check out partner apps every day, and you can even give bonuses for streaks! This capability joins the long-standing ability to reward points for viewing the loyalty program each day, which has already been proven to increase host app monthly active users and overall usage.
Additionally, partners can award points for virtually any activity loyalty members perform in the host app. The default options include reading an article, watching a video, or listening to a radio/video stream. Fans earn points for each of these activities, with a daily limit that partners can configure. FanMaker also captures which articles, videos, etc., the loyalty member views, which can be useful for analysis.
Lastly, for our more advanced SDK developers, a FanMaker widget can be displayed in these cases. The widget is highly customizable for each program and can be shown when the member completes an activity or to promote joining the loyalty program. For example, when a loyalty member watches a stream for 5+ minutes, a widget can slide up at the bottom of the screen confirming the points that have been earned.
If the host app user is not yet a loyalty member, a widget can periodically show for activities they are missing out on. This widget promotes joining the program, including the registration point bonus. Special thanks to SIDEARM Sports for implementing widgets for dozens of partners already. Fans love the interaction, and partners love the promotion.
Support for Multiple Programs
Many of our partners have started launching multiple programs with us, including adding FanMaker kids clubs, staff programs, public CrowdCameo fan photos, mobile wallets, and more. With SDK 2.0 it is now possible to run as many FanMaker SDKs in a host app as needed, all while keeping the data and member sessions separate to avoid any confusion.
Deep Linking
Developers can now setup deep links to send users directly to certain areas of your FanMaker program, for example to the inbox for a long message, to an event, or prize.
Now Sped Up with Our Latest Infrastructure
The new 2.0 SDK is built on our highly scalable v3 API server infrastructure. This upgraded backbone provides major improvements that should yield speed increases for fans like never before. As such, FanMaker will be deprecating any sub 2.0 SDK support starting December 20, 2024. Upgrading to SDK 2.0 is easy for developers, as the FanMaker SDK continues to be extremely clean, simple, and free of dependencies. Over the next few weeks, FanMaker will be reaching out to host app developers to provide detailed instructions.
