Promoting the application (SAAS)

I created a flash app. A service or a game - it does not matter. Advertising takes a lot of money and not always effective, it is desirable that my app promote itself.

Task - to create in the app (or app`s site) conditions for the dissemination of information about it (or content generated by the application, which is much better and more effective) in Internet. That is, users are giving a boost to the app to distribute information about it and should be encouraged to do so.

1. Post code for insertion app into blogs, journals, forums on their site.

Here user`s interest in to add to your site new features or on the forums where he has some credibility, recognition, new, interesting, community, online programe. What is the advantage for me as the author's app? In the application, i can set links to my site, advertising, make use of the functionality available only to registered users of my site (ie, encourage to register on your site).

PROBLEM. The problem of the developer to make the placement code for insertion app as simple and convenient (it is desirable to simply copy the code and paste it in the correct location of the resource) and the functional application would work fine on any third-party resource. Here also comes the complexity of how to implement it in accordance with security policies and different methods of flash output to various resources. Plus size of app must fit to the design.

1. Encourage users to report about my app of social networking, facebook, twitter, etc.

Here the idea is that user should be interesting to share their successes, to post messages to social networks. Disseminating information, along with some content generated by the app (such as picture and text to achieve in app), users will help attract a new audience in the app. You can create the virtual currency in an app which help it user can buy virtual goods, or some kind of rating and has reached a certain level to open a new functional apps. Naturally, all this should be linked with the system authorization in the app or on the website.

PROBLEM. Earning virtual currency and ratings should be only after receiving approval from the API callback system, ie, the application must be answered that the message actually posted (obviously, it can be removed, but hopefully it will not happen ). And I'm not sure that getting callbacks possible.
Although I'm sure that all desired services (ie primarily interested in Tweeter and Facebook) is able to connect from a third party site and transmit data, but the abundance of different API also complicates the task. Maybe there is some integrator?

That would invite friends to the app from social networks in general would be good.
Well, is it possible to access the app to gmail for example, to user could send out invitations to their friends from address book?

I hope you will share your methods.

I note from your own comments on other questions here at Onstartups that English is not your first language. You have a complex question here, so allow me to restate what I think you are saying in simpler terms:

I have a flash app. I would like my app (and its website) to be self-promoting. I have two methods in mind:

1. The app or website could display code for posting in a user's blog or journal, or on forums.
2. The app could offer some kind of virtual currency for reporting their usage of the app on Facebook and Twitter.

There are technical challenges with each of these approaches.

While the technical issues might be better asked at Stack Overflow or Webmasters, we can address your final question, is it possible to send out invitations to their friends? The answer to this question is yes. There are two ways that come to mind:

1. Give them a form that offers to send an editable message to their friends. You could say something like, "I just got 10 more gold points at FlashGame!" Then give them a place to enter email addresses for their friends.
2. If you use the Facebook or Twitter APIs, you can get permission to send these messages to their friends or followers.

Here is the key point Whenever you want to get people to contact their friends about you, make sure you put yourself in the place of your user and of their friends:

• If you were your user, is this a message you would be happy to send?
• If you were your user's friend, is this a message you would like to receive?