Mobile Social
It may seem to some that social media use has exploded in popularity overnight, but there’s evidence it’s actually been happening for quite a long time.
Anyone remember the '90s and AOL? What about ICQ chat? Back then, people making online social connections had to be tied to their computers in order to do so. But today, with the rapid proliferation of mobile devices capable of getting online from anywhere there’s a signal – like smart phones and tablets – an increasing number of social media users are checking in with their friends while on the go.
The Big Boom Statistics
Stats show that the biggest winner in the social media game continues to be Facebook. A big part of that continued popularity has been Facebook’s mobile application, which has experienced significant growth in popularity among tablet and smart phone users. According to recent data collected, Facebook reported over a billion active monthly users, exhibiting a growth of 18 percent over the previous year. A whopping 728 million people are said to use the social media service on a daily basis.
Focusing on mobile-only users, Facebook reported over 250 million in the third quarter of 2013. Between September 2013 and September 2013, Facebook mobile traffic took an incredible jump of greater than 250 percent.
How to Capitalize on Facebook Mobile’s Big Boom
If you’re a business owner, looking at those statistics should be enough to cause dollar signs to float into your field of vision. After all, social media marketing has become a critical element of success for business who would otherwise have to rely on word of mouth or email marketing campaigns (both of which remain highly effective).
The challenge lies in going beyond simply establishing a Facebook page to learning how to use it to attract the attention – and, eventually, the business – of mobile users. Here are some suggestions on how to do that.
- Be short and sweet with your status updates. Mobile users have even less time to read long, drawn out marketing pitches than the average computer user does. If a business user is too verbose in his or her Facebook updates, this can be a big turn-off for the mobile Facebooker who’s checking out your profile while surfing between traffic lights.
- If you’re publishing images with text, make sure the text will be big enough for mobile users to see on small smart phone screens. Just because the pinch and zoom functionality of most smart phones makes it possible for users to zoom in on an image doesn’t mean you should make your Facebook followers take the extra step. All graphics that you post should keep the mobile user in mind.
- If you have a lot of information to convey to your Facebook fans, consider creating videos instead of writing long status updates or inserting links to outside websites (like your blog of business website). Mobile users are much more likely to watch videos you post than they are to click on external links driving them away from Facebook. Not all videos have to be professionally created to be effective – but if you can add some production value, all the better.
- If you have a brick and mortar establishment, be sure to include your address on your business Facebook profile. This easy addition makes it possible for potential shoppers to map your location from wherever they are, increasing the likelihood that they’ll pay you a visit in person in addition to simply clicking “like” on your Facebook page.
Let Artisan Talent be your resource to discovering frequently updated tips and news stories to help you improve your business marketing efforts. Not the DIY type? Not a problem. We can put you in touch with experienced pros who can manage your social media marketing campaign. Contact us today to hire a mobile developer.
If you’re a freelance professional looking for a mobile social job, Artisan can help you too. Our list of contacts has helped launched the online marketing and web design careers of thousands of professionals like yourself. Contact us today to learn more.
