Tag: social media

Mobile commerce may be in the cards for Facebook

| April 16, 2013

Mobile Commerce FacebookFacebook could be showing more enthusiasm for mobile commerce

It is no secret that Facebook is looking to appeal more heavily to mobile consumers. The social network has begun seeing its place as social media dominator slip over the past year as a growing number of tech-savvy and younger consumers begin to look elsewhere for their social networking fix. Facebook recently identified mobile as its future, but the social network’s exact plans therein are still somewhat vague. Mobile commerce, marketing, and mobile games may be part of the company’s plans to solidify its grip on the often fickle realm of social networking.

Facebook acquires Osmeta

Facebook has announced its acquisition of Osmeta, a software startup with a focus on the mobile sector. The acquisition comes on the heels of the launch of the Facebook Home application. The app serves as a sort of faux operating system, changing the way a smartphone’s interface looks and functions. The goal of the application is to make Facebook ever-present in the lives of mobile consumers by, quite literally, making the social network the first and last thing people see on their mobile devices.

Mobile plans are not yet clear

Exactly what Facebook plans to do with Osmeta is not clear. Osmeta notes that it has been working on a large project for some time, but details concerning this project are equally unclear. The company currently accounts for 19 software engineers from varied backgrounds. There is speculation suggesting that Facebook has plans for a new mobile commerce application or mobile commerce features that will be incorporated into the Home application. Facebook has shown some interest in mobile commerce in the past and has even recently begun charging for certain services it used to offer for free; services that mobile consumers must pay for if they want to use them.

Facebook may eventually address mobile commerce

Like other social networks, Facebook is currently at a crossroad. The social network is becoming increasingly enthusiastic about the concept of monetization, while it is also facing strong feedback from its users who want to see the social network remain a free platform. Whichever path it chooses, the company will remain focused on the mobile space, which will eventually bring Facebook to confront the prospects of mobile commerce more aggressively.

Social media behavior tracked in new study

| April 8, 2013

social media studySocial media study sheds some light on the interests of consumers

Digital agency iAcquire recently partnered with SurveyMonkey, a market research firm, in order to shed some light on how people use social media. Years ago, as consumer electronics first began growing more popular, there were concerns that technology would lead to the society’s isolation from itself; people becoming more enthralled by technology and less integrated into their communities and society as a whole. The advent of mobile technology appears to have put those concerns to rest, as smartphones and tablets have enabled people to stay in constant contact with one another no matter where they are or what they are doing. Social media plays a major role in this constant connection.

Social media engagement increased 30 billion minutes between 2011 and 2012

According to a new study produced by iAcquire and SurveyMonkey, the time consumers spend engaged in social media has increased by 30 billion minutes from 2011 to 2012. The two firms have studied the way people use social media, tracking what they share, how they share, and what they search for. The firms also took note of age demographics and which of these demographics favored particular social networking sites.

Older consumers are more connected to social networks

According to the study, those between the ages of 18 and 29 favor Orkut, a social media site operated by Google. Reddit, DeviantArt, and Github follow closely behind. For those older than 30, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter are the most favored social networks. Facebook is not strictly preferred by either demographic, but is still used regularly. The study shows that social media is most prolific among those over the age of 30 and that the majority of all social media users, across all ages, do not use Facebook search or the search functions of other social networking sites.

Facebook begins slipping

The study shows that Facebook is beginning to lose traction with social media users, with its time engagement falling 4% between 2011 and 2012. During the same time, engagement in Google+ rose by 80% and engagement in Pinterest rose a staggering 1,000%. Social media behavior is expected to continue evolving, especially as social networks begin to focus more heavily on the mobile space as a way to engage a new generation of consumer.