Earlier this year, a study was conducted by comScore involving how U.S. citizens use their mobile devices, including phones and tablets. We all know that Facebook and Twitter are huge today, but do you know to what extent? If you post on Facebook on a regular basis, message your friends or send out a tweet, you’re definitely not alone!
Here’s what the study, conducted in February, revealed:
Social networking is something that 64.2 million U.S. citizens do on their mobile devices, with over half those individuals hitting Facebook, Twitter or other social media platforms on a daily basis. In fact, the study showed that 38.2 million participate in social networking almost daily, using their tablet or phone. For the most part, those that visit Facebook or Twitter on a daily basis are posting status updates and reading those of friends.
Now, what did the study reveal about mobile devices, social media and business? If you’re a company with an online presence, this may be what you’re particularly interested in! More and more, people are using their mobile devices and social networks to read posts from companies or brands, and to interact with those organizations. Nearly 58% of those in the U.S. who participate in social media read companies’ posts – and nearly a third said they often hit ads while updating their statuses or reading a friend’s post.
In a nutshell, the total number of people in the U.S. participating in social media through the use of their iPhones and tablets is skyrocketing. In fact, the number of people who use social media on a daily basis is up 88% over a year ago, and the total users who engage in social networking at least occasionally is up 77%!
This article serves two purposes: 1) to alert online businesses to the importance of participating in social media, and 2) to emphasize the importance of being “mobile”-ready in terms of your website. Mobile websites are becoming increasingly important as the use of mobile devices for surfing the net continues to grow at lightning speed.
