Mobile: The Monetization Platform for Social

Josh Catone has a great post up about mobile social network usage according to a survey completed by the mobile browser, Opera. The numbers are staggering for Opera. A whopping 41 percent of all mobile browsing is to mobile social networks.

The most surprising numbers in Josh Catone’s article was the incredible results being generated via ad campaigns on mobile. According to the article, “UK ad-supported mobile service Blyk, for example, saw an amazing 29% average response rate on ad campaigns — with one campaign — for a book, no less — receiving an incredible 67% response rate on the service.”

These sorts of response rates are phenomenal. Whether or not these numbers will continue as mobile social networking use increases is currently unknown but considering the horrendous response rates on sites like Facebook, mobile may just be the answer. I’ve been predicting continued growth in this space and I wouldn’t be surprised if the large social networks start turning more of their attention to mobile.

I currently use my phone for a substantial amount of social networking activities. I read my messages via the Facebook application and view my friends’ Twitter updates via the TwitterBerry application. Are you an active mobile social network user? Do you access social networks via mobile or desktop more frequently?

Join Baratunde Thurston (left), The Onion’s Director of Digital and author of How to Be Black, for an entertaining look at creative social media campaigns in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. Other speakers include Morin Oluwole (Facebook), Tim Devane (bitly), and SocialTimes' writer Devon Glenn.   Register now.