Mobile optimization is essential for brands using social media platforms: L2

With more than 80 percent of users accessing social platforms on their mobile devices, mobile marketing has become increasingly important for brands that wish to remain competitive in the marketplace, according to a new report by L2.

L2’s Insight Report: Mobile Social Platforms emphasized the importance of mobile optimization for brands advertising on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. As consumers continue to use mobile devices at increasing rates and popular social media platforms adjust to make mobile use easier, it is essential for brands to keep up with these trends.

Phone call
The most popular mobile social platforms are Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with over 90 percent of brands maintaining an active presence on Twitter and Instagram, and 100 percent of brands on Facebook. While Twitter and Instagram were developed as mobile platforms, Facebook has worked to adapt its mobile platform and become easier to navigate from a mobile device.

Despite its origins on the desktop, Facebook has succeeded in wooing mobile users and of the platform’s 1.44 billion active monthly users, 87 percent use it on their mobile device. This usage also represents significant growth in the past year, with many emerging markets in Asia increasing mobile use.

Advertising revenue from mobile use has increased and is soon expected to make up 50 percent of the total digital advertising revenue in the United States, highlighting the importance of mobile marketing for brands. Creating advertising campaigns specifically designed to appeal to mobile users will help brands gain an edge.

While some social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook allow brands to post advertising images directly, others are using different methods to reach consumers. For example, China’s WeChat allows brands to message consumers directly, improving communication and creating a stronger sense of brand loyalty.

Brands should focus new advertising strategies on mobile video and unique experiences they can provide for consumers. Using mobile marketing to facilitate in-person interaction is an excellent way for brands to connect with consumers both regularly and conveniently.

Popularity contest

Social media platforms have been working to regularly improve their user’s experience by implementing new features. In a reflection of the important role that mobile plays in how consumers access content these days, Facebook's redesigned newsfeed in 2013 was heavily influenced by mobile design, even on the desktop.

While advertising was not mentioned in Facebook’s presentation to introduce the new newsfeed design, many of the features – including the cross-platform consistency as well as larger images – could boost marketers’ efforts to reach Facebook users on mobile. The mobile user experience and the desktop user experience look more similar than they previously did (see story).

Social media platforms are also competing among themselves to win users’ devotion. In 2013, Twitter’s mobile advertising strategy pulled ahead in the race with Google and Facebook through a mixture of real-time content video tied to TV viewing and ads targeting TV viewers who have seen an ad.

Mobile users are increasingly watching TV with a smartphone or tablet nearby so they can engage further with content, including commenting about it on social media sites such as Twitter. By providing marketers with new ways to leverage mobile to tie into TV content and ads, Twitter took an important step toward attracting major brands with big advertising budgets to its platform (see story).

Final Take
Kay Sorin, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York