Social and Mobile are Hard to Separate

The U.S. domestic social network audience represents 66 percent of U.S. Internet users in 2012, according to eMarketer. So it is safe to say that social networks are a foundation application for most Internet users.

Increasingly, it also is correct to note that social networking is a lead mobile application as well. Social networking increasingly is used on mobile devices.

Mobile social media usage across the five leading European markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) grew 44 percent in 2011, with 55.1 million mobile users in those countries accessing social networking sites or blogs using their mobile devices during September 2011.

In September 2011, 55.1 million EU5 mobile users made use of social networking sites or blogs on their mobile device, representing 23.5 percent of the total mobile audience. 

Nearly half – 46.8 percent – of this audience reported accessing social networking sites on a daily basis.

Mobile social media consumption might be even higher in the U.S. market., according to comScore, which reports that 72.2 million Americans used social networking sites or blogs on their mobile device in August 2011, an increase of 37 percent in the past year. 

The study also found that more than half read a post from an organization, brand or event while on their mobile device.

“Social media is one of the most popular and fastest growing mobile activities, reaching nearly one third of all U.S. mobile users,” said Mark Donovan, comScore SVP.

In August 2011, more than 72.2 million people accessed social networking sites or blogs on their mobile device, an increase of 37 percent from the previous year. Nearly 40 million U.S. mobile users, more than half of the mobile social media audience, access these sites almost every day, demonstrating the importance of this activity to people’s daily routine.

Some might say that the Internet is social; social is mobile; mobile is Internet.