Mobile social media provide an outstanding opportunity for companies to build their image, create buzz about their products, test new ideas or services, and participate in conversations already going on about their brand.
“Social media – and in particular mobile social media – offer a means of truly connecting with your audience and engaging with your customers as individuals,” says Mei Lin Ng, marketing vice-president and co-founder of mig33, the world’s largest mobile-first community.
“As mobile social networks grow to a significant size, they become an attractive marketing channel for companies and brands to reach mainstream youth, in particular, as more and more young people spend their time online and in social networks.
“As our community has grown in developing markets, where mig33 has a huge footprint of 40 million members, we’ve seen increased interest from companies to reach our users. Connecting with the youth via mobile is the best way of making contact with this market, since income levels are relatively low and young people are less likely to be reached via conventional advertising.
“At mig33, we’re working with companies to engage with users through ‘groups’ where they can expose their goods, services and events and build a membership of supporters. This allows companies to have real time, regular dialogue with members and helps them influence the increasingly hard-to-reach youth segment, as well as enabling them to keep tabs on what young people are doing.”
The SA Student Social Media Report provides a snapshot of youth consumption of social media and, in particular, mobile social media. In 2009, of the country’s 800 000 students, 99% used the Internet, spending some three hours online each day. Access to the Internet is highest through cellphones, with 78% of students going online via mobile.
Social networking is an essential part of campus life, according to the report. On many campuses, upward of 90% of students use social networking sites on a regular basis. As a result, other traditional media such as TV, radio and print are being consumed less than usual. In light of their strong use of mobile social networks, students are a key audience for online word-of-mouth marketing efforts.
“Where social networking is not a part of their core business, companies should tap into influential mobile social networking communities such as Facebook (which is currently enhancing its mobile services), Twitter and mig33, rather than build their own networks,” says Ng. “Social networks are created from individuals coming together to communicate, chat, share and become part of a community, rather than coming together to discuss a brand or company. So companies should focus on building good products, and use social networks as an important channel.”
A recent Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) graduate study confirms that South Africa’s low prevalence of Internet access should not deter marketers from using social media to build relationships, monitor conversations and protect and build their company’s reputation.
The study shows that social media on the Internet have the potential to negatively – or positively – affect a company’s reputation. Research shows that while only 15% of people trust advertisements, 72% trust what others tell them about products. Mobile phones currently have a larger penetration in Africa than the Internet, and the ability of users to operate their social networks via their mobile phones has created new opportunities for users to interact.
“As the iconic Cluetrain Manifesto stated back in 1999, ‘markets are conversations’,” says Ng. “Mobile social media are ideal for building relationships and participating in an active two-way flow of conversation. Companies need to become part of their community and encourage feedback, then act on it and keep the community involved. In short, it’s time for companies to join the conversation.
About mig33
mig33 is the world’s largest mobile-first community, providing social communications and entertainment for more than 40 million members and their mobile devices worldwide. With mig33, members in more than 200 countries engage in vibrant chat communities, share photos, send gifts, play games, post on each others’ profiles, join groups, create avatars and much more. The service is available worldwide and optimised for more than 2,000 handsets. Founded in 2005, mig33 is backed by Silicon Valley venture firms Accel Partners, Redpoint Ventures and DCM. For more information, please visit www.mig33.com.
