Canadians love Facebook, with some 14 million logging in every single day and 19 million logging in at least once per month. Those numbers have remained steady for the past year, but how we access Facebook has changed significantly.
Jordan Banks, Managing Director at Facebook Canada, reports a 15% increase in Canadian Facebook users who log in using a mobile device. 10 million Canadians logged into Facebook daily using their mobile device, an increase of six percent from last summer. 15 million Canadians visit Facebook at least once per month using their mobile phone or tablet.
“We’re seeing people check their phones 20 times a day for Facebook — status updates and news feed posts and checking in — so it’s really become like a Canadian reflex, if you will, to access your phone, whether you’re at a bus stop or a hockey game or sitting at home watching TV,” said Mr. Banks.
If he sounds excited, it’s because more than half of Facebook’s revenues come from mobile advertising. With Canada going mobile in record numbers, a whole new geographical market opens up for Facebook.
What that Means to Canadian Businesses
Reiteration of mobile penetration in Canada has reached the point of redundancy. However, Canadians have the tendency to lag behind in their acceptance of online opportunities. We’re more comfortable with a business page on Facebook than an eCommerce website, and that’s where the opportunity is.
“There aren’t many businesses in Canada that aren’t using Facebook as either a primary or secondary marketing platform” Mr. Banks observed.
Purchasing advertising on Facebook is easy and it gets us through the back door to mobile users. It’s useless to market to mobile users if we don’t have a mobile-friendly website, however. If mobile optimization wasn’t your priority before, it should be before you pour money into Facebook advertising. In the meantime, US marketers are reaching Canadians through social media and luring them across the border, and your social Canadian competition is getting the jump on you.
Become Mobile-Friendly
There are several options available to you when you’re ready to create a mobile-friendly website.
- The obvious choice is to hire a designer experienced in creating mobile sites and responsive design.
- If you or someone on your staff has a bit of tech knowledge, you can use software like MobiSiteGalore to build a separate mobile-first website.
- Depending on your objectives, a mobile app may be sufficient. You can hire someone to develop the app, or go the DIY route with one of the many easy app design programs on the market.
Social Mobile Resources:
Once you understand the connection, it will be much easier for you to strategize for the benefit of your business.
- Free whitepaper, Is Your Mobile Website Ready for Primetime?
- Updated and released last year, The New Rules of Marketing & PR:
How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, by David Meerman Scott, provides a fantastic overview of the interconnected online opportunities available to you. - Just out this month, Business Models for the Social Mobile Cloud: Transform Your Business Using Social Media, Mobile Internet, and Cloud Computing, by Ted Shelton, offers a broader view of what the connected economy has to offer, now and in the future.
- For expert focus on Facebook marketing, check out Canadian social media queen, Mari Smith. She’s always on top of the latest social network marketing tactics and her courses can’t be beat.
How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, by David Meerman Scott, provides a fantastic overview of the interconnected online opportunities available to you.
Transform Your Business Using Social Media, Mobile Internet, and Cloud Computing, by Ted Shelton, offers a broader view of what the connected economy has to offer, now and in the future.
Is Facebook a part of your mobile marketing strategy? Please share your experience or questions in the comments below.
✔ You may also be interested in reading:
7 Ways to Reach More of the 19 Million Canadian Facebook Users
Mobile Surpasses PC Use and Video Rules in Canada (Statistics)
Overcome the Big 5 Challenges Facing Email Marketers in 2014
Canadian Online Shopping and Digital Demands (2013 Statistics)
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Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.
Melody has worked with many businesses & brands in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.
Loving how you go beyond the news and give tips too. 🙂 It’s not surprising that mobile is working in Facebook’s favour and I’d love to take advantage of that when I get the site optimized.
I’d be much more comfortable going that route than tackling mobile ads all at once. We’re pretty overwhelmed by apps too. Maybe you could cover those in more detail in the future. Thank you for the guidance.