Social Networking Going Mobile in Europe
Social networking is drawing new users into the mobile Web. In November,
34% of mobile phone owners in Western Europe who visited social
networking sites accessed social media exclusive of all other mobile Web
content, reports comScore.
With
12.1 million users in Western Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and
the U.K.), mobile social networking is a rapidly-expanding category that
grew 152% from November 2007 to November 2008.
The
U.K. has the highest penetration of mobile social networking, at 9%,
nearly triple that of Germany, where the activity is the least popular.
The average penetration rate across all countries is 5%.
|
Mobile Social Networking Usage
Three-month Average Ending November
2008
European Mobile Phone Owners (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK)
Source: comScore M:Metrics |
|
|
% Mobile Social Networking Users
Who Exclusively Use Social Media |
Y/Y Change in Social Networking
via Browser or Application |
Mobile Social Networking Users as
Percent of all Mobile Phone Users |
|
Germany |
39.1% |
145% |
3.3% |
|
Spain |
46.5% |
114% |
5.0% |
|
France |
21.6% |
167% |
4.5% |
|
Italy |
38.2% |
151% |
4.7% |
|
UK |
29.7% |
167% |
9.2% |
|
Total |
33.5% |
152% |
5.4% |
Researcher comScore says that women comprise 48% of the audience
accessing only social media, but only 32% of those who access other
types of mobile Internet content. In addition, the median age for social
media-only users is 28, versus 36 for other mobile Internet users.
Also,
comScore M:Metrics released the results of its Mobile Benchmark Study.
Social networking and e-mail usage posted some of the largest gains,
while playing downloaded games and watching video dipped in most
European markets.
|
comScore Mobile Benchmark Study
Three-month average ending November 2008 and
% Change Vs Year Ago
(% Users Measure is Based on All Mobile Phone Users)
European Mobile Subscribers (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK)
Source: comScore M:Metrics |
|
|
Germany |
Spain |
France |
Italy |
UK |
|
Activity |
%
Users |
%
Change |
%
Users |
%
Change |
%
Users |
%
Change |
%
Users |
%
Change |
%
Users |
%
Change |
|
Watched video |
5% |
2% |
8% |
0% |
6% |
-7% |
7% |
-4% |
4% |
-27% |
|
Listened to music |
20% |
-2% |
23% |
-1% |
17% |
-3% |
17% |
-2% |
22% |
-1% |
|
Accessed news/info via browser |
9% |
10% |
10% |
10% |
14% |
5% |
10% |
5% |
19% |
5% |
|
Received SMS ads |
27% |
0% |
75% |
5% |
64% |
-1% |
54% |
2% |
36% |
0% |
|
Played downloaded game |
8% |
-2% |
10% |
-6% |
4% |
-14% |
8% |
-5% |
10% |
-4% |
|
Accessed downloaded application |
4% |
25% |
5% |
26% |
3% |
16% |
6% |
12% |
6% |
17% |
|
Sent/received photos or videos |
23% |
0% |
31% |
-3% |
25% |
-6% |
30% |
-5% |
30% |
-2% |
|
Purchased ringtones |
4% |
10% |
4% |
2% |
3% |
-8% |
4% |
6% |
3% |
4% |
|
Used email |
9% |
7% |
11% |
-1% |
9% |
11% |
12% |
2% |
12% |
12% |
|
Accessed social networking sites |
3% |
25% |
5% |
33% |
5% |
20% |
5% |
33% |
9% |
12% |
