Social Media and Mobility

Getting social, on a mobility platform demands the right strategy. As in any other aspect of your marketing mix, you need to look into what kind of strategy the market prefer, and which segment and region you want to attend in. It is old knowledge that content and context is tow of the important strategy parameters when you want to have success with social Media.

Now where do you want to set your social media foot prints?

This is the next question you want to ask yourself making your strategy. One thing is for sure that the majority of people in rural districts of the world want to participate in the social conversation and exchange of goods and knowledge. Devices like mobile phones, I-pads have in the recent years, become more important with the development of new and innovative functionality on these devices.

In the emerging markets like Brazil, Argentina and other Latin American countries, the popularity for attending Social Medias on mobile devices has exploded. The Latin American countries are not just following the western world on social media on mobility they are leading.

To me this is a very positive surprise, as I can see how people in Latin and South America connect to the web and get social via their mobile devices. The readers of my blogs are increasing in the use of mobile devices and coming from emerging markets the use of mobile safari and mobile phones has during the last 6 month increased from 1% to 6% and the emerging countries has increased from 3% to 10% of the readers.

The current trends on mobility and Social Networking include:

• Mobility can provide a competitive advantage, as solutions become more business critic.
• Mobility solutions have increased in complexity—before, during and after deployment.
• Additional device functionality and connectivity demand enhanced information security.
• Mobile solutions require full life cycle management to accommodate changes and updates.
• Social networking is up 58% on mobile devices.
• Services on mobility platform must be simple.
• For 26% of the mobility product user, ease of use is critical.
• 43%, of the mobility users are prevented from using services due to ease of use issues.

Due to various analyses, this is only a start more users in other geographies than Latin and South America will connect via mobile devices.

Why has the social media on mobile devices been so popular and developed that fast in Latin and South America? According to an anthropologic the culture and the history in these regions has developed the use of getting social. The price of mobile devices has decreased rapidly and the need for ease of use devices has increased. Still 43% of the consumers in emerging markets, are prevented from using services due to ease of use issues.

Is it now you as an enterprise company, wanting to sell and marketer your products and service, would approach the emerging markets?

Not necessarily, you need to take into consideration how does these markets use the Social Media and what is the purpose of the use. According to market specialists in Argentina and Brazil, the main purpose of Social media is as the Latin culture in general is to hear how others are doing – friends and relatives and just have a small talk of the current situation – exchange of information among each other. This is not necessarily bad for doing business if you can “turn” the conversation into another subject which suites you as a business. This is where Content and Context starts. Content gives Social Media the depth. Context, create the social interactions and relations you create social identity.

Now you have to create your content and context so you will get the most out of the target groups in the geography you choose. Take an emerging market as Brazil, here women use 39 hours per week on social media on their mobile devices, you want to get into the conversation and secure that you get both content and context which suites this target group. To get your fair share of these markets you need to fine tune and simplify your services so these consumer groups will choose you for the ease of use and get social with your company.