According to research released by Kenshoo Social, 20.3% of Facebook ad spending goes to mobile. That data came from an analysis of over two million Facebook ad clicks and conversion during November and December 2012 and can be viewed in the infographic below. The study also reports that Facebook mobile advertising currently carries a 70% premium with a $1.38 cost per click versus a $0.81 cost per click for Facebook desktop ads.
Another interesting finding is the skew between Facebook advertisers’ ad spending based on operating system and device. For tablets, Kenshoo Social compared Apple iOS to Google Android and found that iOS had a 97% share of Facebook advertisers’ ad spend compared to just 3% for Google Android. However, the same comparison on smartphones revealed a very different split with Google Android getting a 71% share of Facebook advertisers’ ad spend compared to just 29% for iOS.
In a press release, Kenshoo Social CMO Aaron Goldman explained, “The world’s top brands have embraced Facebook mobile advertising and we expect the channel to become increasingly competitive as new devices deliver enhanced interactive experiences.”
Click the image to view the infographic at full size.
In recent months, Facebook has been putting a lot of effort into improving its mobile advertising options for brands, so these results are just the beginning of a trend that could grow very big and very competitive. With new ad units, targeting options, and more available to them, brands have shown a willingness to pay a premium to reach mobile Facebook users. The question remains as to whether or not the long-term results will be worth paying that premium. It’s still early in this game, and Facebook is determined to make it work as a big moneymaker for the company.
What do you think? Is your brand already advertising on Facebook mobile? Is the premium price for mobile Facebook advertising worth it? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Susan Gunelius is the author of 10 marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and technology books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, an award-wining blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, TodayShow.com, and more.
She has over 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Today, her clients include large and small companies around the world and household brands like Citigroup, Cox Communications, Intuit, and more. Susan is frequently interviewed about marketing and branding by television, radio, print, and online media organizations, and she speaks about these topics at events around the world. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+.
