Businesses have to be faster in adopting mobile strategies: Facebook's Umang Bedi

The world's largest social networking site Facebook, which has over 166 million active monthly users in India alone, has over 95% of its users logging in via mobile phones. At an event in New Delhi on Wednesday, Facebook hosted "Mobile Moves Business"- an industry event designed to bring together businesses, industry experts and marketers to help engage with today's mobile first consumers in India.

"As the shift to mobile accelerates in India, businesses have to be faster in adopting mobile strategies that reach people at every step of the fragmented commerce journey. We are committed to helping businesses grow. Whether its brand building, generating demand, driving leads or sales, we are focused on helping businesses unlock growth opportunities and help them move their business through solutions that drive results," said Umang Bedi, managing director, Facebook India.

Facebook's 'Mobile Moves Business' is a programme with an aim to shift business decision maker's perception about the impact of mobile on the consumer shopping journey in the 24x7 mobile world.

"Facebook has been a tremendous partner to us through our journey as a style discovery platform and LimeRoad has engagement metrics that are off the charts. We built the lightest and most stylish mobile app and Facebook helped us take it to millions of customers across the nation. Mobile is a key part of LimeRoad's path to success and we are delighted to have a partner like Facebook," said Suchi Mukherjee, founder and CEO LimeRoad, in a statement.

Whether it's banking on the go, catching up on news or even doing business, mobile is the device that has captured people's attention. It has transformed the way people around the world connect, share experiences and discover new things.

With an average person spending over 50 minutes on Facebook every day, the Menlo Park, California-based company, which started as a college social network at Harvard University in 2003, wants to "leverage it and help brands lean in with creatives that can drive engagement from users. Facebook Moves Mobile initiative aims to make an impact on brand metrics", Bedi told Techcircle.

Recently, Facebook worked with cab aggregator Ola. Ola wanted to use Facebook to boost its brand awareness as part of its #ChaloNiklo brand campaign. Ola ran a series of targeted video ads and photo ads featuring content from its #ChaloNiklo campaign.

"I am pleased to be part of the Facebook Mobile Moves Business initiative. RB has continued to grow investments in Mobile significantly ahead of other media channels. And we have driven this adoption basis deep learning in the organisation and systemically creating media plans and creatives that leverage the reach and effectiveness of mobile, and Facebook," said Rohit Jindal, director, marketing, India, Reckitt Benckiser.

Facebook Inc posted a 43% rise in its revenues from India for the financial year ended 31 March 2016 on the back of high advertising revenues.

The company clocked revenues of Rs 177 crore at Rs 16 per user, for FY 2015-16 compared with Rs 123 crore at Rs 9 per user a year ago, according to filings with the Registrar of Companies (ROC).

Facebook has also been testing the Express WiFi service, which aims to provide affordable internet access in India. With Express WiFi customers can purchase data packs via digital vouchers to access the internet on the Express WiFi network.