Social networks lead the way as mobile Web ramps up

Consumers continue to flock to the mobile Web, according to the latest report from Opera Software ASA, and they’re increasingly looking to connect with social-networking sites.
The Norwegian developer said its Opera Mini browser delivered more than 5.7 page views last month, up 12.1% from October and an impressive 303% increase from November 2007. Google was the top-ranking destination for Opera Mini users in the United States, with Facebook and MySpace placing second and third, respectively. Friendster, which was founded in 2002 and claims more than 90 million users, made its top 10 debut among U.S. Opera Mini users, ranking sixth.
Those figures echo recent findings by The Kelsey Group and Constat, which claim the number of U.S. mobile-phone consumers who said the accessed social networks from their handset jumped 182% from September 2007 to October 2008. The market-research firm eMarkter predicts that by 2012, more than 800 million users worldwide will access and participate in social networks via mobile devices, up from 82 million last year. Those users “will have a disproportionate impact on marketing, media and mobile communications,” eMarkter wrote, as they create and share both user-generated and professionally made digital content.