Mar. 22 – Facebook is actively partnering with numerous Indian mobile telecoms and device operators in India to grow its user base. As the portal is blocked in China, it means that India is now the number one target and most populous market for the popular social media site. Facebook is driving this strategy through a number of initiatives, such as working with device manufacturers to preload Facebook onto personal devices and smartphones in the country.
Kevin D’Souza, Country Growth Manager for Facebook in India, explained that India was now it’s most important market after the United States (U.S.), and that the rapid development of Facebook users in the country was now a major strategic driver for the company. India has just reached the 1 billion mark – overtaking China – in numbers of total mobile phone users, yet Facebook only has about 71 million monthly active users in the country.
“We have a tremendous opportunity for growing the India market and are really excited about the potential. Eventually we are all working on the same mission – connecting India,” said D’Souza.
Indian mobile networks are offering differing packages to connect to Facebook in India. Reliance are offering a scheme providing unlimited Facebook access for just INR16 a month, while Airtel launched a scheme offering it for free for the first three months.
Facebook use in India grew 54 percent in 2012. Amongst the other emerging markets, Brazil grew at 81 percent last year and now has a user base of 81 million, while Indonesia grew at 25 percent and has a user base of 60 million. By comparison, the U.S., with a Facebook user base of 174 million, grew at 8 percent last year. However, according to the company, 82 percent of Facebook’s monthly active users are based outside of North America.
As Olaf Griese, Dezan Shira & Associates Country Manager for India, said a year ago when relocating from Shanghai: “when I switched on my mobile phone in India it had an orgasm with all these downloadable apps and facilities that China just does not permit access to. You get used to that when in China, but in reality other countries are now becoming much more advanced in terms of the services provided to their mobile users.”
