Today is Q4 earnings day for Facebook, and we’ve learned some really interesting things about the growth of the social network. Surprisingly to some, mobile DAUs have exceeded those on the web, for the first time in the company’s history. We knew that Facebook was focused on growing its network leveraging mobile devices and platforms, but it’s impressive to see this usage increase in such a way so quickly.
To those who have been following Facebook closely, the shift to mobile has been apparent. More and more, people are checking their Facebook messages on their mobile device and skipping the desktop version completely. This is a behavioral shift in users that Facebook is riding along with, and it’s smart.
Here’s a quick look at the overall DAUs for Q4:
Overall MAUs were at 1.06B, up from 1.01B in Q3. Here’s a look at the data from the the quarter:
None of these numbers include Instagram.
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When the release hit the wires today, it came with a statement from Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg:
In 2012, we connected over a billion people and became a mobile company. We enter 2013 with good momentum and will continue to invest to achieve our mission and become a stronger, more valuable company.
As far as making money, mobile accounted for 23% of advertising revenue, which is up from 14% of advertising revenue in Q3 of of 2012. Back in September at TechCrunch Disrupt, Zuckerberg projected that one day, Facebook would make more revenue from mobile users. That’s not the case as of yet, but the shift is in full swing. At the time, he said:
We’re going to execute this mission to make the world connected and build value over the long-term. The bigger question that will define how we’ve done is how we do with mobile.
Facebook stock declined 7% in after-hours trading even though its revenue rose 40% To $1.59B for Q4 2012. Since the release, it’s popping back up a bit.
During the earnings call, Zuckerberg discussed the power of mobile:
It allows us to reach more people, there is more engagement from those people, and we’ll be able to make more money from those users. Mobile creates a more dynamic ecosystem.
He also discussed Facebook’s new approach to build mobile-first applications and features. This is something that everyone has been waiting to hear from Facebook, as the company has been trying some new things, but hasn’t really cashed in on them yet, execution wise.
[Photo credit: Flickr]
