Why African social networks kick Facebook's mobile experience in the ass
Definitely not when one considers the local and regional social networks springing up, particularly in Africa. A key differentiator of these networks is often that they better serve the mobile market - usually because this is their primary or only market - whether on smartphones or not so smart phones.
...Facebook has been talking the talk about being a mobile company for some time, but I'd suggest it would do well to take a peek at what's happening in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and other mobile-first countries. A perfect storm of love for social networking and a MacGyverish approach to making stuff work - especially if it involves a cellphone - is resulting in regional mobile social networks gaining traction across the continent.
Two examples presented at Mobile Entertainment Africa in Cape Town at the end of August: the grand-daddy of mobile social networking, Mxit, chatting about improving its user experience for all mobile users; and newcomer 2go, sharing some staggering adoption rates and insight into what makes mobile chat users tick.
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About Vanessa Clark
Hi! I'm a freelance journalist, copywriter and editor based in Cape Town, South Africa. I write as a journalist and for corporates and agencies. My specialties are business-to-business and technology writing. I like unpacking complex ideas so they are more easily understood - especially when it involves innovation taking place in South Africa, and the rest of Africa.
