Reports: Mobile messaging

Facebook Messenger has caught up with WhatsApp, boasting more than 1 billion Monthly Active Users (MAUs). Along with WhatsApp and Instagram, Messenger is part of Facebook’s bet on the future of audiences as they migrate away from social networks. Facebook’s messaging apps are the company’s gateway to owning as much as possible of consumers’ mobile life.

Instagram was far from the first image-centric service to gain prominence, but something about its simple interface, filtering capabilities and ease of sharing saw the platform become something of a visual lingua franca for the selfie-generation. Now part of Facebook and boasting impressive growth figures, it surprised many with its longevity and continues to embellish its established position as the premier destination for photographic content in the digital era.

The world of mobile consumer experiences is undergoing a seismic shift with messaging apps a driving force. With 6.4 billion cumulative monthly active messaging app users (compared to the 1.5 billion Android and 1 billion iOS devices) messaging apps are the smartphone killer app.

With mobile messaging platforms playing an ever more crucial role in the distribution of mobile experiences, it is imperative that marketers, brands, and strategy teams develop deep familiarity with the characteristics and behaviours of messaging app users.

In just a few short years mobile messaging apps have become home to the largest group of digital audiences on the planet, with 4.8 billion cumulative monthly active users. Following websites and social networks, messaging platforms are emerging as the third phase of how audiences congregate digitally.