"If it doesn't work on a billion phones, don't bother"

Bebo Mobile

“ If it doesn’t work on a billion phones, don’t bother” Bebo’s approach to mobile social networking Jordy Mont-Reynaud Lead Mobile Developer, Bebo Social Networking Conference - July 25, 2007

What is Bebo?

A social media network which combines community, self-expression and entertainment

Launched July 2005

US, CA, UK, IE, AU & NZ

HS & College (13-24)

55% Female / 45% Male

39M reg users worldwide

9B+ monthly PVs WW

US:

10M+ reg users

3B + PVs/month*

3 rd Largest SN Site

* Comscore June 07

What is Bebo?

Bebo US Audience Growth 12,000 Number of Daily US Registrations (300,000+ per month) Bebo US Audience Growth

Beboers most Engaged Comscore June 07 Beboers More Engaged Bebo users spend more time and view more pages than MySpace and Facebook in the US

Be ‘Engaged’ - Users LOVE to Share & Watch Users love to share and watch

Mobile as the “7 th Mass Media” 1 1. Source: Tomi Ahonen http://communities-dominate.blogs.com/brands/2007/02/mobile_the_7th_.html Mobile as the “7 th Mass Media” 1 Print Recording Cinema Radio TV Internet Mobile

Mobile as the 7 th Mass Media, continued

first personal mass media

first always-carried media

first always-on media

first media with built-in payment mechanism

first media always present at point of inspiration

 the “ massest” media of them all

Mobile compared to other Mass Media Source: Tomi Ahonen http://communities-dominate.blogs.com/brands/2007/02/mobile_the_7th_.html

The “billion phone” principle “ If it doesn’t work on a billion phones, don’t bother” The “billion phone” principle Source: Chetan Sharma -http://opengardensblog.futuretext.com/archives/2007/05/chetan_sharma.html

Technology as a means to an end Survey: 18,000 “tech-savvy young people” 1 can’t be wrong… “ technology isn’t as important as the activities it facilitates: namely communication, social networking, self-expression… ” Source: MTV, Nickelodeon, Microsoft survey 2007: http://tinyurl.com/2jwlsk Bebo Communication Social networking Self-expression Technology as a means to an end SMS J2ME/ BREW MMS Web WAP “ WAP” == “mobile web”

Web experience vs mobile experience Mobile Web Profile comments Mail Sayings Blogs Photos Friends Whiteboards Music Video Widgets Etc… Luv Mo’ Luv

Market penetration of various technologies Fun fact! “61% of mobile games played in last month were downloaded” www.telephia.com/documents/TAMUK.pdf “ If it isn’t actually used on a billion phones, don’t bother” Market penetration of various technologies Handset support (SMS, WAP, download) 90% Usage (SMS) 60% Usage (WAP) 20% Usage (download) 5%

SMS as a “gateway drug” SMS, WAP as gateway to richer experiences SMS WAP DL

Technologies: each has its place

Ultimately no platform is “the best”: each serves different use cases

SMS WAP Downloadable client Technologies: each has its place User’s attention span 0s 1m 5m 1h

Interoperability essential to adoption

The SMS effect

Interoperability essential to adoption Usage  $ Walled garden USAGE!       $$$$$$$$$$$ Interoperability

Financial reality … make sure it’s sustainable for the service provider

Use social networking to drive data + msg bundles

Good for user + good for operators + good for SNs

… make sure it’s sustainable for the user Need to allow people to use social networking on mobile as they as they use it on the web (i.e. unlimited) without bill shock 200 SMS/month/active mobile user X 100,000 active mobile users = 20,000,000 SMS/month @ 2c per SMS… not sustainable Financial reality: High usage is inevitable…

Making it happen [email_address] www.bebo.com/mobilemonday Making it happen (logos represent companies presenting at conference)

Thanks for listening And stay in touch! www.bebo.com/jordy www.bebo.com/mobilemonday Thanks for listening