BuzzCitys mobile social networking service MyGamma has put on a million and a half users over the past 12 months. It now boasts 2.5 million subscribers, and as of two months ago, the service is free to access (data charges notwithstanding). BuzzCity has created its own advertising network, which numbers around 300 publishers, to monetise the site.
According to Buzz City Co-founder and CEO, K.F. Lai, there are three categories of advertiser: other mobile sites looking to drive traffic; mobile content companies; and a fast-growing segment of traditional FMCG and financial services companies who are staring to make their move into the mobile space.
MyGamma users are aged between 20 and 35, with a 70:30 male:female split. Theres also a skew towards blue-collar workers who dont have access to a PC, but do have time on their hands. For such users, a mobile- rather than PC-based social network makes a lot of sense.
According to Buzz City Co-founder and CEO, K.F. Lai, usage is highest in areas where users have accessto flat-rate data tariffs. BuzzCity surveyed its users recently, and found that 90% access the service more than once a day, with more than half accessing the service at least five times a day. To those of us who dont have the time or the inclination to get involved in mobile discussion forums, polls and the other stuff of which social networking is made, these figures may be surprising, but clearly, there is a market for mobile social networking, and MyGamma seems to be tapping into it very nicely.