The competition between Google’s Android operating systems and Apple’s iPhone operating system has been roaring on since smartphones were introduced to the public. This competition may be getting a bit more heated, because according to Optim.al, a successful ad management firm that uses mass statistics of audience activity, as stated by Rob Hof on Forbes, Google’s Android system sees better results in mobile Facebook ad Likes than does the iPhone. The ads have proven to receive more clicks from Android users than they do from iPhone users.
Hof writes in a Forbes article, “On average, people using Google‘s Android devices click on ads up 10% to 55% more than they do on Apple‘s iPhones, according to data from Optim.al,” stating the huge difference between the two platforms’ Facebook ad click rates. The more important statistic, however, is the difference between conversion rates of the two platforms. Android has 28% to 109% higher conversion rates than iPhone has, which may come as a big surprise because of the popularity of the iPhone.
An example of Android’s newfound prosperity in the advertising world is shown in the case of investor James Altucher. When working to get 100,000 Facebook fans for his blog with the help of Optim.al on his mobile ad campaign was more than satisfied with the results. When only about 47% of iPhone owners responded to ads with action, an enormous 98% of Android. This makes Android far more cost-effective, with $1.06 per like, while iPhone brings up $1.61 per like, a significant difference in the long run. We will just have to wait and see what this means for Android phones, in regard to whether Facebook will raise their rates as was suggested by Optim.al CEO Rob Leathern.
The news of Facebook’s successful mobile advertising, especially with Google Android, should be more exciting for Facebook than anyone. In the past week, Facebook has been bashed for failed IPOs and unsuccessful advertising campaigns. Nobody had any faith that their new network of mobile advertising had any potential whatsoever. These new statistics, however, prove otherwise. The numbers are huge and undeniable, and both Android and iPhone users have helped to prove that Facebook’s ads do in fact get the conversions that people were doubting before.
According to Optim.al, this new improvement in the Facebook and Android relationship may be short-lived. The change will come with Facebook and Apple’s intentions to integrate further, to bring better results. Optim.al provides some statistics that show the iPhone will be more successful with some brands than Android is with Unilever for example. Through research, they’ve figured out the brands that iPhone users will respond to better than Android users will. Optim.al gives a list of brand names and their likelihood to be liked by iPhone users versus Android.
It’s probably true that iPhone will soon outdo the Android with many of the brands that Optim.al listed, but the recent stats show that Android is already doing better with Facebook ads in many of the best known brand names. At this point, it seems like a guessing game as to where this is headed.
