Zuckerberg: mobile is our biggest challenge
updated 01:55 pm EDT, Sun July 15, 2012
Facebook CEO says running a public company not too different
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that the toughest challenge facing the social network today is adapting to the mobile computing shift. Bloomberg reports that Zuckerberg made the remarks in an interview at the Allen & Co. media conference last week, where the Facebook head was questioned on the difficulties he has faced since the world's largest social network became a public company. Zuckerberg's admission comes as Facebook continues to add features and acquire mobile-focused companies in an effort to adapt to the mobile computing shift.
Nearly half of Facebook's 900 million users are accessing the social network on mobile devices, which typically feature form factors that are not as conducive to displaying the ads that generate most of the revenue for the company. This reality has left investors doubting the long-term prospects for Facebook's revenue growth, as the trend in computing is decidedly in favor of mobile gadgets.
Zuckerberg has previously acknowledged the mobile trend, saying that Facebook will be making a big push in the mobile sector. The company has opened up its mobile ad platform to third-party ad sellers and bought a number of mobile-centric services, including mobile rewards company Tagtile, all with the aim of refitting itself for mobile computing. The effectiveness of these moves remains to be seen though, and investors may get some idea as to the company's future mobile plans when Facebook releases its quarterly financial report later this month.
The interview also touched on the difficulties of running a newly public company. Zuckerberg said that he was focused on building product and that things were not much different for him than they were before the company's $16 billion initial public offering.
