Bebo, the global social media network, today announced the launch of Bebo Open Mobile, a new global partnership program which will offer the mobile industry a suite of tools to provide their customers access to the Bebo social networking experience. Through the Bebo Open Mobile programme, Bebo will work with operators, handset manufacturers and mobile software developers to help them promote, distribute and monetize mobile social media.
Bebo Open Mobile partners will benefit from access to Bebo's over 50 million** strong user base and will collaborate with the social network on tailored content and social networking experiences.
Sean Kane, Global Head of Mobile, Bebo, says: "Bebo Open Mobile is a new way to expand the power of social networking to program members. The Bebo Open Mobile suite of tools is designed to move mobile communication and user relationships forward by delivering a simple and more ubiquitous experience to users. A rapid and global shift towards mobile social networking consumption is in progress and Bebo is committed to leading the way."
Bebo Open Mobile packages the company's mobile services into a single integrated program for mobile industry partners. It offers members the tools to deliver the Bebo mobile social networking experience over mobile networks, on devices and through rich media.
Bebo announced the immediate availability of Bebo Open Mobile tools across the areas of mobile Internet, mobile messaging and software development:
· Bebo Open Mobile Internet: Bebo delivers partners the ability to rapidly deploy features on the Bebo mobile site including customized navigation, mobile advertising support and enhanced statistics.
· Bebo Open Mobile Messaging: The Mobile Messaging toolkit provides scalable and feature rich two-way messaging directly to Bebo Open Mobile partners through the messaging interfaces most used by Bebo members.
· Bebo Open Mobile Development API: Bebo also introduces a Mobile Development API toolkit to empower Bebo Open Mobile partners to create innovative applications, widgets and other interfaces to directly serve the Bebo community.
Since its inception, Bebo has established a new vision for online media, combining community, self-expression and entertainment, enabling its members to consume, create, discover, curate and share digital content in new ways.
Bebo expects to make further announcements regarding Bebo Open Mobile partners and initiatives throughout 2009.
~ENDS~
Notes to the editor:
For more information on how to join Bebo Open Mobile please email: openmobile@beboinc.com.
Bebo's Open Media platform launched in November 2007, created a new way for users to experience content online and for global media companies, such as MTV, CBS and the BBC, to promote, distribute and monetize their programming. Bebo broke new ground in blending Web-native original content and interactivity in the social networking environment by co-producing a series of quality Bebo Originals, including "KateModern", "Sofia's Diary" and "The Gap Year".
Bebo was the first social network to embrace both Facebook and OpenSocial APIs and recently launched its "Social Inbox", a one-stop shop designed to make it easier for Internet users to manage their online life by combining e-mail, social networking and media recommendations in one easy-to-use interface.
ABOUT BEBO
Bebo is a popular social media network. Building on the notion of traditional social networking Web sites, Bebo combines community, self-expression and entertainment to enable its users to consume, create, discover and share professional and user-generated content through the Bebo Web site. Bebo has a total membership of more than 50 million** registered users worldwide. Bebo's global users spend an average of 25 minutes* a day on the site.
Bebo forms part of AOL's newly created People Networks business unit which combines Bebo, the AIM (excluding AIM Mail) and ICQ personal communications networks, widget technology company Goowy Media, social search and answer service Yedda and social aggregation service Socialthing!, People Networks' collection of community platforms reaches 94 million* unduplicated users worldwide. Bebo is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL LLC, a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.
Source for metrics data in this release: *comScore Media Metrix, December 2008, ** internal data.