52% of social sharing actions occurred on a mobile device during the first quarter of this year, reveals ShareThis in a new report. Mobile took the lead on the back of a quarter-over-quarter growth rate in sharing that was more than twice as high as desktop’s (28% vs. 11%).

While the iPhone (25%) remained the top mobile device used for sharing, Android smartphones (17%) narrowed the gap. Meanwhile, the report also notes some trends in the social channels used for sharing:

• Twitter (+43%) saw the fastest growth rate in Q1 sharing, with most activity by 31-35-year-olds
• Sharing to Reddit (+25%) also grew quickly, with the heaviest activity in the 18-30 age group
• Sharing to Facebook (+14%) and Linkedin Infographic (+12%) was led by older users (50+ and 41-50, respectively)
• After rapid growth, last year, sharing to Pinterest increased by only 5% in Q1
• Email continued to decline as a social sharing channel (-25%), while content sharing growth was higher for Hispanics than for blacks and whites across Twitter, Reddit, and Pinterest.

The top sharing channels, in order of overall shares, were:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• Reddit

The quarterly Consumer Sharing Trends Report analyzes consumer sharing behavior from Q1 2014 across nearly every social channel on a desktop and mobile devices. The large-scale social data offers valuable insight into what, where and how consumers share online, which is not only a true indicator of interest and purchase intent but also a powerful way for publishers and advertisers to drive content and brand engagement.

Do you want to create a strong social media content strategy? Have you analyzed the content your competitors are using on their website and on social media? To create a content strategy that engages and motivates your audience, Customer Insight Group can help you create a comprehensive social media roadmap.

Filed under: Social Media Marketing