The Facebook API does not allow for apps to pop their native share modal on mobile devices the same way that it does on the desktop browsers.
Our development team is currently experimenting with alternatives that could work similarly on mobile but as of now, Facebook doesn’t support any of these alternatives and that’s why Viral Traffic Boost was not built to work on mobile devices.
When you think about it, people use Facebook completely differently on mobile devices than they do on a computer. The majority of us use the Facebook APP to navigate the Facebook site on our phones and tablets instead of a browser.
People don’t typically unlock their phones, then open a browser (like safari or chrome) then open a tab, then type in the Facebook login URL, and then dig up their password, then log in, then go through 2-factor authentication to start using Facebook. It’s exhausting just thinking about it. That’s why most people just instal the Fb app on their phone and tap the icon whenever they want to browse Facebook.
It’s just easier.
Understanding this difference in visitor behaviour is critical when you consider the reason for using VTB in the first place. Viral traffic boost creates “share buttons” that allow you to pull the visitor’s name and email onto your autoresponder list WITHOUT them having to type it into a form. If the user is already logged into Facebook (or cookied in) on their browser, the process is seamless and there is no login required. They click your button, VTB adds them to your list and they are navigated to whatever site you want.
The problem with mobile devices is that people are not using Facebook on their browser, they use the app. So VTB would literally have to take control of their phone to open the Facebook app and pull the information then redirect them to a website of your choice by closing the app and opening the browser back up. This is a tall order even for our ninja programmers to code and Facebook’s API doesn’t even support this.
If Viral Traffic Boost tried opening Facebook in the visitor’s mobile browser, the visitor would be forced to log into Facebook by entering their username and password. This defeats the purpose because the idea of VTB was to eliminate the need for your visitor to type anything in. Might as well just have a regular opt-in form there.
We are currently testing some alternative behaviors for VTB on mobile devices. Your button will soon be able to recognize that your visitor is on a mobile device and give you/them an option of how to share and opt-in. We have been making a lot of progress in creating the technology to do this but it’s simply not ready for public release.
Rest assured that when we are ready to release this new mobile feature we will make a public announcement and it will be added to your account at no additional cost.