Facebook hits 4 million advertisers milestone

Small businesses are increasingly turning to the medium in an attempt to get their products and services in the view of potential customers.

Only in March did the company announce it had broken the 3m milestone, and the latest figures will be music to Mark Zuckerberg's ears.

Chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg says the rise of mobile use is the most significant factor in the steep rise.

"We think it’s another proof point of the story we've seen for years, which is the move to mobile," Sandberg told Fortune.

Advertising revenue makes up a dominant 84% of the company's revenue, with only Google bringing in more.

"You're seeing our accelerating pace of growth, and what this shows is this is working," Sandberg said. "We're delivering results for small businesses and helping people connect with customers where they are, which is on mobile."

Over 90% of people use Facebook and its sister app Instagram primarily through their mobile devices.