Shazam is continuing to bet big on mobile by expanding its second-screen service, as well as exceeding a quarter of a billion users globally.

By expanding its Shazam for TV service, the company is now letting fans use the app as a TV companion app with any TV show in the United States. In the past year, Shazam has been ramping up its TV service to drive user enegagement.

?Shazam thinks that mobile is the key to realize the promise of interactive television for four reasons,? said David Jones, executive vice president of marketing at Shazam, London.

?Everyone has mobile devices, people are using mobile devices while they are watching TV and often to find out more about what they are watching, it is personal and doesn't disrupt the viewing experience of anyone else in the room, and it's portable so you can take it with you and consume more of the content later,? he said.

Mobile TV
With the new TV expansion initiative, users can check out the music that is featured in their favorite show.

Additionally, users can browse cast information and learn more about their favorite program.

There is also a celebrity buzz feature that gives fans the latest gossip about the show and the stars in it.

Shazam has also integrated social sharing into the service that features live Twitter feeds and lets consumers comment within the app.?

?Shazam is constantly innovating to add new services and capabilities for our fans,? Mr. Jones said. ?Over the coming weeks and months, we are adding a raft of new social features in our app.

?We?ve already rolled out Facebook sharing ? when people who link their Facebook account to Shazam using the Shazam Friends feature, their tags can be shared on the Facebook activity feed so that their friends can comment and get in on the discussion,? he said.

In the next few weeks, Shazam will also add in-app commenting, so that users can comment on your tags ? whether they are music or TV ? within the app, as well.

?We?ll also add more content and features around the TV shows people are watching, along with more custom interactive experiences produced by Shazam specifically with the networks and the content producers for some of the biggest shows and TV events during the fall season,? Mr. Jones said.

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York