Not sure what to get Mom on Mother’s Day? Check out her social media pages. According to the latest Nielsen report, American moms use social media frequently: Nearly three out of four visit Facebook daily. When using social media, moms are 38 percent more likely to become a fan of or follow a brand online, and moms who blog are more than twice as likely to follow brands and celebrities compared to the online average.
But they’re not just liking or following; they’re buying. To help save time and money, many moms, like me, shop online. Nielsen.com reports that moms are 35 percent more likely to shop for clothes, 50 percent more likely to buy toys, 29 percent more likely to buy music, and 23 percent more likely to purchase e-books online within the past 30 days. Since 85 million American moms had the purchasing power of $2.5 trillion last year, I figure I’m not the only person interested in their online behavior. So why do mothers like myself interact with brands and other people online and how can marketers use social media to influences their actions?
According to the “Scoring Points with Mom—The Secrets for Engaging Moms to Try, Buy and Share” study by Punchtab:
- 66% of mothers view social networks as a good source of information about brands
- 65% learn about products and services through social networking
Moms seek connections and opportunities to collaborate while establishing and nurturing relationships. Demonstrate that you understand this value through the brand stories you share. A good brand example is Destination Maternity. Recently on Facebook, the brand posted, “Being a mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children do.” Does Destination Maternity post product and sale information? Absolutely! But it also reminds moms that the brand understands what’s most important to them.
With Mother’s Day less than a week away, brand managers (and my loved ones) should keep these insights in mind when they’re considering ways to market (and what I may want this year!).
