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MOM INSIGHTS

SO WHO IS MOM LISTENING TO NOW?

In our latest study “Middle-Class Moms and the Recession” we discovered that mom’s social self is taking the hardest hit during this recession.  Her social self is the part of her life that is nurtured by female relationships.  It’s mom at her most honest and relaxed state.  It’s based on laughter, honesty, and reciprocal nurturing.  It’s also the part that gets pushed aside when time and money are limited. 

So how is mom connecting now that she can’t plan as many of those girlfriend getaways or nights out? Where is she going for a dose of that honesty and to just connect with other women?  She’s online, often reading blogs.

In fact, moms between the ages of 25-54, now represent nearly 20% of the online community.  Results from the 2009 Women in Social Media Study from BlogHer and iVillage also offer some astounding statistics. Of the 42 million women engaged in social media weekly, 55% participate in some sort of blogging activity, while 75% participate in social networks like Facebook or MySpace, and 20% use Twitter. As a marketer, you can’t ignore the stats. 

These women state that they are highly influenced by the content found in blogs. A whopping 45% said they were moved to make a purchase after reading about it in a blog. If you put yourself in their shoes, think of how many times you’ve chosen or dismissed a purchase based on a trusted user review on Amazon or Travelocity.

In the mommy blogosphere that level of trust is taken up a notch.  But how do you know which ones are influential? EBL tracks the most influential mommy bloggers out there based on their online influence on a range of topics. Here are a few worth looking into:

  • ParentHacks.com – parenting tips from the real experts…parents.
  • FromDatestoDiapers.com – What else is there? Right?
  • DesignMom.com – Designer, mother of 5, living in NY.  She blogs about all things aesthetically beautiful from clothes to gadgets.
  • TravelingMamas.com – one of my personal favorites for family friendly travel tips and suggestions. One of these mamas is from AZ!
  • MomAdvice.com – Amy Allen Clark is a wealth or helpful tips on living on a budget and is also part of Walmart’s ElevenMoms.
  • ThePioneerWoman.com – also a favorite. This mom blogs about her decade long transition from city girl to domestic country wife. I want to know this woman!

So now that you know where’s she’s going don’t be too stuck on simply driving her to your Website. Go where she already is.

 

What's in and what's out

THERE WERE TWO OVERRIDING THEMES IN OUR STUDY.

1 - On the Road to Happiness

Perhaps the most powerful and over-arching theme we encountered in this study was how optimistic moms are. While the public has sustained a more doom-and-gloom tone, middle-class moms have held onto their optimism. This is especially true when they’re talking about their lives, their family and their friends. They believe they will make wiser decisions in the future because they so choose – not because they are forced.

Here’s what they say about the following timely topics:

  • They believe the economy will improve
  • They believe the job outlook will improve
  • They believe the stock market will go up
  • They believe the housing market will stabilize
  • They believe they will be able to take a vacation
    again soon
  • They believe they will sell their house, should they
    need or choose to
  • They believe home decorating will not be on hold forever

2 - Not just a recession but also a Culture Change

Moms are hoping for a values shift – not just an economic one. Every one of the moms in our study communicate that they hope the recession has been bad enough that when we come out of it we’re a better society.

Moms are reprioritizing:

  • Away from spending beyond their means
  • Away from seeing status and value in the material rather than the experiential,
    emotional and spiritual
  • Away from putting work and things above family
  • Away from disposable and junky
  • Away from convenience over quality
  • Away from flash over substance
  • Away from accumulation over connection

1Marketing to Mom’s Coalition- State of American Mom 2008 Highlights.