There has been study after study showing that women, particularly mothers, are active on the social web and make purchase decisions based on the information they find online. That information can come from online acquaintances, strangers, or brands, and while most brands are trying to leverage the hot sites like Pinterest and Facebook to connect with the lucrative mom audience, they’re forgetting about the power of connecting with the consumer audience through blogs.
Five years ago, blogs were the it way for brands to connect with consumers on the social web. Today, brands are too often leaving blogs out of their social media and content marketing plans. That’s a big mistake, and research from BlogHer confirms it. According to an August 2102 study by BlogHer, more U.S. mom internet users trust blogs as a source for parenting advice, including advice related to products and services, than any other form of social media.
Here is the breakdown of the percentage of U.S. mom internet users who trust various social media content for parenting advice from the BlogHer study:
- Blogs = 67%
- Facebook = 64%
- YouTube = 36%
- Pinterest = 31%
- Twitter = 28%
- Instagram = 22%
- Tumblr = 16%
Even more interesting is how U.S. mom internet users act after reading advice and information about parenting on blogs. Approximately half purchase products based on what they read on blogs. Here are the specific results from the BlogHer study that show actions taken by U.S. mom internet users after reading a recommendation on a mom blog:
- Read a book = 63%
- Purchased food product = 56%
- Watched a TV show = 54%
- Purchased baby product = 48%
- Purchased toy = 45%
- Forwarded post to a friend = 44%
When it comes to accessing those blogs, 99% of U.S. mom internet users have a laptop or desktop computer. 83% have a smartphone, and 56% have a tablet device. That means moms are accessing blog content from a variety of places and at all times of the day and night.
Brands that work with mom blogs to create meaningful content and develop their own branded blogs and mobile content are the ones that will succeed in the future. There is no arguing the fact that moms turn to the internet, particularly mom blogs, for trusted advice, product recommendations, and support. It’s a perfect opportunity for brands to build relationships with that lucrative audience.
Image: agastecheq
Susan Gunelius is the author of 10 marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and technology books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, an award-wining blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, TodayShow.com, and more.
She has over 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Today, her clients include large and small companies around the world and household brands like Citigroup, Cox Communications, Intuit, and more. Susan is frequently interviewed about marketing and branding by television, radio, print, and online media organizations, and she speaks about these topics at events around the world. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+.
