Moms Use Tech? Shocker!

According to BlogHer’s third annual eMoms study, moms turn to social media to enhance their parenting skills and are most likely to build confidence through blogs.

As for blogs, they rock. In fact, 81 percent of the BlogHer survey respondents reported that blogs are the No. 1 resource that helps them build confidence about their parenting skills. Facebook and Twitter also factor in, but are less impactful, ranking at 60 percent and 41 percent, respectively.

Survey results also revealed that “information gleaned from blogs helps moms make decisions for their families.” Surprised? We’re not. After all, blogs continue to be a powerful source of information—even more so than short-form platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

That’s why it’s so important for businesses and brands to carve out their respective niches in the blogosphere. Moms (and parents) are turning to the Internet for information—that’s not news. And they’re looking to their bloggy friends, to mom-blog communities (such as BlogHer and Blissfully Domestic, to name just two), and to brand-sponsored conversations and communities to provide them with the tips and resources to make them more knowledgeable and help make their lives easier.

Another marketing takeaway from this year’s survey is that moms aren’t simply mobile—they’re hyper-connected to their devices. (Again, this isn’t shocking—the only time my phone isn’t in my hand is when I’m sleeping and then it’s under my pillow.) Eighty-three percent of moms own a smart phone, according to the survey—and mobile phones have replaced computers as the screens that moms rely on the most.

Consider this a huge flashing arrow that’s pointing to your mobile marketing strategy. How does your mobile presence look? Is your brand or business ready and able to serve up information, resources, and products to moms on the go? If you have something to sell, this is an area that should be especially critical to your overall digital marketing strategy.

The eMoms study reports that only 40 percent of moms say they use their phones for shopping or coupons, which means you’ve got a big opportunity to optimize your e-commerce presence for mobile usage. And because this area is ripe for growth, you can expect these numbers to increase (probably fairly quickly) over the next few years. Would you rather your business be at the front of the mobile commerce pack or lagging behind?

One of the things I loved most about the eMoms study is that it provided insight into toddler tech usage, too. Not only do I still shake my head in amazement at the tools and technology available for kids today, but also I’m living it. With a household inhabited by twin six-year-olds and a three-year-old, all of whom are equally as adept with all the iOS devices in our home (of which there are many), I have a front-row seat.

Oh, and these kidlets—these are our future demographic. They’re going to be more tapped in than ever when it comes to using technology to live their lives. Need more than just my word on this one? Before the age of three, 34 percent of toddlers had already used a smart phone (up 27 percent from the 2011 survey). And those numbers? They’re not going down any time soon.

Shelly Kramer is the CEO of V3 Integrated Marketing. A version of this story first appeared on the V3 blog.

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