How Moms are Using Social Media

With money tight for most families these days, it's important to know that you're spending it on things your family can really use. I know I rely on a handful of bloggers' recommendations on entertainment and gift ideas, especially when holiday shopping is involved. It turns out, I am not the only one who likes to get an unbiased opinion before letting go of that cash…

Moms love Facebook -- but they TRUST blogs. And 92 percent of moms active in social media are buying products as a result of a social media recommendation.

Those were among the key findings of a new study, "How Moms are Using Social Media RIGHT NOW -- and How You Can Make the Most of It," conducted by Child's Play Communications, specialists in connecting companies with moms. The results were presented for the first time at the eighth annual Marketing to Moms Conference in Chicago, October 23-24th.

Child's Play reached out to the 1200 moms in its Social Savvy research network -- almost all of them regularly active on blogs and social networks -- to explore five key questions:

• What social media platforms do moms currently favor?
• How has that changed?
• Why?
• What social media platforms are impacting purchasing decisions?
• What products are moms buying as a result of social media recommendations? 

Among the study’s findings:

• Facebook, Twitter and blogs were the three most popular social media platforms among moms surveyed
• Pinterest was the platform that most moms (63 percent) tried for the first time this year
• Instagram topped the list of technologies moms (28 percent) were likely to try next
• Polyvore and Olioboard were among the new services these early adopters were exploring
• Moms are spending more time on Facebook than in the past (64 percent of moms) and less time on Twitter (33 percent)
• Of all social media platforms, blogs impacted moms' purchasing decisions more than any other (80 percent)
• Toys were the No. 1 kids' product purchased by moms as a result of social media recommendations

“The study results underscore how moms’ immersion in social media has dramatically changed their purchasing behavior,” said Stephanie Azzarone, president, Child’s Play Communications. “Alongside recommendations from family and friends, it is the most valuable tool for companies that want to market to mothers.”

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a member of Child's Play Communications' Team Mom network. No compensation has been provide, I just think these results are interesting.  As usual, all opinions are my own.