As Mother’s Day approaches, we thought it was prime time to take a closer look at what makes moms tick (Hint: It’s not just baby content) and how marketers can connect with (and convert) this highly-sought after target audience. Here are 5 things to consider when creating content for today’s digitally savvy modern moms:
Move beyond desktops.
According to the IAB 2015 State of Modern Motherhood report, 90% of millennial moms own smartphones as opposed to only 65% in 2012, and 57% of millennial moms own tablets versus 29% in 2012. Beyond ownership, the amount of time moms spend consuming content is higher than one might imagine. A recent study conducted by AOL and Insights Now found that moms with younger children spend 22% more time on their smartphones every month than the average millennial.
To maximize your brand’s exposure to this target audience, ensure your content is easily accessible on mobile. Then, think about all of the different ways moms might use their phones, such as socializing, scheduling, escaping their day to day, and shopping. Keep content bite-sized, make the headline catchy, and put all of the most relevant information in the first paragraph.
One brand paving the way is Land O’ Moms, an online community for moms developed by the packaged luncheon meat brand Land O’ Frost. With a fully responsive mobile site, “the place for all things mom” offers tips on “How to Preserve Your Child’s Schoolwork” with a smartphone and cloud storage.
Age is just a number.
The average age of a first-time mother in the U.S. is 26 years old. These millennial moms have money to spend, are more Internet savvy, and more influential than their older counterparts. Making sure your brand is everywhere they are is key. Diversify your content distribution by publishing on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Vine. Consider also working with a discovery platform like Taboola to help you gain a presence on sites around the web where millennial moms may frequent.
Find ways to crunch time.
With more things to do and less time for themselves, most modern moms crave solutions to help make their hectic lives easier so they can spend more time with their kids. Think about what your company or product offers that could help moms save time. Realizing the number of parents that struggle to balance work with life at home, TODAY.com put together “5 time-saving tips for easy weeknight meals, plus 5 healthy dinner recipes.” Similarly, lifestyle site SheKnows recently offered “Time savers for busy moms,” with suggestions like grocery shopping once a week, taking advantage of your commute, and must-have apps to help moms organize everyday tasks.
Ease anxieties about the future.
Most moms worry about everything from their child’s health and wellbeing to their household finances. Future finances are an even bigger concern, including how to pay for college. A 2014 report published by FleishmanHillard found that most women were focused on their financial security versus overall wealth. Many brands have echoed this sentiment by creating content around saving money for the future. For example, Bankrate offered “3 Ways To Save For Your Child’s Future,” and Refinery29 recently suggested “5 Ways To Trick Yourself Into Saving Money” which included tips on how to save for a down payment and lower your credit score.
Create a community to connect.
Whether it be DIY projects, new recipes, home decor ideas, or parenting tips, women (especially moms) inherently love to listen and share advice. Building a community for moms to interact with one another is a great way for moms to engage with your content. Scary Mommy, a popular online destination for “imperfect parents,” built a discussion forum allowing parents to connect on everything from housekeeping to beauty and fashion. In an effort to connect with more consumers, Lego created several message boards including one just for parents called Lego Parents’ Cafe. On this particular board, moms (and dads) can share tips on building lego creations, coupons, advice on which set is best suited for their child, and how to clean the pieces.
Want to know more about how you can target a specific audience with your content? Drop us a line.