The What, When, and Where of Moms’ Online Behavior
With 82.5 million moms in the United States, it’s no surprise that many brands want to convert them into loyal customers. Across the board, brands target moms in many different ways – via television, radio, smartphones, tablets and more. It’s important for brands to know which method will be most effective for today’s on-the-go mom. On average, these “mobile moms” spend 6.2 hours per day consuming media content – 2.3 hours on smartphone and tablet, and 1.4 hours on television and desktop computers each. Since moms spend their time across all media channels throughout the day, it is increasingly important to understand their online behavior.
Take note of the tips and stats below to target moms at the proper time, on the correct device, and with the right content.
Generation matters: Surprisingly, not all types of moms use electronic devices the same way. Moms of the baby boomer generation are more likely to use their PC for online activities, while Millennial moms prefer their smartphone. In addition, 87% of moms research products on their PC over any other device. Even with this increase in smartphone and tablet adoption, desktop and laptop computers are still necessary to moms – and should not be ignored.
New moms vs. experienced moms: When comparing iPhone and iPad use, new moms spend over 90% of their time on iPhones. In comparison, experienced moms use iPads more frequently than iPhones, with almost 60% of their time spent using the former. This shift is mainly due to the fact that new moms have less time for leisure activities, which often includes iPad use. As children grow older, moms have more free time to use their iPad for leisure purposes, including the use of entertainment and educational apps with their children. This is very significant for brands, as targeted ads for new moms may see greater success on an iPhone, while ads for experienced moms may have a greater payoff on the iPad.
When should you target moms? With online devices constantly in use, it can be a challenge to determine when to target moms and on which device. Luckily, this audience tends to use specific devices at particular times of day, which makes targeted ads and content valuable for brands. Smartphones are the most highly used device throughout the day overall, and are most prevalently used in the morning.
Computer use is heaviest between 9:00 am and noon, and tablet use spikes between the evening hours of 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm. In general, tablets are more popular with moms (35%) than with the average American (25%), which may be why tablet use spikes after dinner when moms have more free time.
Brands that target moms on the correct device at these peak times of day may see an increased level of interaction. Keep in mind though, that many devices are used simultaneously - 57% of moms use the Internet while watching TV on a daily basis.
Timing of content matters: Moms also use certain mobile apps and search for specialized topics at specific times during the day. According to Yahoo, moms’ online activities fluctuate depending on the time. This can be very beneficial for brands to leverage when they understand these usage patterns. In the morning, moms tend to check the weather, send emails, and look at financial content and news. In the afternoon, moms mainly search for recipes and stream music. Consider that there is less clutter during the day, so it can be an effective time for brands to reach moms.
Moms spend the largest amount of time online in the evenings – they watch videos, play games, research products, blog, research health topics, go on social networks, and read articles. Since moms have a higher online presence in the evenings, target them during this time to increase the chance of your brand being noticed – especially if the content relates to what moms are searching for.
Which device is she using, and what does it mean for your brand? Which devices are used to view and search for content is also important when marketing to moms. According to Flurry, iPhones are used more often for GPS navigation, health and fitness, photo and video, while iPads are used more frequently for education, news, games, and reference articles. This implies that iPhones are used for more activities that are on-the-go, while iPads are used for more home-oriented activities.
Understand your target audience’s online behavior to best reach them and satisfy their needs. Moms want to see relevant content that offers added benefits to her daily life. Provide useful content that relates to their top interests to see improved results in website traffic and sales.
When brands understand how moms spend their time on different devices throughout the day, they have a much higher chance of making a connection. Moms are constantly having to multi-task; catch even a tiny fraction of her time to potentially gain a new customer. Create relevant content that finds moms at the right moment to best capture her attention. Keep in mind which apps she uses, which devices she is on, and what times of day she is most reachable. All of these aspects will help you to create a better targeted media plan. To learn more about marketing to the digital mom, download our free white paper.