7 Trends Mom-Focused Marketers Need To Know
You have the amount memorized by now. $2.4 trillion. The amount of money moms spend in a year is staggering and every brand wants their piece of this enormous market. In order to reap the benefits, brand marketers and agencies must understand moms: what they value, the technology they use, how the economy impacts them, and so much more. It can be overwhelming, but we’ve done the work for you. In a new white paper, we scoured the marketing to mom landscape to identify and analyze the biggest trends that are top of mind for moms. Here are 7 of those trends:
1) Emphasis on Value
Moms are especially prudent in their search for undeniable value. Becoming a mom changes the way that a woman shops, as she generally places a greater emphasis on the value and safety of everyday purchases with 40% of moms saying that they think about the long term impact on their kids of the products they buy. In 2013, expect moms to be willing to pay more for safer products and more nutritious foods for their kids but only when a clear value proposition is presented.
2) Technology is Ever-Present
A 2012 study found that 61% of moms own smartphones, 17% higher than the general population. Moms expect to be able to access brand content on any device, at anytime, and anywhere – at home, in a store, or in their car between errands. Keep up with technology by creating a consistent brand experience that is accessible via smartphones, tablets and desktop computers through the use of applications and/or responsive layout. Also make sure products are easily enabled for social sharing.
3) Everyone is an Expert
With review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor, personal blogs, and even social media, everyone has an opinion and everyone thinks they’re an expert. People love the ability to actively share their knowledge. Brands can channel this energy into a positive voice for their brand through user-generated content and crowdsourcing.
4) Trust
A good product isn’t enough—moms need to believe in your brand. Consumer trust must be built through the quality and safety of your products as well as honest, accurate advertising and marketing. Work on building trust by sharing the faces and stories behind your brand. Moms are more likely to trust a person than a faceless, emotionless brand. Be transparent about your products because Moms want to know what they are buying and how it affects their family. Honest transparency creates trust.
5) App-session
Moms can’t seem to put down their smartphones and tablets and they love to find apps that make their lives easier. The key to creating apps for moms is to provide value beyond what’s currently available on your website and to take advantage of the unique benefits of mobile. Walgreens’ free app, for example, offers features that include photo ordering and sharing, shopping lists, and setting pill-taking and refill reminders. It’s easy to see how apps like this appeal to moms’ busy lifestyles. When creating an app, keep in mind the four key things moms expect: smart push notifications, location-based recommendations, integration with social media, and eCommerce integration.
6) Transparency
Transparent brands actively tell consumers what they are doing in the real world, through advertising, their website, and blogs. A great example of this is Patagonia and their Common Threads Partnership. This campaign asks consumers to take a pledge to buy fewer items and items of higher durability, repair, reuse, and recycle – and promises to do the same in return. Over 50,000 customers have taken the pledge, meaning 50,000 customers have created a deep emotional bond with Patagonia.
7) Moms as Decision Makers
According to The Next Web, moms make 80% of healthcare decisions and 68% of new car purchase decisions, and purchase over 50% of home improvement products and consumer electronics. However, many brands in those industries still advertise mainly to men. It’s time for brands to recognize the influence moms have over these purchases. They can do this by increasing their presence on mom-focused blogs, asking moms for product advice, loading up their website with product information, and making an emotional connection that speaks to moms.
These are just some of the most relevant consumer trends for moms in 2013. Learn more about these trends and others, along with actionable advice you can use in your marketing strategy in the new white paper.
Posted by Katie Petrillo