A Guide to Mom's App-session
Moms turn to apps that help them run the family, stay connected with family and friends, and entertain their kids. A survey conducted by BabyCenter found that Moms spend 37% of their daily media time on their smartphones. That time increases with apps that allow moms to do just about anything. However, it’s difficult to create an app that moms will love and download. Here is a look into how and when moms use apps, along with 4 tips to help brand marketers and agencies make the most of this trend:
Know Which Apps Moms Love
Social media, kids entertainment, health & wellness, and shopping/recipe apps are the top 4 most downloaded apps by moms. Mom Central Consulting found that 82% of Moms have downloaded game apps. This is because moms like to keep their kids distracted with games like Angry Birds or educational apps like Toddler Treasers Quizzing. Moms also place fitness and health at the top of their priority list. Apps like GAIN Fitness Cross Trainer (a 2013 Best Health and Fitness Apps by Greatist.com) allow Moms to record fitness goals and personal preferences. Finally, shopping apps that make Moms’ lives easier will always get downloaded. Kraft’s iFood Assistant app allows Moms to search for recipes for easy family meals while simultaneously adding food to a shopping list and browsing for coupons (all for free).
Provide What Your Site Can’t
Moms expect apps to have smart push notifications, location-based recommendations, integration with social media, and if applicable, eCommerce integration. By designing an app that integrates all of the above, offer what your brand’s website doesn’t. For example, CVS/Pharmacy’s app puts CVS/pharmacy, MinuteClinic and CVSphoto in the palm of Moms’ hands, for free. Moms can manage refilling and viewing prescriptions, redeem savings and rewards, shop for products and deals, and effortlessly upload photos from their camera roll or account and enjoy free same-day pick up.
The best way for Moms to utilize your brand is to make your brand’s app(s) known to them. Advertise your app so Moms know the best way to interact with your brand while they’re benefiting from conveniences at the drop-of-a-hat.
Offer Instant Gratification
Multitasking is second nature for Moms because they’re always on-the-go and usually don’t have time to sit down and casually browse the Internet for what they need. While Moms juggle the kids, homework, dance lessons, and cleaning the house their brains buzz with what they have to do next. Moms need apps that are quick and easy to use. Papa John’s for example has an app that features their entire menu, push notifications, special offers, an area for stored favorites, and more. This app allows Moms to quickly order and know that dinner arrives at the time they need it.
Be Informative
Moms who are constantly on their smartphones and tablets use their apps as much as possible but also seek out new ones to download. When your brand develops an app it’s crucial that your brand knows where Moms get their information. When moms find new apps to download or purchase, according to a survey conducted by Mom Central Consulting, 33% rely on blogs or websites and 22% rely on suggestions from friends. However when they purchase apps for their kids, 39% of moms review blogs and websites.
Moms look for apps that have specific characteristics before they choose to download. Brands need to consider these factors before they develop an app to increase engagement with Moms and make them happy. To learn more about the App-session trend and 14 others, check out the white paper, 15 Consumer Trends That Impact Marketing to Moms.
Posted by Chelsea Amaral