More than three-quarters of mothers who blog in the US review products, according to recently released data from Mom Central Consulting.
The company also found that one-half of responding moms reviewed Websites or services.
Mom bloggers may be especially open to contact from brands in the current economic environment: More than 60% of mom bloggers considered making money important and wanted more connectivity with companies; over one-third (37%) said they had already been contacted as a resource for the press.
Notably, moms who blog are more tolerant of ads than are their nonblogger counterparts, according to an October 2008 study by Lucid Marketing. The researchers said this was likely because the bloggers earned money from such ads.
Working with mom bloggers makes sense because the Internet is a leading conversation starter about products and brands among new and expectant mothers, according to a January 2008 study by BabyCenter and Keller Fay Group.
Debra Aho Williamson, senior analyst at eMarketer, noted three steps for marketers and retailers to take to effectively reach mothers researching or shopping online:
- Anticipate their needs, because they may not have time to articulate them.
- Provide factual information, because moms trust the opinions of experts.
- Recognize and encourage moms’ interest in sharing ideas with other parents.
“Moms like to share advice with other moms because they remember how hard it was to find the right car seat, stroller or daycare for their own children,” Ms. Williamson said. “They want to pay it forward by giving recommendations and tips, and that gives them a sense of gratification.”
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