Keeping up with their children keeps moms on the leading edge of new technologies and online activities. In fact, they are among the most savvy of all online users.
They are also one of the larger user groups online.
eMarketer estimates 34 million mothers in the US go online at least once a month.
Moms are the key decision-makers for many family purchases, and increasingly the information they obtain and activities they engage in online affect those decisions.
“Moms visit parenting and family Websites, but they also regularly view news, weather and political content online,” says Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, Moms Online: More Influential Than Ever. “They shop for their kids—and themselves, and when they find something great for their family, they talk about it, not only with their family and friends, but often with a much broader online audience.”
In ways that marketers are only beginning to understand, the Internet is influencing mothers—and enabling mothers to influence others.
A survey by Razorfish and CafeMom found that Websites, referrals from friends and family, and information from search engines were the most common sources online moms used to make a purchasing decision.
The moms were less likely to use TV, magazines, newspapers or radio.
According to Experian Simmons, 70% of online moms made a purchase online in the past 12 months.
When it comes to what moms shop for online, the Marketing to Moms Coalition found that 44% of online moms shopped for themselves—almost the same as the percentage who shopped online for their kids (45%).
In addition, 49% said they researched products online.
Moms surveyed by Razorfish and CafeMom were more likely to have shopped for clothing or accessories (40%) or food/cooking items (31%) online than baby/parenting gear (26%).
“Moms constantly seek and share advice, and they are routinely doing so online,” says Ms. Williamson. “Often they simply reach out to family and friends but as more of them use social media such as consumer review sites and blogs, an increasing amount of the information comes from strangers.”