Research: Moms Online

Moms online – who knew just how tech-savvy a group this has become? Well, maybe you already had a gut feel about the potential of this market segment, but the just-released “All About Moms” research released by NRF’s Retail Advertising and Marketing Association – RAMA – will arm you with data points galore. RAMA worked with BIGResearch to survey 4,206 mothers to examine their use of the Internet to find coupons, research products, connect with others, have their say on blogs, and more. (Full disclosure: while I wasn’t part of this survey, I am a working mother myself.) Following are a few highlights of the study results:

Who they are. The women surveyed represent a broad swatch of mothers: almost two-thirds work outside the home, not quite one fifth primarily are homemakers, 1 in 20 is in school, and the remainder is either retired or currently unemployed. In sum, this is a busy market segment and the Web is an important utility to get numerous things done in the course of the day.

Promotions. Many mothers manage the family finances and, given the economic pressures felt by most, coupons are often welcome – whether as samples received in stores or via the mail and the ubiquitous store loyalty card, among others. By contrast, mothers don’t want to receive text messages or voicemails on their mobile phones. Word of mouth, however, trumps all – fully 97.2% of mothers surveyed noted that they give advice to others about products and services, and almost as many again seek out advice from others for the same purpose.

Media consumption. Mothers consume multiple media, and often more so than the average adult aged 18 or older. Watching TV (more about precisely what they’re watching in the study also), reading their email, surfing the Web, reading snail mail and listening to the radio top overall media usage. It also turns out that if you’re speaking to a mother on her mobile phone, she may well be multitasking during that call: she may be online, listening to the radio, even watching TV, among numerous other activities (note to self: keep mobile phone conversations short and to the point…).

Tech leaders. As the RAMA study points out, “Gone are the days of trying to show mom how to work the DVD player or use her new iPod.” (The very idea!) Instead, over two-thirds are busy texting and talking on their mobile phones, more so than the average adult 18 years or older. Perhaps related to their modus operandi of both giving and asking for advice, quite a few are firmly established in the so-called blogosphere, whether reading (51%), posting to (28%), or maintaining (15%) their own blogs. And if you still think Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are the sole purview of the young, hip and single – guess again: mothers actually use all of these media in droves, and, once again, more so than the average adult aged 18 years or older.

And yes, there’s more! Now, if all of this data about this powerful market segment isn’t enough – there is indeed more to learn. Kelly Mooney, President and Chief Experience Officer at Resource Interactive, will be presenting can’t-miss research and advice about this segment at next week’s Annual Summit. If you’re at the Summit, be sure to see Kelly speak on Wednesday, September 23 at 11 a.m. on the topic, “Recession-Rewired: Moms and Millennials in Consumerism’s Crosshairs.”

As always, please let us know your thoughts on this subject also. See you at the Summit!