What are most mothers doing for Mother’s Day this year? Probably what they do every day: going online.
There are about 80.5 million mothers of all ages in the US, according the Census Bureau. Last year, US consumers spent an estimated $11.4 billion showering Mom with gifts, according to the National Retail Federation.
Make sure that gift is a good one! Mom may tell you that the new vacuum cleaner is just the thing she wanted but she just might be sharing her true feelings about it online.
Moms are participating in blogs, chat rooms and social networking sites in growing numbers and companies that cater to moms are answering the growing demand for online destinations.
ClubMom.com has just introduced TheMomNetwork, a social networking and advice site connecting moms with other moms. Babycenter.com has long offered hundreds of online chat groups for pregnant moms, new moms, moms of preschoolers and more. Procter & Gamble, meanwhile, is giving moms a say in the marketing of food products, TV shows and more via its VocalPoint online community.
According to a recent study by Lucid Marketing, a marketing services company specializing in marketing to mothers, 22% of stay-at-home moms and 19% of those who work part time said they visit message boards or chat rooms daily.
Meanwhile, 17% of part-time working moms said they maintain their own blog, Lucid found.
In March, more women with children visited blogs than women without children. Nearly 8.8 million women who are ages 25-54 and have kids visited blogs, according to comScore Media Metrix, vs. 6.3 million women ages 25-54 without kids. (comScore does not specifically track moms.)
"Moms are constantly seeking advice and sharing their expertise with other moms," said Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer senior analyst. "Smart companies are tapping into that flow of information online."