Mobile phones, especially smartphones, are a huge resource for moms – 53% actually purchased a smartphone “as a result” of becoming a mom. eMarketer’s interview with Mike Fogarty, Senior Vice President and Global Publisher at BabyCenter (an online resource for parents), reveals how moms are using their phones in comparison to regular users, and when they are most likely to be reached by marketers.
Moms are 18% more likely to have a smartphone than the average population, and moms tend to use the device for a wide array of services, including the calendar, scheduling, communication, looking up recipes, products, and more. While the contacts, address book, text messaging and email were the most important features before becoming a mom, once ‘baby’ arrives the top features become the camera, the video camera and apps.
The “mom schedule” for mobile use:
- mobile usage peaks in the morning, and during naptime (middle of the day)
- “Naptime is the new primetime.” – a Babycenter marketing sound bite
- moms combine mobile with traditional media (TV) at the end of the day
Mothers use their mobiles to share, bigtime. This includes photo of their kids, but social networks – often via mobile – have also become a great space for moms to share their opinions about brands and products. If a mom gets a coupon relevant to her stage of motherhood, she’s going to want to share it with her social network. And moms are less interested in products that benefit them personally – it’s mainly about price and convenience for the family.
Fogarty tells eMarketer that “The recognition that moms are using their mobile phone differently than they’re using their desktop or their laptop is really important.” BabyCenter is creating apps that moms will be able to utilize in brief moments when only mobile access is available, whether it’s on the checkout line or waiting to pick up the kids after school.
eMarketer concludes: “Reaching mom at the right time and place requires mobile. If you’re not there, you’re missing her.”
Is your brand reaching out to moms via mobile?
