TOYS AND APPAREL TOP MOMS’ LIST OF PURCHASES INFLUENCED BY SOCIAL MEDIA

TOYS AND APPAREL TOP MOMS’ LIST OF PURCHASES
INFLUENCED BY SOCIAL MEDIA

Child’s Play Communications’ survey reveals 92% of moms active in social media buy products as a result of a social media recommendation

Moms love Facebook -- but they TRUST blogs. And 92 percent of moms active in social media are buying products as a result of a social media recommendation.

Those were among the key findings of a new study, "How Moms are Using Social Media RIGHT NOW -- and How You Can Make the Most of It," conducted by Child's Play Communications, specialists in connecting companies with moms. The results were presented for the first time at the eighth annual Marketing to Moms Conference in Chicago, October 23-24th.

Child's Play reached out to the 1200 moms in its Social Savvy research network -- almost all of them regularly active on blogs and social networks -- to explore five key questions:

• What social media platforms do moms currently favor?
• How has that changed?
• Why?
• What social media platforms are impacting purchasing decisions?
• What products are moms buying as a result of social media recommendations?

Among the study’s findings:

• Facebook, Twitter and blogs were the three most popular social media platforms among moms surveyed
• Pinterest was the platform that most moms (63 percent) tried for the first time this year
• Instagram topped the list of technologies moms (28 percent) were likely to try next
• Polyvore and Olioboard were among the new services these early adopters were exploring
• Moms are spending more time on Facebook than in the past (64 percent of moms) and less time on Twitter (33 percent)
• Of all social media platforms, blogs impacted moms' purchasing decisions more than any other (80 percent)
• Toys were the No. 1 kids' product purchased by moms as a result of social media recommendations
   

“The study results underscore how moms’ immersion in social media has dramatically changed their purchasing behavior,” said Stephanie Azzarone, president, Child’s Play Communications. “Alongside recommendations from family and friends, it is the most valuable tool for companies that want to market to mothers.”

Child’s Play Communications
Child's Play Communications specializes exclusively in public relations, social media and word-of-mouth communications for products and services targeted to moms. Based in New York City, the agency has launched an exciting array of proprietary services to engage this influential market through traditional media, online and in-person, including the award-winning Team Mom™, the agency's own network of mom review-bloggers. Recent company awards have included the 2012 Communicator Awards: Marketing Effectiveness Distinction, 2011 Magellan Awards: Platinum Award for Excellence and Top 50 Communications Campaigns of 2011, 2012 Clarion Awards: PR One-time Campaign and Special Promotion, and the Mercury Excellence Awards 2011/2012. For additional information, please visit our Web site, our blog, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter or Pinterest.

My thoughts:  As a mom blogger it is true, Facebook, Twitter and reading other blogs are in fact the three top social media outlets that I use daily.  What about you?

I truly did try Pinterest was  tried for the first time this year and I am a Pin-A-Holic! I do use Facebook more, but my Twitter usage has stay the same!  Of all social media platforms, blogs impacted moms' purchasing decisions more than any other (80 percent) - Yup can attest to that myself.   I can see the sales even when I recommend something.  Moms trust Moms! 

Toys were the No. 1 kids' product purchased by moms as a result of social media recommendations - I agree, moms want to know the truth and as mom bloggers we want to share out results and findings about toys, let alone deals!  I commend Stephanie Azzarone, president, Child’s Play Communications  she was spot on in this article!