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In the US, there are 43.5 million moms, and I am proud to share that I joined that population a year ago. Considering that 97% of moms use or own a smartphone, mobile has become the destination for moms on-the-go, and with moms controlling 85% of household purchases, capturing the attention of these moms is at the top of every marketers’ priority list.
Where digital advertisers fall flat, however, is understanding the moms behind the screen. Taking an informed approach helps advertisers better reach and build relationships with mothers. But many advertisers have come to rely on second-party or third-party data. This doesn’t guarantee that the insights gathered are consented and accurate, often resulting in advertisers serving irrelevant content. This content can become irrelevant as the data is less timely, reaching mom after she’s already moved on to another parenting stage.
All consumers — not just moms — are fatigued by the constant exposure to irrelevant ads. Seventy-one percent of consumers are concerned about how marketers collect and use their personal data. This is a problem that’s plaguing the industry. But it doesn’t mean digital advertisers have no way around it. As we’re in the midst of major retail holidays including back-to-school season and Amazon’s Prime Day, now is the time for marketers to get on moms’ radars.
So what do mothers look like today? According to the Pew Research Center, women are more likely to become mothers now than 10 years ago. A number of these women are also having children later in life, with the median age at which women become moms having increased from 23 in 1994 to 26 in 2016. In addition to these findings, the research also revealed that 24% of all US mothers are single moms — that’s 9 million moms.
Today’s generation of moms isn’t the same as it used to be. Below are two key takeaways digital advertisers should keep in mind when trying to connect with the “mom” consumer.
Identify where mom is on her parenting journey
With a larger number of moms in the population, it changes the way marketers communicate with mothers. Marketers can’t risk disrupting the mobile user experience for new moms by serving up content that’s better suited for experienced moms, and vice versa. By understanding the nuances between these similar, yet very different audience groups, marketers will be in a better position to attract these moms to their brand.
Ogury collects valid consent to use data. Looking at Ogury’s unique, reliable user data, digital advertisers can identify the nuances between new moms and experienced moms, based on their mobile user journeys. Above you can see the apps and sites that users who engaged with baby formula content also visit, indicating they have a newborn and are likely ‘new moms.’ This includes medical sites such as Healthline and WebMD, photo sharing apps including Photo editor pro, and pregnancy and baby-related apps and sites including Pampers Club and Baby Center.
Below, looking at Ogury Active Insights, you can see where else users who engage with the family productivity app, Cozi Family Organizer also spend their time. This includes entertainment content apps like Ellentube and Cinemaniac, and other organizational apps including Grocery Shopping List – Listonic.
So what can digital advertisers do with this information?
Advertisers should tailor their messaging to moms based on where they are in their parenting journey. Brands and retailers like Walmart and Target can personalize their messaging to new moms with more parenting-101 type content. For moms with older children, these brands and retailers can leverage their historical data and mobile user journey data to bridge a connection and reach them with relevant content.
Reach moms with relevant recommendations
Using mobile journey data to distinguish new moms and experienced moms is one example of how data can inform your strategies. The amount of working mothers has increased by almost 50% over the past 40 years. The mobile journey of a working mom and stay-at-home mom looks very different. Using valid consent and the right kind of data can ensure you meet the needs of each mom.
For digital advertisers to truly connect with today’s on-the-go moms, they must ensure the content they serve is actionable, quick and useful for mothers. An easy to transact mobile user experience, such as quick-click coupons, will be valuable to this group of moms. Taking into account the mom’s age, work life, interests and mobile behavior, marketers can better personalize their incentivized recommendations.
Moms play an important role in everything–from our personal lives to our workforce. Advertisers must rely on valid consent and a choice-first approach to ensure accuracy and compliance when reaching out to them through mobile. In order to provide real value to mothers today, marketers must understand the new trials of motherhood and provide the solutions they can use.
At Ogury, we only use fully consented and device-level data. It enables us to obtain easy-to-understand and accurate insights that marketers can incorporate into their strategies. Want to learn more about the changing parenting journey and how you can reach the right mom with the right message? Reach out to me at jen.patnode@ogury.co
Managing Director, Jen Patnode
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