Marketing to the mobile mom

This is according to a 2011 report by Nielsen entitled Women of Tomorrow.

The report set out to highlight the growing influence women have on purchasing decisions around the world and also provide insight into their social media behaviour. The study was based on a survey of women in 21 countries around the world encompassing both developed and emerging economies, including South Africa.

"Women control the majority of purchasing decisions in a household and their influence is growing. Women across the world are expanding beyond traditional roles to influence decisions in the home, in business and in politics. Marketers have a massive opportunity to better connect women with the products they buy and the media technologies they use to make a positive impact both in their lives and in the bottom line," Nielsen explains.

Social moms more likely to post a status update

According to the report, 50% of all mothers actively participate in social media platforms via mobile devices, in comparison to 39% of women overall, and 37% of the population in general. Social moms are also more likely to post a status update; buy cosmetics and skincare; comment or post content; fan or follow a brand; and download coupons. See the table below for more detail, where 100 on the X-axis refers to exactly average and any variation refers to a larger or smaller likelihood to participate in a certain activity.

According to Nielsen, social moms are typically cost conscious when it comes to shopping and are 56% more likely to download coupons. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) - more usually referred to as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in South Africa - are the most popular products bought online, specifically cosmetics (86% more likely to purchase), skincare products (85%), hair care goods (74%) and fragrances (68%).

Social moms more likely to follow a brand

As mentioned, social moms are more likely to be active social media participants. They are 81% more likely to become a fan of, or follow, a brand; 86% more likely to post a status update; and 84% more likely to comment or post content themselves. Crucially for marketers, social moms are also more likely than the general population to share advice and reviews about products with their online social networks. They are 85% more likely to share frequent advice about beauty and cosmetic products, 28% more likely to provide frequent advice about online shopping and e-commerce and 6% more likely to post a product review.

The report concludes that marketers have a massive opportunity to better connect women with the products they buy and the media technologies they use to make a positive impact both in their lives and in the bottom line. Moreover, for most women, and especially the social mom, this means via a mobile device.

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