Social Media Moms – Aren't They All About Trust?
Think about your mom. Think about your friends who are moms. What is one of the first words that comes to your mind?
No, not guilt, that is a whole different post. The word that I am thinking of is trust. Women trust the advice of a mother; it seems to come with the territory. From the moment we start to care for another human being we tend to see the world a little differently. Women inherently share and the hormonal shift that sweeps us into motherhood makes us want to create communities of people that we trust.
Enter social media. It was a no-brainer that this would become a natural forum for building communities of trust amongst young mothers. At last there was a place where women could find like-minded peers to share every little detail of child-rearing, work-life balance, fashion, personal finance, commitment to greening the earth, education... see where this is going? Communities were formed surrounding the universal experience of mothering. Sub-communities and overlapping interconnected communities flourished.
In a recent study by Our 365 (The Social Media Behavior of Young Moms study, November 2010), 1,200 moms were polled and it was discovered that 90 percent of them used some form of social media over a 30-day period; six out of 10 moms used social media to make a purchase.
Enter the social media mom/brand relationship. What better way to get your brands into the hands of the people who purchase them than to align yourself with the very women who are connecting in this unique way?
The value of mom is no longer disputed by marketers. It has become clear that those who drive the buying decisions influence each other on a regular basis through blogging and other social media platforms. But the way in which these women are engaged is constantly evolving.
Throwing product at a pre-determined number of high traffic mom bloggers might get a flurry of review posts, but this will surely not build the long-standing relationship a brand needs to sustain loyalty. This tactic seems almost old-school at this point. Continuous engagement is the key. Our old friend trust resurfaces yet again, this time between brand and blogger.
If the premise is that trust is the currency of social media moms, wouldn't it make more sense that the brands which foster more intimate relationships are the ones that reap greater benefits?
What are your thoughts?
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