• by Stephanie Azzarone , Op-Ed Contributor, September 28, 2011

How are moms using Twitter?

Earlier this month, we asked that question of our Social Savvy research panel, comprising moms active in the social media space. We are announcing the results here. The responses, from 317 moms, provide a clear indication of what moms like about Twitter and when and how they prefer to use it. Marketers trying to reach moms via Twitter may want to consider these key findings:

• Moms tweet a lot. The highest percentage -- 36.3% of moms -- report tweeting 10-20 times a day.

• Midday means more conversation. Most moms indicate that the hours from noon to 3 p.m. are the most popular for both tweeting (30.5%) and reading others' tweets (24.8%).

• Information is queen. The No. 1 reason most moms tweet (43.2%) is to share information about products for kids and other moms - a fact that should be of considerable interest to companies and agencies alike. This is followed most closely by moms' wish to interact with other moms (21.8%). The response shifts just slightly when moms are asked why they read other people's tweets: While 63.0% do so to get information about products for themselves and their kids, more -- 67.5% -- read tweets to interact with other moms.

• Moms want to see you tweeting. Asked how they decide whom to follow on Twitter, the vast majority -- 78.2% -- said they follow companies that interest them. Furthermore, 95.7% of moms who follow those companies do so to find out about new products, discounts and coupons.

• Tweets drive sales. The best news for those marketing to moms is that 73.1% of moms indicate that they actually purchased a product as a result of another mom's Twitter recommendation.

Other research questions looked at the types of products purchased following a Twitter recommendation, the popularity of Twitter parties and their impact on purchasing, what moms think of sponsored tweets, and moms' specific Twitter experiences, positive and negative.

The conclusion: Today's moms look to Twitter for information in a major way, and smart companies will use the space to reach this important demographic effectively.