• by Holly Pavlika , Columnist, December 23, 2011

Women and, more specifically, moms have been quite the marketing focus in 2011 and that trend will continue in 2012. Their influence over an estimated $2.4 trillion in household spending will continue to make them the focus of brands for some time to come.  What will be the key to success with moms? Here are five important considerations.

1. More mom video content on the web

Moms love to view other moms in action. They trust what another mom has to say more so than celebrities. And they consume a lot of video on a weekly basis. So it’s only natural that video content will continue to rise. YouTube is commissioning new channels and Deca has launched “Kin” a mom/women’s channel. And, don’t forget “The Mom’s View” from Maker Studios. Moms are also finding that their personal channels on YouTube can turn them into web celebs, lead to book deals and make them money with the right content. Brands need to jump on the video bandwagon if they want to stay engaged with mom.

2. Mobile will continue to influence mom’s path to purchase

Moms armed with smartphones are putting them to good use. Brands that don’t yet have a mobile strategy are way behind the curve. Moms see mobile as their command center and remote control for managing life. According to BabyCenter, 53% of moms purchased a smartphone because they had become a mom. And, it’s influencing her path to purchase. With smartphone and apps in hand, she can comparison shop, check out potential purchases with friends, download coupons, manage the budget and more. Her phone is connecting her to all the information and references she needs to make a purchase decision.

3. Moms will continue to gravitate to brands that provide great experiences

Sure a great product wows mom, but she’s also looking for a great experience. It’s the biggest motivator to get a mom talking to other moms and she’ll do so across digital channels. Our Hersuasion study with SheSpeaks showed experience was a more important loyalty-building tool than viral content or coupons. What’s her idea of a great experience? One that saves her time, saves her money, provides all the pertinent information, great service, and multi-channel access from a customer service perspective.

4. Brands will need to embrace her inconsistent use of media.

Brands will need to look at their traditional silo structures and form a more integrated approach for marketing to moms. She may not be an early adopter, but she is taking the digital landscape by storm while still consuming traditional media like email, TV and magazines. She’s tricky, because she uses whatever tech tool and media it takes to help her get the job done at that particular moment. And the content, wherever it resides, needs to be compelling because she’s multi-tasking with her computer on her lap, her smartphone by her side and the TV in the background. And more than half the time, she’s accessing her social networks over her mobile. And she might be watching TV on the internet versus the old boob tube.

5. Customer service will continue to earn yeas or nays

Moms are speaking out via a brand’s social presence on Twitter and Facebook, as well as other platforms where she can voice her opinion. Brands can’t afford to ignore mom. She wants companies to respond to her and use the feedback she is sharing. She wants to know the CEO is listening and hear from him/her.

And customer service is so much bigger today than responding to complaints. For mom, service is about everything from correct product information to the brand’s ethical and social responsibility (sustainability, eco-friendliness, cause support.) Customer service is about being relevant and providing the right content for age and stage. Brands looking to connect and stay connected with mom will need to have cross platform content strategies in place.