• by Stephanie Azzarone , Op-Ed Contributor, March 20, 2013

Moms are connected these days, and there’s no question that cell phones – and smartphones, in particular – have changed modern motherhood. Moms can now rely on their smartphones to share photos of their kids, check their e-mail, coordinate play dates, and research and even make purchases.

We recently surveyed 215 moms (92.1% with children between the ages of 0 and 13) to delve into their attitudes and experiences with cell phones. The majority (97.7%) said they had a cell phone and 88.6% of those with a cell phone said their phone was a smartphone, which is especially striking considering that about 50% of Americans now own a smartphone. 

Interestingly, the majority (56.3%) said they also had a landline so, clearly, cell phones haven’t entirely replaced home phones.

Of smartphone owners, the majority said they have an iPhone (49.5%), while 41.7% have a phone which uses the Android platform and 1.6% said they have a BlackBerry.

Although it seems like everywhere you look people are texting, the majority of moms surveyed (31.9%) said they predominantly use their cell phones to make phone calls. Accessing social media via smartphones (27.1%) was the next-most popular primary use for cell phones, followed by texting (21%), sending e-mails (10%), searching the web (3.3%), and using games and apps (2.4%).

The majority said that they plan to either update their phone or will possibly update their phone in the following year (58.6%).

Even though cell phones can be distracting, the vast majority (89.5%) said that the cell phone “makes your life easier,” while only 4.8% said that it “takes up too much of your time.” One mom said the cell phone “is both a blessing and a curse,” while another mom said “it has become an addiction.”

Reliance on cell phones isn’t necessarily a sign that moms are no longer using their computers. If they had to choose between their cell phone and their computer, 61.9% of respondents said they would keep their computer.

Marketers have a great opportunity to reach moms via their mobile devices, as our study shows.

Just more than 75% of respondents research products on their cell phones, 70% use their cell phones to find deals, and 47.6% use their phones to make purchases. One mom said she uses her phone to “find locations near me that have products in stock.”

Clearly, moms are increasingly using their phones to make decisions regarding purchases. Retailers who don’t develop and maintain apps will soon find that they are at a disadvantage when it comes to reaching the mom market.

Like all of us these days, moms are increasingly reliant on their cell phones. In fact, 61.4% of respondents said they “couldn’t live without it.”

Like it or leave it, cell phones, and smartphones in particular, are here to stay. Smart marketers know that to reach moms they need to go mobile.