10 Tech-Savvy Stats About Moms

Today’s moms are far from old-fashioned. From online pregnancy forums to the best apps for finding the right college, moms are at the forefront of technology communication – and marketers should take note. If it’s true that children model their parents’ behaviors, then this next generation is sure to be the most connected yet.

Moms control a lot of the household spending and represent a demographic that marketers are constantly clamoring to tap. Whether stay-at-home moms or ones that work full-time outside the home, these women are doing a lot more than watching children’s programming on TV. They are media consumers in their own right, and a lot of that consumption happens in mobile environments. The businesses and brands that implement the technology moms use every day are the ones that will be the most successful with this demographic.

BabyCenter recently released the findings of its 2015 State of Modern Motherhood Report, co-sponsored by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Here are some of the tech-friendly stats on moms:

• 1 in 4 U.S. moms do at least half of their shopping online. In Canada, that number jumps to 74 percent.
• 8 in 10 millennial moms use their smartphones while shopping in stores. Most often they are searching for mobile coupons, followed by searching for better prices.
• Moms in the U.S. lead all other countries when it comes to using their smartphones in stores. China is not far behind at 79 percent.
• Millennial moms are more likely to own a smartphone than a personal computer.
• Fifty-three percent of moms in the millennial age bracket own both a smartphone and a tablet – and that number rose 33 percent from 2014’s report.
• Moms use the internet to get answers about parenting. Forty-nine percent visit expert websites on a weekly basis for advice – the same number who seek out that advice from friends or family in real life.
• Moms spend 2.3 hours each day online on their smartphones, tied with 2.3 hours watching television. They spend another 1.7 hours online on a computer or laptop.
• 1 in 3 moms say they watch cable TV less now that they are a parent, but spend more time online either on a computer, smartphone or tablet.
• After getting pregnant, moms report using Twitter and Tumblr less, but going on YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram more.
• Seventy-three percent of moms use parenting sites and forums to seek out brand recommendations.

This is just a snapshot of the full findings of the report, and they reflect the results of other mom-based studies too. In a nutshell, moms are more plugged in than ever and often that technology is directly related to their parenting. They are also interested in technology that helps them achieve higher health and wellness for themselves and their families.

The takeaway then for small businesses is to reach this demographic right where they are – on their computers, smartphones and tablets. Even if a business does not have a large-scale budget for mobile app marketing, it is important to be present on sites like Facebook and Pinterest so that these moms can find what they need from you on the go. Being there when any target customer needs you will turn that customer into a loyal one and boost your small business bottom line.