Becoming a mom is a key driver to this online research: The study shows that 73% of women change their purchase criteria and reliance on social media after joining motherhood. “Women have deep sharing habits,” said Tina Sharkey of BabyCenter, who also spoke at the 21st Century Moms session, citing heavy reference to product reviews, articles,  conversations and discussion boards. In fact, moms on average will consult 13.3 sources before actually buying, according to the ZMOT research. Whereas in the past, moms would make purchase decisions within what some marketers call “two moments of truth”–the first”moment” at the store shelf, and the second at home during product trial–today, the path to  purchase is no longer direct, but more like a giant zigzag, which poses new challenges to marketers.

As an example of how the ZMOT applies to a “real” mom, I will share the experience of a member of the Child’s Play Team Mom network. After her husband lost his job, this mom became obsessed with finding the best deals on line via coupon and deal sites. Instead of routinely heading to the nearest mall to buy back-to-school clothes and supplies for her kids, she first made a shopping list, and then went online to scope out the latest styles and best prices. After reading other moms’ reviews of the brands and items she was considering, her choices shifted somewhat. Additional recommendations from moms in her weekly playgroup also had an influence. As she became ready to buy, she printed out store coupons. Then, on the day she was planning a store trip, she discovered special online discounts for a few of the items. I will bet that many of your customers pre-shop in a similar fashion.

Later this week, I’ll talk about how companies can make the most of this Zero Moment of Truth when marketing to moms.

How are moms using Twitter?

Earlier this month, Child’s Play Communications 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-3 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.

Moms, do you agree with the results of the survey? Marketers, what has been your experience reaching moms through Twitter?

A survey by Greystripe, a mobile ad firm, showed that:

• The most frequent smartphone use when shopping was to locate the nearest store (about 45%)
• The next most common usage: to compare prices
• Only 15% said they actually used their smartphones to make purchases

Given Greystroke’s business, of course, the limited number of respondents and how they were recruited (239, via banner ads), the results have to be taken with a large grain of salt. A SheSpeaks online survey found that only 10% of women have downloaded shopping-related applications to their mobile devices; 62% were not even interested in doing so.

Moms: Do you use your smartphone for shopping? How often and in what way?

Marketers: How are you using smartphones, if at all, to entice moms to shop for your brand?

Now, it seems, we need help — in the form of a maternity concierge.

A new Bravo show, Pregnant in Heels, follows one such professional as she helps busy New York City moms plan for the coming of their first child.

The extreme personality of all reality show “stars” aside, is it really possible that some of these women can be so in the dark about what is involved in caring for a child — surprise, you do have to feed and clean up after them! — and need to hire a very expensive consultant to lead them?

Or is this the natural course of things, as we now live far from our families and spend so much of our time focused on work?

What do you think: Are baby planners the way of the future? Have you ever used one?  And what does our “need” for them say about our society?

This has been our experience with Child’s Play Party!, our program for providing moms around the country with a chance to try out products for no charge. We work with moms to host these “brand immersion” events in their own homes, and to invite other mom guests. We then send plenty of samples for each participant, information about the products, party theme ideas–even suggestions for decorations and snacks–plus a recommended schedule for party activities. When possible, we like to include coupons and a gift for guests to take home. Most of the moms we work with are active in social media — the majority are bloggers — which means that if they enjoy the party (and we do take pains to assure that it’s enjoyable!) they will likely comment on it in social media.

The idea is to spark grassroots buzz, and we’ve seen plenty! Our fall 2010 program for Fuzzoodles, called the Fuzzoodles Fiesta, was a blast, with moms sharing their excitement on their blogs, Facebook and twitter. Starting in two weeks,  moms will host events to launch the new Gogo’s toys.

If you’re a mom who would like to be considered for future parties, feel free to go here for more information and an application. And if you’re a brand that wants to provide moms with a hands-on experience with your product to spark both buzz and purchase, please contact Julie Livingston at (212) 488-2060 x 12 or jl@childsplaypr.com.

• More than half said they bought a smartphone “as a direct result of becoming a mom.”
• After becoming a mom, the most important smartphone features became, in order, the camera, the video, then apps. Fifty two percent of moms said they had 10 or more apps on their phone and one-quarter of them were for their kids.
• Moms are 40% more likely than avergae to use their smartphones for social networking.
• 68% of moms use their smartphones to shop and 62% report that they use shopping apps to compare prices and do research.
• The majorty of moms sleep with their smartphones next to their beds and more than half check their phones first thing in the morning.

Moms, are you devoted to your smartphone? What do you use it for and what kinds of apps would you like to see? Marketers, what apps do you offer for moms and how else do you use smartphones to reach them?

“It’s tough for many parents to connect with their teenagers, who sometimes view the other as an alien life form.  Maybe bonding over video games, at least for teen girls, is the way to go,” wrote Rachel Silverman in The Wall Street Journal’s popular blog, “The Juggle.”  It’s the face-to-face interaction – the quality time spent on an activity that adolescents enjoy – that makes the experience so impactful, she said.

The study, which focused on children ages 11 to 16, found that the games needed to be age-appropriate to make an impact.  When games were too mature, the research showed that parents and daughters bonded less.  The reason: intense games interfered with conversation and interaction.

While the results sound logical enough, some parents may find comfort in having a scientific study back up their pricey e-game purchase.  (The study found that boys, surprisingly, did not show a measurable benefit when playing video games with parents.)    

Moms: do you play video games with your tweens and teens?  Will this study influence your decision to purchase certain types of video games?

Marketers: Do you make any games that would be perfect for moms and their daughters to play together?

Liz, however, commented that the trend was really the opposite — that bloggers were less likely to want to go to events today because there were so many of them — perhaps too many of them.  I think  the distinction in our points of view may have been between blogger conferences and company-sponsored events –  is that right, Liz? — but in either case, it raises some interesting questions: Who is going to live events,  who has stopped going, and in both cases,  why?

As Child’s Play Communications prepares to host our fifth major blogger event, in Chicago on Nov. 20th, we’d especially like to know: How do you choose which events to attend these days?  

By the way, if you’re interested in joining Liz, other leading mom bloggers, and myself for the audioconference I mentioned above, please click here for additional information.

First, a thank you to all the nominees and finalists for the Bloganthropy Awards. The Awards are designed to recognize bloggers who use social media to make a difference in the world by supporting a worthy cause. Some perceive women’s blogs as all about diets and diapers, or in the case of moms, all about getting free products for review. At Dinner’s On Us on August 5, I think we helped show that there is a whole community of women, including moms, who are actively using social media to benefit others. At Child’s Play, we were amazed at what many of these women have accomplished and were thrilled to have the opportunity to recognize and support their efforts, via visibility at Dinner’s On Us and through a monetary award, provided by P&G’s Give Health. Congratulations to all the nominees, to the finalists, and especially to the winner, Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress, for all your good work.

Next, a thank you to our sponsors — we could not have done it without you! In alphabetical order:

• Baby Boom, which chose Dinner’s On Us for the national debut of its Baby Brezza One-Step Baby Food Maker and Clic-It Smart Diaper Bag System
• The California Strawberry Commission, which sampled mouthwatering chocolate-covered strawberries to guests
• Cold Stone Creamery, which offered everyone a taste of its latest flavor, the very popular Kate’s Creation
• Cusinart, which demonstrated fabulous blenders, teakettles, coffeemakers and juice extractors
• Giddy Up, which debuted its Fuzzoodles toy line to social media at Dinner’s On Us and demonstrated its latest Scientific Explorer products
• Hershey’s, which in partnership with Kraft treated guests to everyone’s campfire favorite, classic s’mores
• K’NEX, which displayed a broad assortment of its hit construction toys, including its famous Ferris wheels
• Nickelodeon, which highlighted the wonderful Dora the Explorer collection of toys and DVDs 
• Summit Toy, which showed its Backyard Safari Outfitters toys and chose Dinner’s On Us to launch its Zillionz kids’ money management line 
• Toyota,  which provided bloggers with product information and a very useful vehicle emergency kit
•  e.l.f., which offered moms makeovers and cosmetic gift bags

These sponsors also contributed to an end-of-evening raffle, with prizes ranging in value from $40 to more than $500. Thank you all!

Also, thanks to celebrated violinist David Garrett, for his performance and for providing autographed CDs for guests.

Last, but certainly not least, a huge thank you to all our guests. As I said in my presentation, we know that there were many other BlogHer-related events going on that evening. We want you to know how much we appreciate your spending time at ours. We are truly grateful. It was, as always, wonderful to see those of you with whom we’ve worked over time, and great to meet the rest of you. I sincerely hope that you had a wonderful evening with us and that we will see you again next year!

Most importantly, at Dinner’s On Us we are presenting the first annual Bloganthropy Awards, to recognize those who have used social media to help a worthy cause. The event will also feature drinks on the rooftop at a location convenient to BlogHer as well as a lovely meal.

SPACE IS LIMITED. If you have received an invitation and have not yet RSVPd, please do so now. If you have not received an invitation and would like to be on our waiting list, please send your name, the name of your blog and your contact information to childsplay@childsplaypr.com.

Dinner’s On Us will be a very special event, and we look forward to seeing you there!