Parenting can be some of the most stressful parts of adult life. Adimo discusses how the digital revolution can be used to make mum and dad's life that bit easier...
The digital revolution has transformed the art of parenting. Limiting screen time, monitoring social media interactions and deciding when to give in to demands for smartphones, data, tablets, and apps can be tricky. But the internet age has also made life far more convenient for parents who struggle to fit the thousands of tasks they need to accomplish into a single day.
Growing numbers of companies are marketing to the parents of young children on digital channels, and tailoring their products and customer services to this time and sleep deprived demographic.
Let’s take a look at how brands are catering to these brave folks in 2019...
Pitney Bowes’ 2018 Global eCommerce Study found that parents were more likely to regularly shop online than their childless counterparts. They found that 46% of respondents with children went shopping online at least once a week, compared to 23% of childless households. Another recent survey found that parents are far more excited about the potential of new technologies such as AI, Smart Home technologies, drones, and more. If you’re marketing to parents, they’re itching to meet you on the internet!
When we say “millennial” you probably don’t picture a parent, but you should. 40% of the oft-derided generation are parents now, and they have embraced gender equality as a defining value. This means that you can’t assume you’re talking to “Mom.” According to Google, 86% of millennial dads turn to Youtube for guidance on parenting topics ranging from preparing meals and assembling baby gear to relating to kids. If you’re targeting ads to these new parents, make sure that you aren’t making outdated assumptions about gender rules! Dad is just as likely to be shopping for a pram or researching educational toys as mom is.
While new millennial parents are turning to Youtube for guidance, they are open to all sources of information, whether it comes from a brand, a neighbor, or “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.”. 3 in 4 young parents are happy to view branded content when seeking guidance on parenting topics. As one 33-year-old parent told Google, “I would definitely trust brands. When an actual brand is telling you how to use a particular product, especially when dealing with an infant, it tells you whether or not you are doing the procedure correctly.”
We know that Millennials love social media. But new parents are increasingly drawn to social apps and sites for parenting advice. A Crowdtap survey found that 97% of respondents reported that they found social media helpful to their parenting, while 50% said they used social media every day for practical parenting advice, a category that included product recommendations. Partnering with the right media companies and influencers is the right way to show new parents how useful your product can be! If you’re unfamiliar with the world of parenting social media sites, this article from HowStuffWorks lists the 10 most popular platforms on the internet.
We spend a lot of time and energy telling you about the potential of voice shopping, and so it should come as no surprise that it will be crucial to marketing to new parents. Take a moment and picture someone who has an infant. What do you see them doing? Changing a diaper? Burping a baby? Bouncing a child up and down? Breast or bottle feeding? In whatever mental image you conjured up, do you see someone with free hands typing in search queries? Didn’t think so.
As we noted earlier, new parents are excited about smart home devices and AI because they’re constantly multi-tasking. Google has already noted that they are smart speaker “power users.” They’re likely to become power shoppers as well. Google’s data indicates that 72% of parents who own smart speakers said they were likely to buy something with them in the next month, compared to just 51% of non-parents.
Parents love smart speakers because they enable harried moms and dads to shop, entertain their kids, or just look around the internet while accomplishing all of the other tasks necessary for raising children. They can order the diapers they need while changing diapers, or replenish their supply of formula while feeding Junior. As one smart speaker hooked parent told Google, “I’m so used to it that it’s hard to be without it.”
As a brand looking to sell to new parents, ensuring that you have optimized your results in voice searches is a must. If someone says “Alexa, give me tips for teething babies” or “Hey Google, buy baby wipes”, you want to be the first result. Our advice? Learn how to use voice as an acquisition channel now, and reap the rewards in the coming years (shameless plug: our Amazon & Google Voice skills are built explicitly for this purpose).
New parents are adrift in a sea of sleep deprivation, confusion, and anxiety. They need, and will greatly appreciate, survival tips and technical know-how. Don’t just tell them that your product is wonderful, show them how to use it. Let them know how it will save them time and energy. Become a trusted source of parenting knowledge, rather than someone who is trying to sell them something.
Offering information is also a great way to build brand loyalty and awareness. As Entrepreneur magazine has reported, 1 in 5 millennial moms has a blog with a substantial following. If you can get them to share and link to your content, you can connect with consumers and build meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships.
New parents in 2019 are dramatically different from their parents. They’ve grown up with a world of information at their fingertips. They’re comfortable shopping online. And they will expect brands to cater to their needs. They’re going to want detailed product information, personal recommendations, and products that they can conveniently order through voice commands while they spend their days making memories with their children instead of wandering malls and supermarkets. At Adimo, we specialize in getting products to consumers as easily as saying “Hey, Alexa.” If you’re interested in selling to tomorrow’s parents, give us a call today.