You think about mobile marketing and images of teens and college kids pop into mind right away.  After all they are the early adopters of almost everything.  But research is showing that the value inherent in our mobile devices draws more than just Millenials.  In fact, a recent study of 5,000 moms by BabyCenter found that 78% of moms love their smartphone and a staggering 51% of moms are “addicted” to them.

Why are they so attached to their mobile devices?  What are they actually doing?  Major findings from the study indicate:

• Motherhood is a trigger for mobile adoption
• Moms are mobile power users
• Mobile forever alters the path to the register
• Mobile addiction changes media consumption
• Moms tap on mobile ads

Hear firsthand how moms interact with their mobile phones and how brands are reaching out to them.  Attend our Seminar on Mobile Moms 101 on June 21st in Chicago

Motherhood is a trigger for mobile adoption
More than half (53%) of the women surveyed said they purchased a smartphone as a direct result of becoming a mom. During this transition to motherhood, the most important features of her phone changed from her address book and text messaging to her camera, up 78% to #1, and video camera, which increased by 167% to #2. Apps, which weren’t even on her top ten list of important mobile features before she became a mom, increased 67% to #3 on the list. More than half (52%) of the moms surveyed have ten or more apps downloaded, with nearly 25% of the apps being for her kids.

Moms are mobile power users
She may never have mastered programming the VCR, but today’s mom knows her way around the smartphone. The majority (68%) know how to use most of the features of their smartphone, and 75% troubleshoot their own phone. The ultimate multitasker, Mom now uses her smartphone to manage more than just the family schedule. One-third(33%) of moms have used their smartphone for health and wellness in the past month, making a mom 50% more likely to do so than average. Their health and wellness activities include tracking their family’s health (60%) as well as researching health conditions (90%). Moms are also 40% more likely than average to use their smartphone for social networking. Her top three social activities include reading social newsfeeds (56%), updating her status (54%), and reading answers to posted questions (48%).

Hear firsthand how moms interact with their mobile phones and how brands are reaching out to them.  Attend our Seminar on Mobile Moms 101 on June 21st in Chicago

Mobile forever alters the path to the register
As the primary purchaser in the family, today’s mom seamlessly weaves mobile into her shopping experience by using tools to research, decide, and buy right in the store. The report found that 68% of moms use their smartphone while shopping – meaning a mom is 15% more likely to do so than average. In fact, nearly half (46%) claim the most convenient time to receive information about a product is when they are in the store. Also, 62% of moms use shopping apps to research or compare prices.

Mobile addiction changes media consumption
Mom’s media consumption has evolved along with her smartphone adoption. On average, she spends 37% of her daily media time with her smartphone, which is double that spent on TV, and more time than with other media, including radio, magazines, and newspapers. With her schedule maxed out, mom is turning to email and text messaging to simplify her life. The inbox has become the new portal, with 78% of moms saying they use email on their smartphone to filter incoming communications on a daily basis. Moms are also 284% more likely than the average adult to text their friends rather than call them.

Moms tap on mobile ads
When it comes to mobile ads, moms love utility, with coupons, nearby local deals, and bar code scanning rounding out the top three most appealing features of mobile ads. Nearly half (46%) of moms have taken action after seeing an ad on their smartphone.

Tina Sharkey, Chairman and Global President of BabyCenter, sums it up.

“The smartphone screen is more intimate than any other medium out there today. The majority of moms sleep with their cell phone next to their bed and more than half check their phone first thing in the morning and last thing before they go to sleep. You can’t say that about any other medium.  Mobile isn’t just a media channel, it’s her constant companion that makes juggling easier. It makes her feel like a better mom.”

Learn more about how moms interact with their mobile phones and how brands are reaching out to them.  Attend our Seminar on Mobile Moms 101 on June 21st in Chicago.  Click here for more details.

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