• by Patti Minglin , April 11, 2012

A recent Arbitron study confirmed something mom marketers have known for quite awhile: The Internet has become Mom’s ‘most essential’ medium. But, it’s not her only medium. According to the study, Mom “embraces modern technology for its convenience, but she still engages in traditional forms, striking a balance that suits her busy lifestyle.” 

While this is all great news for media in general (except, unfortunately, for newspapers, an industry that continues to struggle to gain a significant amount of Mom’s attention), it can be a challenge for marketers, especially marketers who are working within tight budgets. Content has certainly become king, but how do you create relevant content for moms that can work across multiple media? Look no further than following some of today’s top bloggers for content inspiration and ideas:

Tell a Great Story

Compelling content for moms is usually a combination of information and storytelling. The right mix of insight on how to do something (i.e., cooking great family dinners or running a financially healthy household), along with personal family stories, seems to be the combination that keeps readers (or viewers) coming back for more. This style seems to work well with all media—shortening your tips/stories for channels such as radio and Facebook and offering longer versions in print or online.

Make It Easy to Share & Curate

“We find the most popular family-life blogs are also more curatorial now, serving as collections of images, products and places of interest,” says Jay Krall, business development director for Seek or Shout, an online community that specializes in connecting content creators with marketers. “Tools like Pinterest have made that kind of curation accessible to moms who may have been intimidated or bored by text-centric blogging platforms.” Allow users to easily “pin” items from your site for sharing on their Pinterest boards or make sure your latest TV commercial can be shared with their Facebook friends.

Don’t Generalize

Just as you would never generalize that all moms are the same, you should also know that not all media are the same. Moms consume different media for different reasons, and you should create your content accordingly. This is especially true when working with online blogs. “Marketers need to really understand the topic space a particular blogger operates in before trying to build a relationship, rather than typecasting ‘mom bloggers’ as being interested in similar things,” says Krall. 

A final bit of content advice? Regardless of the platforms you choose to use, listen to your mother. Marketers should treat their content creation much like the way moms teach kids to treat each other. Adds Krall, “Don’t talk down to anyone, don’t typecast or make assumptions, and above all, listen first.”