Commentary
5 Mistakes To Avoid When Working With Millennial Mom Influencers
- by Maria Bailey , Columnist, January 15, 2016
2016 marketing plans are in full swing and savvy marketers are using millennial mom influencers as an integral part of these plans. But are they using the right moms who are the best fit for the brand and specific programs? Here are five common mistakes, along with ways to avoid them and make the most of mom influencer marketing programs.
1. Marketers select influencers from the same, single database. Go beyond the same database and look for fresh influencers. This usually requires marketers to search online playgrounds where millennials socialize, like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and to listen to online conversations among existing customers. The bottom line is that marketers need to find moms across various platforms and channels to ensure that when they enlist the help of these influencers, the sharing of brand messages is distributed through many channels.
2. Marketers use the same influencers over and over again regardless of the brand or product. Overusing an influencer is like plastering banner ads across websites. Followers and peers start to ignore their endorsements. I encourage marketers to become social listeners (if they haven’t already) to identify influencers who are currently tweeting, posting and participating in dialogues about their brands and products. Remember to look outside the usual spaces for conversations (for example, Mason jars for jam preservatives are now wildly popular for crafts and décor).
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3. Finding influencers through random search. Never Google "mom influencers" when assembling a list of influencers. The same 30 or so moms will pop up in the results. The same goes for searching for the latest list of "100 Top (insert a category) Mom Bloggers." These lists are often created to generate traffic to the sponsor's site and have very loose criteria about the selection process. Sometimes these lists are even self generated by moms who rally for votes to win a spot on the list. If you are using these same popular influencers, so are many other brands. There’s nothing that yells “unauthentic” more than a saturated influencer.
4. Measuring influence by looking only at online analytics. Online analytics are only a partial picture of an influencer’s true reach. Yes, metrics are important, but moms are involved in an average of three offline groups. From book clubs to Girl Scout troop leader, these offline groups are important to consider as sources for valuable word-of-mouth marketing. A quick look at the bio on social media or “About” section on a blog should show the offline reach of mom influencers.
5. Bigger isn’t always better. Larger numbers look great, but a more valuable relationship may start small. Some of the best millennial influencers are in the “up and comer” category. They are more eager to please brands and their enthusiasm is higher, which means they can also be easier to work with on a program.
Finding the best millennial moms who are the right fit takes social listening and a little bit of digging, but the payoff is well worth the time and effort. Do you agree? Leave a comment or tweet me @momtalkradio to continue the conversation.
Also -- very very important -- stay within the FTC's guidelines for disclosure of any payments (in any form) made to maternal bloggers. Disclosure is key. The FTC will usually not go after the blogger in question, but may go after the agency if disclosure is inadequate. Check it out -- not easy reading but required if you're doing this kind of work: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
Pinterest is one of the most effective places to find Mommy Bloggers and social influencers. Your article pointed out some very good pieces of advice, but did not really offer alt solutions.
Hi Steve, thanks for your comment and the link. You are absolutely correct that bloggers (we like to call them influencers) must disclose their work, including monetary and product compensation. It is incumbent on agencies to communicate the necessity for disclosure, as the FTC would look to the bigger fish in the chain! I appreciate the share.
Hi Judy, you are correct that Pinterest is a huge playground for moms and an excellent resource for social listening. It's the source for the Mason jar example in Tip #2. I offer solutions to avoid these common mistakes within the content above; search online playgrounds for influencers, become a social listener to identify moms talking about your product or brand, look at a bio/About section to identify offline influencers and finally, give influencers with smaller numbers a chance. They're often more interested in an authentic relationship that will prove more valuable in the long term. I hope this helps clarify your comment. Thanks for your feedback.