Commentary

So Many Blogs, So Little Time

As the mom demographic, beloved by marketers everywhere, increasingly moves online, brands inevitably move, too, bringing their marketing dollars with them. This is, of course, a good thing for those of us who work in the social media and online marketing spaces.

What is becoming more apparent, though, is that, well, we are all somewhat at the mercy of the speeded-up version of progression known as "web time." This is not a new concept, but in the last decade or so, it seems marketers play catch-up with increasing frequency, planning for MySpace as the market moves to Facebook and testing Twitter, as Foursquare emerges ... then circling back around again as each online player meets and then laps the competition.

Okay, not always; some players retreat to their tiny niches or disappear altogether, but what continues to amaze me is the sheer proliferation of ways to approach the mom consumer. It's mind-boggling and ever-changing. Unlike traditional advertising and promotions, which offer myriad ways to reach the consumer, the online space is on hyper-drive. Low barriers to entry and tech-savvy citizens across the globe offer up new marketing tactics on a daily (perhaps hourly) basis.

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And that target Alpha Mom gets savvier and savvier, one day focusing her energy on original content, the next on product reviews. She's setting up a Facebook page, becoming a regular player on game sites, recording podcasts and setting up her own YouTube channel. And, in the meantime, new social media moms pour into the blogsphere and social media space.

It's enough to make your head spin! But, who has time for that? Keeping our eye on the pulse of the market can make the difference between a successful program and one that's as exciting as last decade's teen idol. The challenge is to often work within the major brands' planning cycles.

Admittedly, brands are getting smarter and much more flexible. That flexibility is becoming key to engaging the mom consumer. As the social media moms' habits move to warp speed, though, even that flexibility is being challenged and there is no end in sight. No major shakeout seems to be happening in the social media space. No solid direction seems to be taking place.

The only shakeout seems to be in those that cling to the past ... even if the past was just last year. Engaging moms has become a job for the flexible, the forward-thinking, the curious, those willing to spot new opportunities to connect and those who do so.

4 comments about "So Many Blogs, So Little Time ".
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  1. Eric Cohen from Macaroni Kid, October 20, 2010 at 11:23 a.m.

    As the mom blogosphere continues to expand, one bit of feedback I've received from marketers is that they are losing control of their message. Many bloggers now want to be paid for their efforts, understandably, but if marketers are paying they want more control. This is the current battle I see playing out in the space. Interesting times.
    Eric Cohen
    CMO
    www.macaronikid.com

  2. Maryanne Conlin from RedRopes Digital/4GreenPs, October 20, 2010 at 5:19 p.m.

    Very true, Eric,
    Bloggers have never really been non paid media, though they acted like that for some time. As bloggers realize their worth, they have started requesting payment. But, the legacy of the “nonpaid” days linger, as bloggers still often believe that they control the message. It will take another step in the process, of bloggers and marketers begin to share expectations.

    BTW- at on e of the 2010 Blogher sessions I stood up and said, that if bloggers were not interested in following marketers guidelines, marketers would find another blogger. I was booed down…but I do believe that is something bloggers need to consider. They offer a service, for which they should be compensated, but the marketer making the payment also has expectations which need to be met. Like any service, the one bloggers’ offer, needs to be one that people ( marketers in this case) need.

  3. Yossi Barazani from Publishedin.com, October 20, 2010 at 10:08 p.m.

    So Many Blogs, So Little Time. So True. I hope my startup www.Publishedin.com will help both businesses (brands, marketers) and online publishers (bloggers) connect and benefit each other.

    Our secret: We automatically transform links from online publishers to businesses into relations, and allows businesses to reward publishers through Publishedin Reward-Per-Click™ program.

    Publishedin patent-pending technology makes it simple for businesses to increase quality traffic from online publishers, and publishers to earn cash rewards from their online content.

    How does it work?

    Publishers continue write and link to products and services as they normally do. When visitors click a link, Publishedin reports a referral to businesses. Businesses reward publishers through Publishedin Reward-Per-Click program.

    Businesses get connected automatically to all publishers who have link to them. Businesses can start Reward-Per-Click program, promote their business, increase quality traffic and acquire new customers.

    Online publishers, Bloggers and Site owners should consider Publishedin if they:

    * Manage a site with general or niche content.
    * Have links to products, services or businesses.
    * Want to connect with businesses and earn cash rewards.

    Businesses, Companies and Marketers should consider Publishedin if they:

    * Want to drive quality traffic to their website.
    * Want to connect with publishers and promote their business.
    * Want to build their network and reach more customers.

    We invite businesses and online publishers to sign up for Publishedin's private BETA at www.publishedin.com

    What do you think about it?

  4. Ellen Lebowitz from Ellen Lebowitz Press, November 3, 2010 at 6:44 p.m.

    Yup, there are countless mom blogs. However, there are mom websites/blogs I find really interesting - theonlinemom and rolemommy. I don't have anything to do with theonlinemom other than posting comments. The site is tech related which I find interesting.

    Rolemommy is great..the name says it all.

    I find some mom blogs slightly condescending to women because moms do more than talk about their kids and what to buy for them, their issues and so forth.

    Thanks, Ellen Lebowitz ellenlebowitzpress@gmail.com

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