• by Lolita Carrico , June 8, 2012

For many moms across the country, school is already out, and summer break has begun. The profile of moms and their interests shift during the summer months -– their schedules may change, they’re taking time off for a family vacation and will be planning for the next school year. The summer and fall months offer multiple opportunities for marketers to engage moms. 

Here’s a look at the top five trends for moms during the summer months:

1. She’s Looking for Activities for Her Kids: While many families plan summer camps and activities in the spring, more than 40% of moms say they will be scrambling to find summer activities for their kids at the last minute. Camps and programs can engage her with targeted, special offers delivered via social media sites (i.e., Facebook Ads, Google Ad Words) and local outreach.

2. She’s Planning a Family Vacation: More families will be taking vacations this summer than they did last summer. Last minute deals and incentives on everything from destinations and adventures to car rentals to lodging will grab her attention.

3. She’s Researching New Cars: Summer is car-buying season and mom is the one researching options and making both recommendations and decisions about the new family car. Before hitting the car lots, mom is turning to the the web and social media to make her short list.

4. She’s Planning for Back to School: As the summer break comes to a close in August, mom will be buying supplies, new clothing and gear for the kids. Flash sales and fans-only deals on Back-To-School gear will engage mom and help retailers create loyalty throughout the year..

Social media plays a big role in this summer planning and research – mom is turning to her networks for advice on all of the above. Creative and effective social media marketing strategies are ideal for these types of outreach—they can be executed quickly and modified based on results and feedback.