Toys and Apparel Top Moms' List of Purchases Influenced by Social Media

NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Moms love Facebook -- but they TRUST blogs. And 92 percent of moms active in social media are buying products as a result of a social media recommendation.

Those were among the key findings of a new study, "How Moms are Using Social Media RIGHT NOW -- and How You Can Make the Most of It," conducted by Child's Play Communications, specialists in connecting companies with moms. The results were presented for the first time at the eighth annual Marketing to Moms Conference in Chicago, October 23-24th.

Child's Play reached out to the 1200 moms in its Social Savvy research network -- almost all of them regularly active on blogs and social networks -- to explore five key questions:

• What social media platforms do moms currently favor?
• How has that changed?
• Why?
• What social media platforms are impacting purchasing decisions?
• What products are moms buying as a result of social media recommendations?

Among the study's findings:

• Facebook, Twitter and blogs were the three most popular social media platforms among moms surveyed
• Pinterest was the platform that most moms (63 percent) tried for the first time this year
• Instagram topped the list of technologies moms (28 percent) were likely to try next
• Polyvore and Olioboard were among the new services these early adopters were exploring
• Moms are spending more time on Facebook than in the past (64 percent of moms) and less time on Twitter (33 percent)
• Of all social media platforms, blogs impacted moms' purchasing decisions more than any other (80 percent)
• Toys were the No. 1 kids' product purchased by moms as a result of social media recommendations

"The study results underscore how moms' immersion in social media has dramatically changed their purchasing behavior," said Stephanie Azzarone, president, Child's Play Communications. "Alongside recommendations from family and friends, it is the most valuable tool for companies that want to market to mothers."

Child's Play Communications

Child's Play Communications specializes exclusively in public relations, social media and word-of-mouth communications for products and services targeted to moms. Based in New York City, the agency has launched an exciting array of proprietary services to engage this influential market through traditional media, online and in-person, including the award-winning Team Mom™, the agency's own network of mom review-bloggers. Recent company awards have included the 2012 Communicator Awards: Marketing Effectiveness Distinction, 2011 Magellan Awards: Platinum Award for Excellence and Top 50 Communications Campaigns of 2011, 2012 Clarion Awards: PR One-time Campaign and Special Promotion, and the Mercury Excellence Awards 2011/2012. For additional information, please visit our Web site, our blog, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter or Pinterest.

SOURCE Child's Play Communications