BabyCenter's U.S. Mobile Mom 2014 Report Demonstrates The Increasing Importance Of Smartphones In Moms' Lives

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- There is a sharp rise in moms' reliance on mobile devices to help them through the day, according to the results of the BabyCenter® U.S. Mobile Mom 2014 Report: Mobile Powers Mom's Life, the latest installment in BabyCenter's 21st Century Mom® Insights Series. Commissioned by BabyCenter, the #1 pregnancy and parenting web and mobile destination worldwide, and conducted by Research Now, the report finds that smartphones are increasingly critical for moms, with 46 percent saying they would return home if they forgot their cell phone but not if they forgot their wallet. This marks a 26 percent increase over similar responses in 2013.

An overwhelming majority of moms currently have a smartphone (88%) and tablet (83%) by their side. This may represent a plateau for mobile-device adoption by mothers, but the survey reveals that moms' firm embrace of mobile usage is growing. In an average day, a typical mom uses her smartphone or tablet to:

• Send 26 text messages
• Send 14 instant messages
• Use social media platforms 15 times

Texting (98%) and social media (88%) are the most common activities for moms on their smartphones. Playing games (66%) and watching videos (65%) take the number three and four spots, respectively, with participating in online parenting communities (60%) rounding out the top five. In addition, moms' smartphones are the number 1 tool for social media, whether on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or the BabyCenter Community.

Instant messaging is also making an impact, with more than a quarter of moms (27%) saying that texting on their smartphone has actually decreased due to their use of an IM app instead. The most popular IM apps cited are:

• Facebook (35%)
• What's App (22%)
• Google Hangout (9%)
• Kik (5%)
• Yahoo (4%)

When it comes to moms' downtime, mobile usage is on the rise. Short clips for entertainment are her top smartphone video picks (73%), followed by how-to/tutorial videos (62%). More than half (61%) use their mobile phones while watching television, and 47 percent bring their tablet along when they sit in front of the TV set.

The study also shows that moms' connection to their smartphones transcends their own use of the device, with over two-thirds (67%) saying that they use their smartphone to entertain their children – more than double the amount who did so in 2013. The second most popular way for moms to use their mobile phones when it comes to their kids is shopping for them (50%). Getting parenting information via a smartphone (48%) follows closely behind, and represents a nearly tenfold increase in this activity over last year.

"This study builds on early BabyCenter research, which found that Millennial moms are more likely than their Gen X counterparts to live their lives on mobile," said Julie Michaelson, Vice President of Sales, BabyCenter. "Pairing that finding with these new survey results, one can only imagine that the mobile movement will continue to gain momentum with moms, and that it will become more and more critical for brands to make mobile a top priority in their marketing mix in order to reach them. Accordingly, the BabyCenter experience has evolved to become mobile-first, with moms consistently accessing our content on smaller screens while on the go."

"Today's moms are always on the move, which means that smartphones are the single most important tool for communicating with them," said Linda Murray, Senior Vice President and Global Editor-in-Chief, BabyCenter. "It's extremely important that we understand their needs, give them the mobile tools they need to make their lives easier, and figure out the best ways to reach them wherever they are during their busy days and nights. Brands that learn to effectively leverage mobile will be the clear winners with this newest generation of moms."

To review further findings from the BabyCenter U.S. Mobile Mom 2014 Report: Mobile Powers Mom's Life, please visit: http://www.babycentersolutions.com/docs/BabyCenter_2014_US_Mobile_Powers_Moms_Life.pdf

Methodology:
Fielded in July 2014, the U.S. Mobile Mom 2014 Report polled 1,118 U.S. women ages 18 and up, with a mean age of 32. All participants were either pregnant or mothers of children up to 8 years old. After answering a question on smartphone ownership to determine the percentage who own a smartphone, only smartphone owners were allowed to complete the survey.

About BabyCenter® LLC
BabyCenter® is the voice of the 21st Century Mom® and modern motherhood. It's the #1 pregnancy and parenting digital destination worldwide, reaching more than 39 million moms monthly in 11 languages across 14 owned and operated properties from Australia to India to China. In the United States, 7 in 10 babies born last year were BabyCenter babies. BabyCenter is the world's partner in parenting, providing moms everywhere with trusted advice from hundreds of experts around the globe, friendship with other moms like them, and support that's remarkably right at every stage of their child's development. BabyCenter also works with some of the world's most prominent brands and institutions to provide life-stage marketing solutions and a direct line to highly engaged moms. BabyCenter established a Global Giving Program and partners with esteemed organizations to help make motherhood safer for all women. BabyCenter is a member of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies.

SOURCE BabyCenter