Marketing to Women Online

Estee Lauder Creates a Powerful Social Media Campaign

For me, a successful social media campaign is one which drives people to take a specific action.  Hopefully, that specific action can be tied to an increase in sales.

For example, the KelloggCares Facebook page asked fans to donate $5 or more to feed the hungry and receive $5 in coupons for Kellogg products.  It drove a specific action which resulted in product sampling.

Estee Lauder is the latest example of a company who understands how to successfully tap into the power of social media to drive specific consumer action.  

BlogHer - Blogs Most Trusted Social Media

 

There's no question that people are using social media to share information and opinions about products.  Facebook, Twitter, blogs - they're all full of product stories, complaints and recommendations.

But do people trust what's being said in those social media spaces?  

Apparently, it depends on which medium you're talking about.  Blogs may be more trusted than other social media.

Women turn to blogs for product information and reviews

In BlogHer's 2009 Women and Social Media Study research shows that women turn to blogs for product information and reviews:

 

Can Mom Bloggers Be Bought?

 

I was standing in one of the most packed rooms I'd seen at the BlogHer conference.  No, It wasn't one of the famous parties, it was the session titled "Sponsored or Unsponsored - Blogging for $$ - Where Do You Stand?"

The standing room only crowd that spilled out into the hallway was there to address one of the biggest issues at the conference - how can advertisers/brands and bloggers work together to spread the word about products.

There are really two big issues around bloggers and brands working together:

BlogHer '09 Wrap Up - The Swag

If you weren't at BlogHer '09, all I can say is - you missed it.

I'll be blogging about the conference all week. I want to give you a flavor of what it's like to hang out for 48 hours with almost 1500 women bloggers.

Let'a start with the most important things first.

The Swag

OK - let's talk about what women really care about - the swag.  A lot of smart advertisers want to get in front of this influential crowd.  Considering just one of these bloggers might have hundreds of thousands of readers, I think a conservative estimate of the combined readership of the bloggers at the conference reaches into the tens of millions - probably much higher.  

These companies came loaded down with goodies. Women were walking around with huge shopping bags full of stuff - everything from video cameras to designer scarves to toys for their kids.

Social Media Tools: Product Reviews Vs. Twitter

In a recent Advertising Age Digital article, Abbey Klaasen suggests Forget Twitter; Your Best Marketing Tool Is the Humble Product Review.  

Twitter has been getting a lot of hype lately, but is the product review a better customer relationship builder and product improvement tool?  The Advertising Age article has this to say:

For all the ink spilled on the importance of Twitter and Facebook as feedback and customer-service channels, there's another social-media tool marketers are increasingly finding useful, not just as an online-shopping tool but as an internal, culturally changing consumer-criticism channel: the humble product review.

Why Some Mom Bloggers Aren't "Advertiser Approved"

I recently overheard a group of PR folks talking about an online promotion they did with mom bloggers, but how some mom bloggers scare them.  They mentioned one mom blogger who is wide-open in what she says and is known for her foul language.  But she has a huge following.

Welcome to the dilemma many advertisers and their agencies and PR firms face when marketing to moms.   You want to tap into the connection these mom bloggers have with their audience.  You want to tap into their authentic voices.   Yet you are afraid of....their authentic voices.

Why blogs are the perfect place for advertisers who want to reach moms

The reason why blogs and other forms of social media work so well to promote products to moms is because real moms are talking about real situations using real language.  That's why these comments/reviews/endorsements are so powerful.

Why brands and advertisers are afraid of these blogs

One thing they're afraid of is what happens if a mom blogger says something negative about their brand or product experience.

But there's something else going on.

What happens when that powerful comment/review/endorsement shows up on a blog where that mom is talking about: not loving her daughter right away, feeling ugly because her husband won't touch her sexually, breast feeding another woman's child, drinking too much, threatening to beat up another kid, or using the F-bomb.....what happens then? 

Mommy Bloggers - Why Advertisers Want Them

You want to reach moms?   You want word-of-mouth advertising?   You want moms to get on board with your brand or product and to tap into the influence they have with their friends and family?  

Meet the mommy blogger.

Companies small and large are trying to climb on to the mommy blogger bandwagon. Advertising Age recently did a story about the phenomenon - Inside the Mommy Blogger Business. 

Despite their lightweight moniker, mommy bloggers have become marketing business heavyweights. Now said to number in the millions, these online women have cobbled together content networks that rival some mainstream media companies. And they're clearly a force that retailers underestimate at their own peril. In this "About Digital" report, we talk to a retail giant, an analyst, major publisher and a PR agency to better understand how various segments of the industry are adjusting to this phenomenon.

There's a reason why mommy bloggers are gaining the attention and respect of advertisers.  

Mom Bloggers - The Hot New Advertising Medium

More and more companies and advertisers are waking up to the power of mom bloggers. 

Nielson recently published a list of their top 50 mom bloggers.

Nielsen also published its list of the top 50 mommy  bloggers, which categorizes these influential online contributors by topic and behavior-based segment.

In what Nielsen calls “a collection of leading voices in the mom blogosphere,” the Power Mom blogger list is based on a blend of blog posts and comments, and inbound/outbound traffic captured via Nielsen BuzzMetrics, as well as Twitter followers and other metrics.

Companies are anxious to reach out to these influential women to help them promote their products.

Using Mom Blogger to Promote Musicians

I also recently read about a venture with Barbara Jones and One2One Network and Steve Greenberg of S-Curve Records to promote one of my favorite new artists Diane Birch.

EconAffinity Marketing Conference in New York

I really enjoyed the EconWomen conference last year.  Now the same group is back with another timely conference- EconAffinity June 1 in New York.  Here's what EconAffinity is all about:

Affinity + relevant content = high-level user engagement = efficient marketing + revenue for site destinations. Wellness, sports, cooking, pets, family, professional associations—users are increasingly dedicated to sites that closely reflect their interests, careers and self-identity. These affinities offer sponsors and advertisers the best chance to get in front of the people who care most about their products and services and who are especially eager to share what they think.

And my guess is a lot of those people are women.  I've already signed up.  Would you like to join me at EconAffinity June 1 in New York?   Use this offer code - AFFINITYHOLLY and get 25% off your registration which includes access to the mixer after the event.  I'll buy you a drink :)

If you need any extra incentive, Wenda Harris Millard, who was one of my favorites at the EconWomen conference will be back as a moderator.

Moms - Why Do You Blog?

If you're a mom, and you're a blogger, I want to talk to you.  There is a reason why mom bloggers are one of the fastest growing, most powerful groups, both online and offline.

I want to know that reason or reasons.   Why are so many moms writing and reading blogs?   I'm not a mom, but I am a blogger, and I love reading blogs written by moms.  You have such a unique and honest voice.  

Given a choice between watching TV or going to a movie  - OR reading a mom blog - I'll take the blog almost every time.  (More on the reason why later - I don't want to influence this study)

So Mom bloggers - here are the questions I have for you:

Why did you start your blog?  

Why do you continue to write it?  

What blogs to you love to read and why?

How has your life changed since you started writing your blog?

How does writing/reading a mom blog make you feel?

What was your best moment as a blogger?

What was your worst moment as a blogger?

You can answer below in the comment field, or feel free to email me directly at Holly@thesoccermommyth.com.

Why am I asking?   Because I genuinely want to know why so many moms are blogging and/or reading mom blogs.  Something amazing is going on here. I have some theories, but I want to hear directly from you.    If you'd like me to keep your response confidential, I'm happy to do so. 

Thank you in advance for your participation. Once I've completed the research, I'll let you all know what I've learned.