Of particular interest to marketers seeking a way into moms’ busy lives are their reasons for using Twitter and their attitudes about businesses that tweet. Not only do the majority of moms use Twitter to find out about new products and keep up with businesses they like, but they’re also interested in getting links to news and articles on topics that matter to them. In fact, moms’ top two reasons for using Twitter are networking/meeting new people (77%) and keeping up with news (60%).

Moms want businesses to tweet with links to articles that interest them, special offers or sales, and downloadable coupons. They’re also receptive to tweets that are simply entertaining. “Twitter is often thought of as a broadcast medium for the latest news, but for many people it is a very personal experience,” said Kevin Burke, President of Lucid Marketing.

The majority of moms like to see humor in businesses’ tweets, and in open-ended responses describing what they like about the businesses they follow, moms say they like tweets with personality, and companies that interact with them on Twitter.

“Marketers are looking for ways to forge personal, authentic connections with consumers, and I was struck by how much moms appreciate getting a sense that there’s a real person behind the company. Not only are they open to companies showing some personality in tweets; they actively want that,” said Lisa Finn, coauthor of the report.

When compared with the results from the authors’ previous study of moms on Facebook, moms appear to be more open to a range of interactions with companies on Twitter. Moms on Facebook use it primarily to keep in touch with friends and family, while moms on Twitter use it to network with a wider array of contacts. While moms are receptive to marketing on both sites, they’re a bit more protective of their personal space on Facebook, and a bit more focused on getting coupons and special offers there. On Twitter they’re looking for good deals, too, but they also want to be kept informed about news and articles that are relevant to their lives.

The report includes findings on moms’ motivations for using Twitter, their tweeting behavior, why they follow and stop following businesses, what motivates them to retweet, what they like about their favorite businesses on Twitter, feedback from moms in their own words, comparisons between how moms use Twitter and how they use Facebook, and 7 keys to marketing effectively to moms on Twitter. The survey was conducted online in April 2010. For more information or to purchase the report, please visit www.momreports.com