EXCERPT:

Services such as Twitter, YouTube and Blogger have made it easy, oh soooo easy to get started with blogging. There’s no money required, no software to buy. Just start typing and you are out there.

That low barrier to entry can create some problems, however.

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Motrin had a well-intended concept, but execution was poor and understandably can be found offensive by mothers. Mom-bloggers told them so in no uncertain terms. The difference here, from what has happened to offensive marketing messages in the past, is that the event was public, was collaborated upon, and spread rapidly. Motrin was embarrassed and retreated rapidly.

Back to my point about ‘thanking’ the mom-bloggers. Motrin responded by pulling the ads and canceling several planned media expenditures which could have potentially offended hundreds of thousands of more mothers! This could have been much worse and in a world without twitter and blogs, they would have never known. A large amount of budget and brand value was saved.

Now Motrin is part of the social media conversation. They weren’t before, and now have the opportunity for a do-over. I’ll bet it goes much better next time. Surely, they have learned a great deal, as we all have. Thank you mom-bloggers.

Mom bloggers are more active online, particularly with social networking, than the rest of their U.S. mothering peers. They are 71% more likely to indicate being addicted to a social network when compared to moms who know nothing about blogs.

The lead reason for them going online is to socialize with others, while for moms who pay no attention to blogs, it is to find information. Mom bloggers also pay more attention to what their friends say online about something than other moms do.

The attention that marketers are giving to online word of mouth and the importance of connecting with mom bloggers as influencers appears justified.

Mom bloggers are also more receptive to marketing communication, than other moms. Further enforcing the reasons for marketers to pay them attention. Not surprisingly, all moms rank banners as the least effective marketing method for engaging them. But, bloggers are the group most accepting of them, likely do to the fact that many earn money from these marketing tactics.

An opportunity exists for marketers to focus more effort in email marketing. Moms are more receptive to it when compared to other online marketing tactics, and they are checking personal email throughout their day.

Survey data was gathered from 457 U.S. women with children of various ages randomly recruited on the internet between August 12 and September 12, 2008. As an incentive, $5 for every 10 people who completed the survey was donated by lucid marketing to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The report, “Social Media & Moms, BLOGGER Edition” can be downloaded for free at www.lucidmarketing.com