While a lot of attention is often given to reaching the male demographic between the ages of 18 and 34, when it comes to many consumer brands, reaching Millennial Moms (those born between 1981 and 1996) is becoming a huge priority. As PR professionals, we’ve had to rethink how we approach our jobs as a result. Sure, it’s nice to get that glossy magazine hit, but let’s face it: moms are busy! When is the last time any of you moms out there had time to sit down and flip through the pages of a magazine? Most moms I know prefer to take their reading on the go, so the rise of what I refer to as “glossy onlines” have taken over as the dream hit when it comes to many consumer brands. And of course, it goes without saying that social media is king (or queen!) when it comes to reaching Millennial Moms. From Instagram to Facebook (no, it’s not dead yet!), more moms today get their information from their favorite social platforms than any other method.
What do Millennial Moms want? While it’s certainly impossible to generalize, overall the trend is digestible info in smaller, bite-sized bits that can be easily skimmed during a few precious moments of “me time.” What’s more? Community matters! While a sisterhood of mothers is certainly not a new concept, for many Millennial Moms, it’s not unheard of to form a tight-knit inner circle of people they may never meet in real life, but who they open up to completely via message boards, blog comment pages and private Facebook groups. Finally, Millennial Moms can see straight through online pandering quicker than anyone else. They might not mind being sold to, but if a brand tries to disguise it as anything but that or does it in a way that completely ignores the unique nuances of being a Millennial Mom, they’re likely going to turn off their audience.
Full disclosure: I’m not a Millennial Mom. In fact, I probably babysat a Millennial Mom or two back in my day and am definitely one of the “old fogies” around the office, on the eve of my 42nd birthday, no less! Still, I’d like to think I can relate to many a MM – especially since I had my kids a little later in life (i.e. post-30), and have spent many a middle-of-the-night hour on Facebook while feeding infants. In order to reach this coveted audience, it’s important for brands and PR people to follow a few guidelines:
6 STRATEGIES FOR REACHING MILLENNIAL MOMS:
- Know why you’re targeting Millennial Moms. Sure, Millennials are all the rage and get tons of attention in the media. This is with good reason. Millennials are predicted to soon outnumber Baby Boomers as the largest demographic, according to U.S Census statistics, and 82 percent of births a couple years ago were children born to Millennial Moms. It’s important to consider how your brand fits into this demographic and how they relate to whatever it is you’re trying to sell them on.
- Don’t be self-promoting. The quickest way to turn off Millennial consumers, and especially busy moms, is to tone-deafly talk about your brand without providing any value to your audience. Brands should get out of their own way and help engage with Millennial Moms in a way that can either teach them something, make them laugh, or create an emotional connection.
- Don’t always assume Millennial Moms are only reading parenting publications. Sure, being a mom is often a huge part of a mother’s identity. When it comes to many modern mamas, though, it’s only one part of who they are. Sometimes it’s more effective to catch moms where they’re seeking a break from parenthood – whether it’s on Instagram, through fun celeb influencers or with experiences that speak to other parts of a woman’s life.
- Speak with an authentic, honest voice. There is nothing worse than “momsplaining” the details that women breathe day in and day out. While parents want to learn and absorb different points of view, it’s critical for brands and PR professionals to speak to Millennial Moms as peers. What’s more, Millennial Moms crave honesty. There’s a reason mommy vloggers Cat & Nat are selling out shows nationwide – their fresh, honest takes on motherhood and friendship are unfiltered and easily relatable. In order for brands to crack the code, they must follow suit, being relatable first, thinking through the lens of busy, modern moms. Most moms just want to be heard – this is a prime opportunity for brands to listen, and when they talk to their audience, to do so in a conversational, real way.
- You’ve gotta go social. From a PR perspective, it’s critical to take a 360-degree approach when getting your message out there to Millennial Moms. Some may religiously scroll sites like Romper or PopSugar every day, while others find their info when it pops up on their Facebook feed. Today’s information landscape is all-encompassing, so PR professionals must make sure to weave in social sharing as part of any media hit in order to get it in front of the broadest audience possible.
- Have fun! Let’s face it: while rewarding, motherhood is TOUGH. There is nothing else in the world that will make a woman question her every instinct, sanity and patience more than being a mom. Helping them remember the fun parts of parenthood, or giving an outlet to take a quick respite from the toughness of day-to-day duties is a sure-fire way to win with Millennial Moms. What’s more, having fun makes your brand more relatable and can create a more authentic relationship between Millennial Moms and the brands they engage with.