Marketing to Millennial Moms and Dads

Key Takeaways

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Digital & eCommerce Tactic — Establish Strong Digital Presence: According to the National Retail Federation, 50% of parents (as of 2018) are millennials, making them the most socially savvy generation of parents to date. With over 90% of millennial parents rank social media as “somewhat” to “extremely useful” when it comes to parenting, brands with a strong social media presence are more likely to be discovered by parents. In addition, influencer content produced by other parents on social media is the number one way to capture a mother’s attention online. 

Social Platform Tactic — Prioritize Video Content: A vast majority of millennial parents are turning to online videos to meet their parenting needs, including:

• Staying “in-the-know”: 72% of millennial parents say they watch YouTube as a parent to stay “in-the-know” about their children’s world
• Seeking Guidance: 70% of moms and 86% of dads turn to YouTube for guidance on parenting topics such as preparing meals, using a certain product, or assembling baby gear
• Buying Products: 78% of parents use their phones to research products before making a purchase while 58% of millennial moms watched online videos about a certain product before buying

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Content & Messaging Tactic — Create Parenting Guidance / Tip Videos: As mentioned, “seeking guidance” is one of the main reasons parents turn to YouTube. In particular, videos focused on parenting tips and baby health & development are the most popular. Johnson’s Baby recognized this tendency and regularly uploads step-by-step videos on a variety of parenting topics, from bathing a baby to getting a baby to sleep. All these videos feature a related product by the brand. Consider sponsoring a parenting “how-to” guide, for example, for parenting guide on how to get your toddler to fall asleep, they can suggest one of your nursery rhyme videos.

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As of 2018, Millennials (those born between 1981 to 1994), are parents to 50% of the world’s children, according to the National Retail Federation.

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They are the most socially savvy generation of parents to date, with majority of these parents turning to the internet, specifically their mobile phones, for parenting information.

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The number one reason millennial dads use their smartphones while shopping is to check a product's reviews, while millennial moms avidly check prices.

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Parenting websites, blogs and social networks make up the majority of where moms and dads seek parenting guidance online.

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Almost all millennial parents find social media “somewhat” to “extremely useful” when it comes to parenting information.

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When it comes to finding parent-related content online, video is often a go-to source for both moms and dads.

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71% of moms go to YouTube for guidance on key parenting topics such as assembling children’s products, preparing meals for their kids, and helping their children learn*.

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More than half of those moms who turned to YouTube videos for guidance on parenting topics watched videos made by brands or companies*.

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Brands can take advantage of moms’ reliance on product reviews by incorporating review videos into their YouTube strategy, like Gerber and Graco.

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From 2015-2017, videos uploaded during that time with “review” in the title had more than 50,000 years’ worth of watch time on mobile alone.*

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Aside from parenting guidance, the top 3 reasons moms are turning to online videos are for “me-time”, “how-to’s”, and “ideation”.

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While brands like Johnson’s Baby have tapped into these moms’ reliance on online videos for parental guidance, brands like Clinique have tapped into moms’ need for “me-time”.

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Aside from being topically relevant for moms, having videos that are well-produced and of high-quality help greatly in improving moms’ perception of a brand.

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Another way for brands to capture moms’ attention is to create digital ads that feature the following:

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Meanwhile, dads also turn to YouTube for “me-time”, dads are even more likely to use YouTube for guidance on key parenting topics than moms (80% of dads compared to 71% of moms).

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In particular, videos on parenting tips, baby health, baby product reviews, and pregnancy/baby development are most popular amongst millennial dads*.

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However, despite the amount of time spent online, millennials dads find it hard to discover relevant content for them, unlike content geared for mothers.

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Another major platform for parents is Pinterest--moms reported using Pinterest 48% more after becoming pregnant/a mom.

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According to Pinterest Business, more than half of parents on Pinterest (59%) say they find parenting tips on the platform that they can’t find anywhere else.

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Parents are using Pinterest for inspiration and advice as they plan for moments big and small, from back-to-school tips to kid-friendly recipes to party decoration ideas.

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Pinterest gives parents a sense of confidence in their parenting journey, as well as adding a bit of fun along the way.

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In terms of purchasing influence, Pinterest states that 62% of “parent pinners” have purchased something because they saw it on Pinterest.