A brand-engaged demographic
Instagram’s research shows that moms are, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the most active group in Instagram’s community of users. According to Instagram, of their users, one in four women over the age of 18 in the US are moms.
How engaged are they?
The average mom checks Instagram roughly six times a day, and checks social media around 15 times a day. While moms follow content based on their interests, they also follow and interact with businesses. More than 56% of moms say Instagram is the place they learn about products.
In fact, 78% report taking action from business posts after seeing inspiring content on Instagram.
Surprisingly, dads are just as active as moms on Instagram. Almost half of dads on the platform follow businesses, and of those, 69% take action from the content they see.
Who is seeing results?
Large brands have already begun targeting their efforts directly at parents on the social platform. Campbell’s soup, for instance, launched their #RealRealLife campaign on Instagram. The company was particularly interested in millennial moms who spend a majority of their time on mobile. Their campaign used a combination of video, recipe hacks, and user-generated content all branded with #RealRealLife. Campbell’s saw strong results among mothers. Marci Raible, Director of IGS Marketing Services and Global Media at Campbell’s says:
“By highlighting real life moments moms can relate to, we were able to connect with them in a new and authentic way which helps drive brand relevancy.”
“We saw 35% better engagement among millennial moms and 50% better engagement overall compared to the engagement rate benchmark.”
Likewise, GapKids ran ads targeted to moms on Instagram. According to Shannen Boynton, Director of Gap North America Integrated Marketing, “We focus on mom as the predominant audience. We cater to her in a manner that encourages sharing and active engagement while expressing our assortment of products in an emotional way.”
Showcasing the company’s limited edition Peanuts collaboration, the playful campaign used Instagram to promote awareness, exposure and reach—and ultimately inspire purchases.
Target a bit more narrow
Moms, as well as dads, are using the platform to discover and interact with brands they care about. In order to reach this audience, Instagram advises you select detailed targeting segments like “mothers,” “new moms,” “dads” and even “fit moms” or “moms of grade schooler kids,” when setting up the audience for your ads.
#InstagramMoms
Nichole earned a Master's in Sociology from Texas State University and has publications in peer-reviewed journals. She has spent her career in tech and advertising. Her writing interests include the intersection of tech and society. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Communication and Media Studies at Murdoch University.
