why moms socialize online

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WHY MOMS SOCIALIZE ONLINE

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In August 2009, Mom Central Consulting set out to understand why Moms socialize online. The data reveals Moms across all ages feel lonely and use the internet to form friendships with others based on shared interests, life events and parenting support. The data also shows some surprising differences in Moms' feelings of loneliness and online behaviors based on the ages of Moms and their children.

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Page 1: Why Moms Socialize Online

WHY MOMS SOCIALIZE ONLINE

Page 2: Why Moms Socialize Online

Gather is the leading social network to make new friends and form new social circles. Gather has a vibrant community of moms who have connected around like interests, personal stories and parenting.

Gather is a privately held, privately funded company headquar-tered in Boston, Massachusetts. Investors include Allen & Com-pany, The American Public Media Group, Hearst, The McGraw-Hill Companies, and Southern California Public Radio.

MOM CENTRAL CONSULTING

GATHER

Mom Central Consulting (MCC) is the leading social media agency focusing on reaching the Mom consumer. MCC helps over 200 National Brands connect with Moms and accelerate word-of-mouth marketing via powerful social media programs.

The Boston-based company, founded by “parenting guru” (Wall Street Journal) Stacy DeBroff helps brands and agencies de-velop meaningful conversations, connections, and communities with Moms.

WHO WE ARE

Page 3: Why Moms Socialize Online

FOR MOMS, IT HAS BECOME ALL ABOUT MAKING NEW FRIENDS ONLINE, NOT JUST ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH OLD ONES

In August 2009, Mom Central Consulting (MCC), in partnership with social network Gather, set out to understand Moms’ social habits online.

1,321 gather moms answered an in-depth questionnaire about their online and offline behaviors and attitudes towards networking, community and sense of self. MCC analyzed the data and identified trends in Moms’ on-line connectivity. The data reveals that Moms across all ages feel lonely and use the internet to form friendships with others based on shared interests, life events, and parenting support.

The data also shows some surprising differences in Moms’ feelings of loneli-ness and online behaviors based on the age of Moms and their children.

Page 4: Why Moms Socialize Online

SUMMARY RESULTS

Survey Results Reveal That:

say they have had feelings of loneliness in the past month and report feeling most lonely when their children are under the age of five and again when parenting teens (14-18yrs).

58% OF MOMS

of Moms feel they do not get enough support from their spouse.

50%

Moms wants to meet more Moms in their community.

1 in 3

of Moms talk to other Moms online in forums and communities.

70%

have made a new friend online in the last year.61%

Moms who’ve made friends online tell their online friends things they don’t share with offline friends.

1 in 3

4 out of 5 MOMSfeel that they don’t have enough friends in their lives.

of Moms who’ve made friends online have turned an online friendship into a lasting offline one.

34%

Page 5: Why Moms Socialize Online

YOUNGER AND OLDER MOMS FEEL LONELY

In looking at demographics as a spectrum, the loneliness factor impacts younger (20’s) and older Moms (50’s):

Feelings of Loneliness Differ Based on Age of Moms:

Younger Moms (20 to 34 years) are more likely to feel isolated and express a desire to expand their community reach, both offline and online.

Women in their mid-thirties to late 40’s feel the most comfortable with their current spouse/partner, friendships, family members and extended communities.

However, as Moms move into their 50’s, feelings of loneliness rebound. Thus the need to reach out to family and friends online, reconnecting and sharing.

Page 6: Why Moms Socialize Online

report feeling most lonely at specific times in their children’s lives. Moms experience the most loneliness with children under age five. They become lonely again as those children reach their teens and begin to lead independent lives. Loneliness then drops off as their children become adults and Moms create new social circles.

FEELINGS OF LONELINESS ALSO DEPEND ON AGE OF CHILDREN

60% OF MOMS SURVEYED

Loneliness Comes in Waves:

0-2 yrs

3-5 yrs

6-10 yrs

11-13 yrs

14-18 yrs

19-21 yrs

21+

41%

26%

14%

11%

17%

6%

8%

AGE OF CHILDREN WHEN MOMS FEEL LONELIEST

Page 7: Why Moms Socialize Online

MOMS DON’T FEEL SUPPORTED BY THEIR PARTNERS

70% of Moms feel their spouse/partner makes their lives happier but they still feel unsupported.

of Moms feel their spouse/partner does not talk enough with them.

55%

54% don’t feel that their spouse/partner shares enough of the parenting responsibility.

Page 8: Why Moms Socialize Online

OFFLINE SUPPORT HAS DETERIORATED FOR MOMS

Only

are raising their children in the community in which they were raised.

19% OF MOMS

50% Less than

live near family members.

40% of Moms do NOT have a friend with whom they feel they can share everything.

of Moms don’t feel they get enough support from co-workers.80%

Over

And

Page 9: Why Moms Socialize Online

MOMS DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FRIENDS

61% OF MOMSwant to make new friends.

1 in 3 want to meet other Moms in their communities.

Page 10: Why Moms Socialize Online

making a new friend online in the past year and 34% have turned an online friendship into a lasting offline one.

Across all age groups, over-whelmingly Moms make the most personal connections online by searching out others with shared interests and hobbies.

MOMS SEEK NEW FRIENDS ONLINE WITH SHARED INTERESTS

60% OF MOMSover

REPORTED

SHARED INTERESTS

PERSONAL STORIES

PARENTING ISSUES

HEALTH/MEDICAL

WORK/LIFE BALANCE

RELATIONSHIP W/ SPOUSE

71%

42%

29%

20%

15%

12%

HOW MOMS ARE CONNECTING ONLINE

Page 11: Why Moms Socialize Online

YOUNG MOMS SOCIALIZE DIFFERENTLY ONLINE

Young Moms are far more likely to connect with other Moms around the shared parenting issues and questions they have while raising young children.

20-24 yrs25-29 yrs30-34 yrs35-39 yrs40-49 yrs

75%

59%

43%

38%

28%

40-49 yrs 11%

MAKING NEW FRIENDS ONLINE BASED ON PARENTING QUESTIONS AND ISSUES

tell their online friends things they don’t share with offline friends, younger Moms are twice as likely to share secrets with online friends.

1 in 3 MOMSWhile

Page 12: Why Moms Socialize Online

1 in 5 MOMS has felt bullied online, with younger Moms much more likely to find themselves vic-tims of online harassment.

30% of Moms under the age of 25 feel they have been cyber-bullied.

SOCIALIZING ONLINE DOES COME WITH RISKS

Page 13: Why Moms Socialize Online

FOR MORE INFORMATION

GatherLisa WalkerFamily [email protected]

Mom Central ConsultingTracey Hope-RossVice President of [email protected]