Marketing to Millennial Moms

Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1994, are giving birth to a new generation. In fact, eighty percent of new moms today are Millennials. If you’re marketing to parents, it helps to know what drives Millennial spending.

A National Retail Federation study from 2018 observed that Millennials have always been difficult to predict and pin down, so how they shop, spend and engage with brands as parents is distinct.

Here’s what we know:

• More than 1 million Millennial women become new mothers each year.
• 4 out of 10 Millennial moms are single parents.
• 61% of Millennial moms are unmarried.
• Millennial parents are more likely to use their phones for product research.
• They embrace online shopping and look for convenient options, like free shipping.
• They are more likely to use a subscription service for items needed regularly, like diapers or formula.
• And where they shop matters – as a reflection of their social and political values.

With so much information about Millennial spending habits, retailers need to approach marketing strategically. Here are five tactics that can help you connect with this key demographic.

Go big online.

Your online presence is super important to Millennial moms. They expect to find product details, pricing, reviews, and availability easily. To meet these needs, make sure that mobile and in-store marketing work together seamlessly. If your sales depend on foot traffic, add online coupons or promotions that are redeemable in-store.

And don’t forget about social media! Millennial moms turn to social media for help with parenting, so sharing tips and advice, solutions, and stories will help your brand resonate and engage these shoppers.

Roll the video.

Video is important to these digital natives. Give Millennial moms the information they need in a format they already love. An eye-popping 72 percent use YouTube videos to make better purchases for their child. Tutorials and comparisons make great video content.

Show diversity.

67 percent of Millennial moms are multicultural, and more than 50 percent of U.S. children are non-white, so it’s important that your marketing is inclusive. We’re seeing more brands embracing multi-ethnic, multi-racial, and multi-generational families and giving special attention to women as both the breadwinners and spending decision-makers.

Be authentic.

Millennials are wary of overly perfect marketing and expect brands to live up to their values and be honest about their products and services. So, embrace your authenticity, from the tone of your blogs, to the description of your company, to the ads and information you put out.

Invest in e-commerce.

Online buying is growing year-over-year across all age groups. A majority of Millennial parents prefer shopping online over in-store for its convenience and time savings. If you want to reach these moms at the point of purchase, consider upping your e-commerce game, especially features that make browsing for products and check out easier.

Millennial moms are distinctly different from other parenting generations. Changing your marketing to attract new parents can be the start of long-term customer relationships.