Why New Parents Turn to a Virtual Village
Find out what's driving expecting and new parents in the US to Facebook and Instagram — and how brands can engage with them.
CONTENTS
New parenthood is exciting — but it can also be isolating. Questions sprout as soon as parents find out they’re expecting, but many wait to discuss their news with family and friends until after the first trimester. Once the word is out, expecting parents may be too tired or busy with baby prep to connect in person with their social circles. And after baby arrives? Forget about that book club or basketball game. Parents are in survival mode.
Enter online communities. Throughout the early stages of parenthood, expecting and new US parents surveyed grow more likely to join online communities and visit Facebook on a daily basis, a Facebook IQ-commissioned study showed. And according to Facebook data, the average US Millennial in a parent group is in more than 3x as many Facebook groups as the average US Millennial group user who is not in a parent group.1
The research was designed to help marketers understand how parents’ needs, preferences and digital activity change throughout the months immediately before and after welcoming a baby. It involved interviews with 10 sets of expecting and new parents as well as a survey of 1,620 parents ages 18 and older.2 Within the group of parents surveyed, there were people at four different stages of early parenthood: early pregnancy,3 mid-pregnancy,4 newborn5 and baby.6 The survey included single and adoptive parents.
The study revealed several factors driving new parents’ interest in online communities. Conveniently accessible on mobile and available 24/7, online groups offer an easy way to answer pressing questions at any hour. Other reasons new parents cited include desire for connection and for advice. In fact, 2 in 3 expecting and new parents surveyed say they're likely to use Facebook to seek friend and family recommendations for products or services.
New parents turn to online communities
When Katherine, age 27, became a mom, Facebook mom groups became a “lifeline.”
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At home with a small person who can’t really carry a conversation, sometimes you just feel alone... Everybody is at work, everybody is busy.
— Katherine, 27, AZ
3 in 4 surveyed expecting and new parents in the US are in an online group or community
Facebook groups provided her with not just personal connection, she said, but also practical advice, intellectual stimulation and product tips — all at any hour via mobile.
Most expecting and new parents surveyed in the US are part of an online group or community, and parenting and buy-and-sell groups are particularly popular. Parenting groups offer advice and empathy; buy-and-sell and exchange groups provide parents a chance to save money or offload used items babies quickly outgrow. For instance, one mother of twin girls told us about getting a washer and dryer and an Exersaucer via a local “Buy Nothing” Facebook group.
Membership in both types of groups increases throughout the parenthood journey, our survey shows. In the case of buy-and-sell groups, this may be in part because, as indicated by our survey, parents become more price-conscious after baby arrives.
Parents of babies are more likely than newly expecting parents to be in online parenting and buy-and-sell groups7
Moms and dads surveyed were equally likely to be in an online group or community of any kind. But moms were 1.7X more likely than dads to have joined an online parenting group, and 1.5X more likely than dads to be part of an online buy-and-sell group.
Facebook plays a bigger role and Instagram remains a mainstay
Facebook’s role as a community host and resource expands throughout the four stages of early parenthood, with new parents surveyed growing more likely to say they use Facebook on a daily basis.
Our interviews with parents demonstrated that the reasons for turning to Facebook and Instagram range from the practical to the personal. When we asked parents how they distinguish between the two apps, they mentioned turning to Instagram for visually immersive experiences and to catch up on trends, and to Facebook for sports updates, recipes and more in-depth discussions with family, friends and groups.
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I’m always on my phone because it’s just easier. I try to access social media while I’m feeding her or while I’m rocking her to sleep.
— Diane, 34, NY
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When we post pictures of our kids, it’s not just to show off to the world. It’s more [to preserve and share] memories... I’m excited to see my kids grow and I’m seeing them grow through Facebook.
— Gabriel, 31, CA
Our survey also showed that over time, parents increasingly said they were likely to use Facebook to get recommendations from family and friends for products and services. The percentage of parents who said they use Instagram on a daily basis and to get recommendations from family and friends for products and services held steady across the four groups studied.
Parents of babies are more likely than newly expecting parents to turn to Facebook for connection and advice8
New parents shift spending priorities
Shopping interests and patterns around online research evolve throughout the four stages of early parenthood, our survey showed. Early on, expecting and new parents tend to turn to social media for information on parenting-related topics and products. This could mean information on Lamaze classes or the most effective nausea remedies. Later, after the pregnancy passes certain milestones, they go into nesting mode, and turn to social media for information on baby-related products and services such as toys and diaper delivery.
On social media, expecting parents look for parenting-related info and new parents seek baby-related info9
What it means for marketers
Be where expecting and new parents spend their time.
Research shows that during early parenthood, people increasingly spend time with online communities such as Facebook and Instagram to find social connection, support, intellectual stimulation, practical advice and product recommendations. Offer value by addressing their needs with helpful, thought-provoking or empathetic content.
Partner with parenting groups and influencers.
Consider how your brand might communicate your message to parenting groups by sharing product demos, supplying trial products, sponsoring events and partnering with mommy bloggers and other parenting influencers.
Source unless otherwise specified:“Facebook Parents 2018” by Ignite 360 (Facebook-commissioned survey of 1,620 expecting or new parents ages 18 and older in the US and interviews with 10 expecting or new parent couples in the US), July 2017.