• by Stephanie Azzarone , Op-Ed Contributor, December 26, 2013

As we speed toward the end of one year and the start of yet another, here’s a quick look back at some standout 2013 mom-related trends.

Where the Boys Are. In 2013, brands discovered dads. Articles galore touted dad’s important new role in parenting and household purchasing decisions. Unfortunately, most of what the media said was inaccurate. We conducted two major pieces of research, both of which indicated that dad’s involvement was a lot less significant than what brands and other marketers tended to think. Moms remained the prime decision maker.

Bloggers as God (not).  Yes, I know – sacrilegious, right? Not the god reference, but, rather, the conclusion that bloggers are not the end all/be all for marketing programs.  Bloggers were great for creating visibility and credibility among moms – but when it came to moving the needle, what worked was an integrated marketing program that involved bloggers, traditional media, word of mouth and powerful content. 

Content As Queen. The buzzword of the year, “content” – everything from Facebook posts to blogs to white papers to native advertising, and more – became a leading way to reach moms. Unfortunately, a lot of the content out there had no relevance to this influential market, even though they were the target. 

Content As Pretty. Instagram! Pinterest! Infographics!  Forget simply sharing information (doesn’t anyone just read anymore?). The inescapable directive of 2013:  Illustrate! Illustrate! Illustrate! When we created social media content for moms, it was photos and videos that generated the most response.

Content As Omnipresent. Companies explored more ways to circulate the content they had created, beyond making it available in a single location. Solutions ranged from posting across all social media channels to sponsoring newsletters to identifying experts to present that information to moms “live and in person.”

Measurement Rules.  Brands increasingly looked beyond the number of clicks and likes generated by bloggers and social media to actual engagement, from comments to shares and beyond. Companies more frequently inquired: How will social media actually impact what mom buys? 

Going Mobile. Moms, in particular, relied on their mobile devices, to check prices, research everything from health care to travel destinations, compare offers and opportunities and, overall, manage their families’ schedules/lives. 

What trends did you see this year and what do you see as the new developments for 2014?