Using Twitter when catering to tots

While Twitter has arguably declined in popularity in the public mindset in recent years, it remains a strong digital platform. Twitter boasts 288 million monthly active users and 500 million tweets sent per day. In 2014, the percentage of online adults using Twitter increased by a statistically significant amount. Also in 2014, female internet users on Twitter increased to 21%, and users aged 18-49 represented an overwhelming majority of Twitter users. Clearly, adults, particularly females in parenting stages of life, are still using Twitter. How can child product companies utilize the platform to reach their customers?

Twitter offers several content marketing suggestions for brands. Key principles include:

• Use the 80/20 principle. Only 20% of your tweets should be sales messages like promotions. Focus on interacting with followers. It's about what they want to talk about - not what you want to sell. 
• Be personable. An overly formal tone, even for a corporate account, isn't fitting for Twitter. Be sure to use a unique voice and always consider entertainment value. 
• Establish a regular cadence.

Twitter also offers a sample Tweet calendar which should be altered to the size and needs of each company.

• Monday: Promotions
• Tuesday: Behind the scenes
• Wednesday: Helpful tips
• Thursday: Customer spotlight
• Friday: Feature industry experts or news
• Saturday: Community or industry spotlights
• Sunday: Employee spotlight

These general tips are easily applied to a child product company. Following several industry leaders on Twitter, I've complied a few specific tips. 

• Image centric posts are best. I am much more motivated to look at a post with an in-feed image than click on a tiny url.

Toys 'R' Us does a great job providing engaging, visually appealing content.

• If using Twitter for customer service, be sure to disperse entertaining posts amidst your string of answers (apologetic and kind, of course) to customer complaints or questions. You don't want consumers to only associate your brand with negative complaints. 

After considerable scrolling through Fisher-Price complaints, I finally reached a piece of content, published 3 days ago.

• Cadence, cadence, cadence. 

Bright Starts' last tweet was more than a month ago, and there is similar cadence between January and February. However, the company tweeted almost daily during the December holiday season. Yes, the holidays are a time for increased advertising, but Twitter is about regular engagement with followers, not just during a time of increased spending on toys.

A memo for companies on partnering with blog influencers

Partnering with popular blogs is a great way to communicate with parents about your brand or product. Top blogs have good reach, but, most importantly, they are written by trusted sources. The moms and dads behind popular parenting blogs are influencers, and they are better than traditional advertising platforms. Your audience isn't turned off by a product pushing message. They are intrigued by the influencer - their source of daily entertainment, their friend, their expert on all things parenting - and decide to give your brand or product a try.

However, partnering with an influencer for a sponsored post isn't a submiminal scheme to get your sales revenue up. It's a partnership in communication with your audience. It's a way to encourage communication and spread word of mouth about the helpful, innovative products your company can offer. If your products aren't helpful and innovative, then influencers won't become your advocates. Blogs aren't a platform where you can obscure your product's shortcomings with cartoon characters and jingles. Blogs are a platform where you nudge the writer, say "Hey, here's what my company has to offer. What do you think about it?" and then watch them publish your sponsored post, love the product, and continue to praise and use the product, hence becoming your advocate. The key? With good offerings and a blogging influencer, you can generate new, loyal customers.

Which influencer should you ask to support your company? Cision, a global PR and media company, published a list of the top 50 mommy bloggers in 2014 (http://www.cision.com/us/2014/05/top-50-u-s-mom-bloggers/). However, randomly picking from the top of lists like these won't suffice. Your blogger should speak to your audience - and your audience is likely more defined than "parent." Here are a few suggestions:

• For high end products designed for the stylish, trendy, parent: Jessica Shyba of mommasgonecity.com. Jessica became popular after pictures of Theo and Beau, an adorable toddler and puppy duo, napping together circulated the internet. Brands associated with Jessica include Nordstrom and Orbit Travel Systems. Companies interested in family pets may also find an audience with mommasgonecity.com.

A snapshot of Jessica's post for Orbit Travel Systems. http://www.mommasgonecity.com/

• For products designed for creative, playful kids whose parents prize both quality and value: Angie Keiser of fashionbymayhem.com. Angie and her daughter, known as Mayhem, became popular with pictures of their glamorous handmade paper dresses. Brands associated with Mayhem include Nintendo and J. Crew. Companies catering to food allergies may also find an audience with fashionbymayhem.com.

A snapshot of Mayhem's Mama's post for Nintendo 2DS. http://www.fashionbymayhem.com/

• For daily use products designed for healthy, happy families who also prize value: Melissa Weintraud of the-mommyhood-chronicles.com. The Mommyhood Chronicles features recipes, innovative parent-helper products (like trendier versions of baby gates), and children's activities ideas. Brands associated with the blog include Zum Zum Bikes and Build-a-Bear. Melissa features many product giveaways and boasts an established readership, so her advocacy is highly valued. 

A snapshot of Melissa's post for a safety barrier producer. http://www.the-mommyhood-chronicles.com/

Numerous other parenting blogs exist. Each has a specific tone. The key? Find a popular blogger whose interests match your company mission. Blog influencers can become your top allies as you market better products for happier families. 

Please note: Images belong to the respective blog owners and are protected under copyright.