Fifty-nine percent of parents who use social media said that parenthood has increased their social media usage, according to a study by Snapchat and Havas Media Network.
The study, which was published earlier this week, explored the habits of 7,500 parents who use social media across five markets (US, UK, Canada, France, and Saudi Arabia). Although one might assume that parenthood means less time for social media, the findings show that parents not only spend more time online but that they also use the platforms differently.
Eighty percent of parents who joined social media before having children reportedly said that they now use more features on apps. Seventy-four percent also said they post more frequently than they did before and 58% make more purchases directly on platforms.
Parents on social media are also more likely to turn to the platforms during holidays and other major events. The events that increase usage the most are Black Friday/Cyber Monday (+35%), children’s birthdays (+32%), end-of-year holidays (+31%), spring and summer holidays (+31%), major religious holidays (+29%), New Year’s (+28%), and the back-to-school season (+28%).
The study further found that social media is not just a discovery tool for parents but also a co-discovery tool, as 86% say they shop online with their children and 67% say they’ve been influenced to purchase something their child has seen online.
Children’s persuasion tactics have also evolved over the years, with 59% of parents saying their kids have shown them a video or ad and 48% saying they have sent them ads. Considering these findings, Snapchat advises brands to push ads during after-school or weekend scrolls.
But although the study has found that parenthood boosts social media usage, brands should still speak to parents as individuals.
According to the research, parents see social media as a place where they can receive updates from friends (69%), see tailored content (66%), stay connected to family (65%), explore new hobbies (64%), feel comfortable expressing themselves (63%), be creative (62%), discover new creators (62%), and stay up to date with creators (60%). As such, brands should still target parents with ads that are tailored to their hobbies and interests — not just their children.
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