Eleven ways that moms are leveraging social media to pursue the mom agenda.
It’sa self-evident truth that moms know best. Until recently, though, this knowledge was largely confined to the family unit. With the spread of social media such as blogs and social networks, the walls of motherly wisdom are coming down. Concurrently, the sphere of motherly influence is expanding, most notably to board rooms and chambers of congress.
This isn’t to say that moms don’t already wield influence in these areas. Speaker Pelosi is, indeed, a grandmother. But of all the demographic groups gaining power through the social web, from techies and teens to musicians and green activists, we’d argue that none is more formidable than moms. Marketers, politicians, and CEOs take note: networked moms have become a force to be reckoned with, and they continue to gain strength.
Anyone who’s ever feared or respected their mothers (that means you) knows what we’re talking about. Indeed, when you step back and consider the makings of this phenomenon, it’s nothing short of awe inspiring. The technology of social media has extended the power and reach of the individual to a point where it’s possible for anyone to spark a groundswell of action and impact, fueled by network effects and viral distribution. It is the proverbial butterfly that flaps its wings and causes a hurricane on the other side of the planet. Only this butterfly is highly motivated with a tremendous vested interest in the health and wellbeing of the next generation. And they number in the tens of millions in the U.S. alone.
For the past several decades,Oprahhas been the voice for so many American moms. From the serious to the mundane, she covers issues that matter to women and holds tremendous sway with her viewers. We’ve seen firsthand how companies are nearly capsized with demand when their product becomes one of Oprah’s favorite things. But this is a waning, one-way channel. It’s Media 1.0, where companies produce the infotainment and we consume it. By and large, if it wasn’t important to Oprah, it wasn’t important to her audience. Media 2.0, on the other hand, is about creation and participation. According toMySpaceCEOChris DeWolfe, some 40% of moms in the U.S. are already on MySpace, “using the site for the same reason everyone else is: to socialize.” Social media is about initiating and joining two-way conversations that matter to the individual and finding others for whom the same topics or issues matter. What matters most to moms? Their children, of course.
That’s what set Robyn O’Brien ofAllergyKids.comon her current mission. O’Brien is a mother of four, and her kids have serious food allergies. This was puzzling for her because neither she nor her husband has them. She did some research and unearthed startling evidence that pointed to neglect and outright conspiracy on the parts of the U.S. government and food industry with regard to “the recent introduction and engineering of allergens, proteins, food additives and dyes into our food supply.”
O’Brien promptly launched AllergyKids.com on Mother’s Day 2006, complete with ablog. Her mission: to help parents protect their children from food allergies. Since then, it’s become much more than that. With a bit of media savvy and some luck, O’Brien caught the attention of Robert Kennedy Jr. and made an appearance on hisRing of Fireradio show. By way of Prince Charles, who is a critic of GM (genetically modified) foods, this lead to a feature story inThe New York Times, which lead to coverage by CNN,CBS, and a book deal with Random House. She is being described as the Erin Brockovich of food and is even collaborating with Ms. Brockovich herself whose brother, O’Brien says, died of a food-allergic reaction in his 30s.
O’Brien’s fight places multinational agri-business giants likeMonsanto和阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司,以及他们被指控的政府同谋环保局和美国农业部都在她的视线之内。幸运的是,她并不孤单。社交网络是妈妈们的一个支持系统,也是那些想要为某项事业做出贡献或获得一些建议的人的资源。以下10个博客和工具是社交媒体、绿色生活和母亲关系的一部分。
1.BlogHer: This is an aggregated network of women bloggers, most of whom also have their own blogs. In April,comScorecalculated 104,000 unique visitors to the main site. BlogHer also manages anad networkwith more than 1,400 related blogs. “BlogHer’s mission is to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment.” There is a “Mommy and Family”sectionof the site as well as an extensive momblogroll. It is an excellent general resource, but it also serves to connect readers with the blogs that speak to their specific interests.
2.Eco Child’s Play: ECP is part of theGreen Optionsblog network, of which this blog is also a part. The focus is on “green parenting for healthy, non-toxic homes.” It was founded by Jennifer Lance, who lives with her family “on 160 acres off the grid (for 15 years!) in a home built with [her] own two hands (and several more skilled pairs of hands) and trees from [her] land.” Started as a resource for healthy toys, it’s expanded to include a full range of green-living family topics. With a broad stable of contributors, there is something to be found for all shades of green mom, including the activist.
3.CafeMom: This is essentially MomSpace, a fully-featured social network with two million unique visitors in the month of April according to comScore and growing fast. “CafeMom is focused on creating a great site for moms that is somewhere they can come to get advice, feel supported, make friends or just relax.” There is agroupcalled Green Organic Natural Simple Living with more than 1,200 members and many smaller groups organized around healthy-green topics. If you already useMySpaceorFacebook, there’s no reason not to also have profiles in purpose-driven networks like this.
4.Twitter Moms: Though Sparkplugging.com is not a mom-specific blog, it is co-written by Wendy Piersall, who is both a mom and aTwitterfanatic. Her Twitter handle iseMom, and she’s compiled a growing list ofTwittering moms. If you comment on her post or send a Tweet, she’ll add you to the list (assuming you’re a mom). As a resource, Twitter can provide immediate advice as well as a way to vent and celebrate the trials of motherhood.
5.Green & Clean Mom: This is how “being green can be sassy, sexy, & fun.” Despite its playful page design, G&CM is serious about the subject matter, featuring a photo of the author’s kids, citing them as “the reason I’m on a mission.” But it’s far from fanatical. Posts on climate change, toxic car seats, and an SUV confessional are currently on the front page. You can also join the G&CMsocial network, which is hosted on theNingplatform, and follow G&CM onTwitter.
6.TeensyGreen: We found TeensyGreen throughTwitter. Like many, it grew from an epiphany of sorts. Says founder Stefani, “I couldn’t help feel like there was another way to be able to entertain my kids without all the plastic, the fuzzy, the things they played with for a little while and ended up at the bottom of a basket.” The blog’s focus, then, is highly product driven, and the tone is very much “do what you can” as opposed to “do or die”.
7.Suburban Bliss: This is the cheeky mom’s blog, penned by the very talentedMelissa Summers, who is both a blogger and a writer. SB is not green or socially aware but rather a healthy dose of unfiltered reality…as you can gather from the pacifier-in-a-martini-glass logo and tongue-in-cheek title. Summers was made famous (or infamous) for stating that it’s OK to have a glass of wine during a playdate. According to her bio, she “loves her kids, because they are clearly quite loveable. She doesn’t necessarily love parenting. Oh and the amount of talking it requires. And the public humiliation. Also, the guilt. But otherwise? Suburban Bliss.”
8.Moms Speak Up: This is a forum for maternal activism, a “collaborative blog of writers from various backgrounds… about the environment, dangerous imports, health care, food safety, media and marketing, education, politics and many other hot topics of concern.” The founders are “fed up with the ‘business as usual’ attitude of politicians & greedy corporations.” It is open to contributions and places green living squarely at the center of its mission.
9.MOMocrats: These moms are “raising the next generation of blue” while trying to put a Democrat back in the White House in 2009. One might find it surprising to know that John Edwards was their original pick for the nominee. So being a mom doesn’t automatically get you a pass. As of this writing, they are split. No matter who gets it, he or she will be wise to check in with MOMocrats from time to time to see what’s on their mind.
10.Healthy Child, Healthy World当前位置这个非营利组织,曾经被称为儿童健康与环境联盟,“致力于保护儿童的健康和福祉,免受有害环境的影响。”劳拉·邓恩、格温妮丝·帕特洛、奥利维亚·牛顿-约翰、艾米·布伦曼和梅丽尔·斯特里普等一些最直言不讳的名人妈妈也支持这一计划。TheHealthy Child, Healthy Worldbookwas released last month and features Robyn O’Brien’s story from AllergyKids.com.
Bonus: Here are five more worth exploring.
To continue this conversation, please leave comments with your thoughts. If you’re a mom blogger or social networker, let us know and leave a link to your site or profile. Let us know how you’re using social media to further the mom agenda or just to meet other likeminded moms.
Wendy Piersallsays
Great list, Max – thanks for mentioning Sparkplugging! That Twittering Moms list went crazy out of control for a while there – who knew there were so many moms on Twitter?!
Missysays
Max,
“Hell hath no fury like a WOMAN blogger”. Just a tweak on your title. Looks better to me, now.
Social media is what newsgroups where like 5 years ago. Except with the advent of web 4.0 tools like Twitter, Pownce, Tumblr, and LinkedIn it has become all about networking, vocalizing, and sharing.
Probably sharing more than anything else. Most of the new media tools and sites all incorporate a “SHARING” function.
I love how a good blogger can use her blog, to get VIP messages across to the masses. Sweeeeet!
Max Gladwellsays
Missy: I agree! I was trying to get at the particular fury of a mom, who sees the world crumbling around her and what that means for her children. It’s now possible for her to truly have an impact while still being a mom. Time was, a mom would have to dedicate an inordinate amount of time and effort to lobbying or organizing to actually make a difference. With social media they can do it during nap time or on their iPhone (in between taking pictures) while hosting a playdate.
I’m sure those same motherly instincts apply to non-moms, as well.
Are we at Web 4.0 already?
Joelsays
Awesome list – great job
Green & Clean Mom-Sommersays
谢谢马克斯!我认为你这次是对的。妈妈的是强大的…小心!很棒的文章,谢谢你让我上榜。
Jill Buck, Founder of the Go Green Initiativesays
Max…you really nailed it! (:
我的组织“绿色行动”(Go Green Initiative)来自并已被推广,来自那些急于保护孩子不受环境伤害、确保孩子拥有健康未来的母亲们的内心。
I wrote the Go Green Initiative on my kitchen table in the summer of 2002. Thanks to the Internet, we are now the largest environmental education program in the world, operating in 49 U.S. states, 10 countries, and on 4 continents!!! We did this without a budget, an office…nothing but the support and hard work of moms on a mission! (:
谢谢您给妈妈们的支持!
Rita Wilhelmsays
记住,大多数的购买决定都是妈妈/女人做出的。
一般来说,女性都很爱交际。When it comes to a viral message, consider the fact that these moms are the mavens, and the connectors that Malcom Gladwell talks about in his book The Tipping Point.
Stefani Newmansays
非常感谢你在这篇精彩的文章中加入了teensygreen, Max!我不得不说,我一直专注于写更多的社会和生态组织和倡议,而不是强调绿色产品的洪流。当然,环保包括在“物质”方面尽可能做到可持续,但更重要的是让妈妈、爸爸和孩子参与到影响每个人的问题中来!
推特上见!
Stephanie - Green SAHMsays
伟大的列表。我对这些网站大部分都很熟悉,但也有几个新网站。当然,我在这里列出的是我自己的网站。
Izmetsays
Great article, Max! I have lots of new sites to check out!
Timothy Latzsays
Great post on Mom’s becoming more active in the blogosphere. I’m amazed and glad to see so many women putting themselves out there and broadcasting more green and sustainable ideas to their readers.
You can also find more Green Moms listed in our Green Blog Directoryhttp://www.bestgreenblogs.com/category/green-moms/
Alex Steedsays
This was a really great piece and I linked it accordingly on Make Something Happen. I have been really excited to read about all of the great stuff that moms are getting accomplished with the power of the Internet. I liked all the talk that was going on earlier last month about “mompreneurs”:
http://makesomethinghappen.net/2008/05/07/today-in-eaction-news-050708/
Looking forward to reading more!
.a.
Stefania/CityMamasays
Thanks for the shoutout! Proud to be in company with these fine websites!
Stefania Pomponi Butler
MOMocrats Co-Founding Editor
jonbiel@mtdn.comsays
Found out about this blog from your Twitter page – aren’t I getting technical! Mom’s are an immensely influential sector and they are imperative to listen to. Thanks for the compilation – we have actually been generating a list and you’ve added to it.
Mariesays
谢谢你给我介绍了几个新网站。我等不及要去看看,让妈咪们更加疯狂!
PunditMomsays
感谢所有伟大的提及(我的博客为BlogHer, MOMocrats和Moms Speak Up!),以及其他我一定会查看的!
Cristina - Green Mom Findssays
Thank you for including us in your post! We are happy to be mentioned alongside such wonderful blogs!
Lisa Fracksays
Great plug for all of us! Please be sure to check out Activistas – we’re in Oregon and we’re making some serious headway with a lot of off- and on-blog advocacy. Let’s get that mamagenda into law, folks! Best, Lisa
Lisa Frack - Activistassays
Forgot the link! Yikes.http://www.activistas.us
Please do stop by!
Izzysays
I’m unbelievably psyched (and honored) to have two of my collaborative blogs (Moms Speak Up and Green Mom Finds) listed here in such fabutastic company.
我知道上面提到的很多其他博主,他们真的很摇滚。
Thank you for putting this together and recognizing the power of the mom!
Lizsays
Fantastic list! As a woman – and mom – with a blog you’ve mentioned so many of my favorites.
无耻的自我推销提醒:我想让你看看CoolMomPicks.com,它本身不是一个绿色博客,但它一直支持父母的有机选择、可持续发展、公平贸易的物品、独立公司和从一开始就没有大规模生产的玩具。In fact our safer toy guide last year (http://coolmompicks.com/safertoy07)
helped lead the way for parents through the lead paint scare of last Christmas and the retailers we featured could hardly keep our recommendations in stock. Let’s hear it for the power of moms with blogs!
Allysonsays
This is a great post. I LOVE the fact that Moms are uniting everywhere. I can actually feel the power!
Thanks for writing this. The world needs to understand the power of a Mom on a mission!
Christinesays
Great article, Max. Good to have some eyes out there recognizing the efforts of the many women who are out there advancing the conversations on green living, politics and society’s perception of mothers.
Christinesays
Forgot to add I’m editor of GreenParentChicago.com where we tackle many of these same issues.
crunchy domestic goddesssays
Wow! What a great list to be on. Thank you so much for including Crunchy Domestic Goddess. I’m honored to be among so many awesome women.
Amy
Dulcita Lovesays
谢谢马克斯!巨大的资源。我要去看看这些网站和Twitter地址。Dulcita Love
ilinapsays
Thanks for this wonderful post. I am new to blogging and decided to pursue it as a means to vent, connect, and explore. It’s a great way to be a voyeur into other’s parenting styles, social perspectives, and creative energy.
当我的第二个儿子出生时,我经历了一段艰难的时期。现在回想起来,我可能正在处理被忽视的抑郁症,仅仅因为基本的生存是我们所能做的。我感到孤独,并会拥抱我在几个月的博客中发现的那种社区。我遇到的人,不仅仅是父母,都机智、犀利、坦诚、鼓舞人心。
我也是一名自主经营的营销顾问,所以观察博客圈如何影响购买决定和口碑的力量是一件很有趣的事情。80%以上的购买决定都是女性做出的,所以博主是一股不可忽视的力量!
Justyn from go natural babysays
谢谢你指出了一些很棒的妈妈博客!Love the range of green moms out there.
Hear Mum Roarsays
非常感谢!I was looking for more mother-blog networks, and this came up in Google
Sonia guptasays
Very helpful and well detailed, thanks