Mothers Rely on Facebook for Baby Care Advice

A new research shows that mothers are increasingly relying on Facebook for advice on baby care.

Researchers Dr Rebecca English and Dr. Raechel Johns from the University of Canberra explained that the findings are important as Facebook groups for mothers are influencing the traditional playgroup environments as a source of trusted advice.

According to the researchers, the word-of-mouth in mothers' groups and communities wielded great influence on mothers' buying habits. But, researchers found that advice from social media is starting to eclipse face-to-face discussions at mom groups or playgroups.

"Our study found that mothers trust mothers and that mothers tend to trust the opinions of other mothers when they recommend a product," English said in a press release.

"It is not surprising that social media makes a contribution towards the buying behavior of its users, but what is surprising is the strength of these non-face-to-face opinions in online mothers' groups and communities," she added. "Repeated interactions with the community and the accumulation of trust make the effect stronger still, as the community matures."

According to the researchers, the latest findings might have implications for advertisers and marketers looking to boost sales.

"Recommendations from other mothers are more powerful than any other structured promotion," English said. "Organic promotion, for example using free product trials by well-connected or influential mums, is one way to tap into this market."

The findings were published in the International Journal of Web Based Communities.