Humans of TikTok: How TikTok helps Moms navigate the different stages of motherhood
The “new Mom economy”¹ is alive and well, disrupting how brands actively market their products to cater to different kinds of Moms worldwide.
The Asia-Pacific region is currently the largest market for Mom and Baby products, cornering a 43.1% market share in 2023 and expected to grow by 6.6% from 2024 to 2030². Of the countries in the region, Vietnam holds the most potential as it has the highest percentage of households with children, especially in Southeast Asia³.
Moms, especially new Moms, are hungry for resources and products to help them navigate parenthood. Whether looking for wireless breast pumps or preparing nutritious bento boxes for their kids, Moms now turn to social media, especially TikTok, to gather recommendations that inform their purchase decisions.
TikTok is a kaleidoscope of captivating people from all walks of life, Moms included. And Moms on the platform have different passions and distinct stories to share depending on where they are on their journey, whether they’re just expecting or already raising school-age kids. Let’s meet these Moms one by one to better understand what makes them tick.
Meet the Moms of TikTok
Expecting Moms and Moms with Infants
Of the Moms on TikTok, 42% are first-time Moms⁴. These Moms have a lot of anxiety, whether it’s due to the hormonal changes in their bodies or the sheer anticipation of their newborns. They seek solace in valuable support networks to quell their anxieties, even turning to celebrities and influencers for tips and product recommendations.
When it comes to purchases, they prioritize the health and safety of their newborns, looking for high-quality and eco-friendly baby products from socially responsible brands.
Their favorite trends, content topics, and hashtags reflect the many changes they undergo as they navigate the journey of new motherhood—from the pregnancy announcement, trips to the doctor, baby’s first milestones, all the way to self-care amid bouts of post-partum depression.
Moms with Toddlers
Of the Moms with toddlers on TikTok, more than half are second-time Moms⁶. While their child’s health and safety remain paramount for Moms with toddlers, education emerges as a top priority during this developmental stage.
Moms with toddlers recognize their vital role in fostering a learning environment, prioritizing their child’s learning and development above all else. As such, they are always looking for approaches to expand their child’s knowledge, intelligence, and creativity.
This new focus on learning and development is evident in their purchase considerations, looking for innovative and intelligent approaches that promote hands-on learning and sensory play for their toddlers.
These Moms love sharing tips on how to better prepare toddlers for preschool, as well as how to create learning environments and prepare educational activities at home. But it’s not all learning, as these Moms also find time to share the funny and heartwarming things their toddlers say and do on a daily basis.
Moms with School-age Kids
Of the Moms with school-age kids on TikTok, 76% have a minimum of 2 children⁸. These working Moms are re-prioritizing their careers as their kids reach school age and become more independent, with 68% as working Moms.
While their child’s education and well-being are still top priorities, there is now an added focus on social and emotional development, striving to strike a balance between academics and play.
Always looking for value without compromising on quality, these Moms appreciate brands that offer budget-friendly resources for raising school-age kids.
As they are balancing work with attending to their school-age kids, these Moms are big on parenting hacks that make their lives easier—whether they’re just preparing a school lunchbox, shopping for school supplies, or organizing a family trip overseas.
Hear from an actual mom on TikTok
Meet Khantisaras Putri, the influencer and content creator behind the popular TikTok account, @khantisrs. The mother of two from Indonesia has amassed quite the following on TikTok, currently at 262,400 followers.
This second-time Mom has a wide variety of interests, and it shows in the short-form videos she regularly shares on TikTok, ranging from parenting, lifestyle, beauty, and entertainment. However, she is most known for the funny and heartwarming videos of her life with her husband, Erkhan, and their two children, a school-age boy and a toddler.
Keep the conversation going and reach Moms on TikTok
TikTok now has one billion active users worldwide every month, and brands compete to capture people’s attention on this bustling platform. For brands looking to engage Moms on TikTok, it’s crucial to employ robust targeting strategies and keep the conversation going on their emerging concerns.
Moms might already be a part of your existing customer base, and building a custom audience profile just for them is a great way to start nurturing their loyalty. If you want to widen your prospects further, you can then target Moms with varying interests, behaviors, and spending power.
In previous branding campaigns, you might have also engaged engaged Moms on the platform already, and it will be beneficial to retarget them to utilize existing relationships and maximize your campaign reach effectively. Drum up awareness and excitement for your brand using the various features on TikTok Ads Manager, such as Smart Targeting, Targeting Expansion, and Lookalike Audience.
To give you a better understanding of how this targeting strategy works, here are some targeting recommendations you can use on TikTok Ads Manager for your next branding campaign:
Download our Moms Targeting Cheat Sheet here.
With TikTok being a kaleidoscope of users and experiences, reaching out and engaging with different kinds of Moms on the platform may seem daunting. But with the right tools and an effective targeting strategy, you can engage with and capture these highly influential household purchasers to boost your business and bring significant revenue uplift.
There’s a reason why parenting videos are always trending on TikTok—Moms are eager to share their experiences and consume bite-sized content rich with information on how to navigate the journey called motherhood. Using our proven targeting strategies, you can reach different types of Moms on the platform and deliver impactful content that influences their purchase decisions.
Hungry for more audience insights? Visit Humans of TikTok!
Sources:
Forbes, The New Mom Economy: Meet The Startups Disrupting The $46 Billion Millennial Parenting Market, May 2019
Grand View Research, Baby Products Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Cosmetics & Toiletries, Baby Food), By Type, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030
Vietdata, The mother and baby market is billions of dollars in size has great potential for growth, August 2023
GWI, Q1-Q4 2023, APAC Audience: TikTok users who are expecting Moms & Moms with Infants
Ibid.
GWI, Q1-Q4 2023, APAC Audience: TikTok users who are Moms with Toddlers
Ibid.
GWI, Q1-Q4 2023, APAC Audience: TikTok users who are Moms with School-age Kids
Ibid.
