Fill in the blank: _________ are always-on digital natives, watch a lot of YouTube, and have massive spending power. The answer is "millennials," right? Well, yes—but also—moms. Hear us out. We’ve got new research on how Canadian moms watch, engage, and rely on YouTube.
We all have ideas about what moms look like from TV, from our own moms, from what we see around us. We wanted to understand Canadian moms as they really are. So we surveyed 4,000 online Canadians 18+, 700 of whom were moms, to get a read on how modern moms spend their time and what influences their purchase decisions.
Here's what we found: 84% of the moms we surveyed have smartphones (outpacing the general population), and they can't get enough YouTube.1
Here's a look at these YouTube-watching moms.1
As our ideas about who moms are shift and come into clearer focus, our methods of reaching them need to shift as well. After all, moms tend to be the ones who make spending decisions in the household. Here are three new insights about how moms turn to YouTube in Canada.
1) Moms are YouTube super-users
"We gather around the laptop at the dinner table and watch funny videos of animals. I choose whatever comes up on YouTube first based on the number of views and we'll sit and watch several videos. It's bonding for us." – Anna-Maria, Montreal2
Moms head to YouTube for all sorts of reasons: to stay educated on what's going on in the world, to manage their lives, or to grab some well-deserved me time.
The categories moms watch on YouTube are:
YouTube is an integral part of moms' lives, with 9 in 10 moms going to YouTube on a monthly basis.1 That's more than the general population goes on YouTube.1 It's also 18% more than the number of moms who go to streaming sites or other online video sources.1
As moms look for answers, inspiration, and fun in their busy days and nights, the way to their hearts is through YouTube.
2) Moms watch YouTube content to stay in the know
"We're going on a trip to Disney World, so we got the family together to watch reviews. We watched a video from Disney about one of the hotels we were considering to get a sense of what staying there would be like." – Marianne, Toronto2
YouTube videos give moms show-not-tell answers right in the moment they need them.
Moms turn to YouTube to:
Whether it's a virtual tour of a hotel, spunky back-to-school shopping tips, or product reviews that will be music to sleepy mom's ears, Canadian YouTube creators and savvy brands are creating content with moms in mind.
3) Canadian moms engage on YouTube
Moms do much more than just watch these YouTube videos. They engage. They lean-in. They talk back. In our study, 73% of moms said they've taken some action on YouTube beyond simply viewing.4
Ways moms engage on YouTube:
Brands looking to not just reach moms but engage them in two-way conversations can create great YouTube content that will get moms talking.
Marketers can start in the most natural place—by thinking about who modern Canadian moms really are and figuring out what content they can create that will answer questions, meet a need, and give them a hand. And these always-on, YouTube-loving moms may just reward brands with their love and loyalty.
Methodology
We spent the last year conducting extensive research about our YouTube audience garnering insights through qualitative groups in Toronto and Montreal and quantitative research with over 4,000 online Canadians including 700 moms.
