New mums are some of the most inquisitive people on the planet. They want to know everything about their baby and the internet provides a vast pool of resources to quench their thirst for knowledge. So, when we started conducting some market research into this demographic, we knew that we would find some interesting insights.
As part of our research, we looked at some of the most commonly searched for phrases from new parents. Terms such as ‘parenting tips’ get around 8,100 average monthly searches (AMS), while more emotive phrases such as ‘how to be a good parent’ see 2,400 searches on average. More practical terms such as ‘how to change a nappy’ are also getting a substantial 1,000 searches every month, so it appears not everyone has this vital knowledge passed down. After our initial research, we decided to dig a little deeper.
What Questions Do New Mums Ask?
While learning about commonly made searches, we also uncovered some of the more insightful queries. The specific questions that only parents would understand. From cat allergies to worries about orange hair, we pulled some of these fascinating questions from Google’s Autocomplete search function. See our results below:
With such a wide range of questions being asked, we spoke to Sarah Redshaw, Managing Editor of Babycentre.co.uk, to get her thoughts on this significant shift in the way mothers get information: “From the moment mums-to-be find out they’re pregnant they are hungry for information and this continues throughout pregnancy and the baby phase. Our most popular article is ‘Pregnancy Signs at Two Weeks’ so we know pregnant women are searching and searching early. In the past, mothers didn’t have this information at their fingertips but had to rely on books, friends, family or old wives’ tales.”
The Influence of Celebrity
The internet and media have had a huge impact on the way new mothers learn about motherhood and children. As a result, many mothers seem to look to celebrity mums for inspiration. We looked at five of the most searched for below:
Like in any niche, content and searches are driven by celebrity influencers and tastemakers, and parenting is no different. We’ve worked with clients in the past who see a huge jump in sales of baby clothes, for example, when celebrity babies are pictured in them.
The ability to ask questions and search online has revolutionised modern parenting. As Sarah Redshaw puts it: “Because search is an anonymous action, you really can look for any information and not feel the embarrassment of asking other people.” While family was once a one-stop source of all the information we needed, there’s now a wealth of information online, and judging by some of the questions we uncovered, there’s an answer to even the most obscure parenting question.
How do you get you parenting tips? What’s the strangest question you’ve ever googled about your child? Let us know on Twitter @searchlabs
Insights
