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Influencer marketing is having a moment right now, so it’s perhaps no surprise that just about every company out there is looking to sign up social media influencers who can help to move the needle for their business. Among the most highly sought after influencers are so-called “mom influencers” specializing in everything from motherhood and parenting to fashion, interior design and health & beauty.
The rise of mom influencer agencies
At one time, these mom influencers were only influencing other moms and could only be counted on by brands selling diapers or baby strollers to help sell more product. But now, these mom influencers are influencing just about everyone, regardless of age or demographic, and they are attracting more traditional brands as well. In fact, one recent phenomenon has been the rise of mom influencer agencies that specialize solely on, yes, mom influencers. The Influence Agency, for example, makes it clear that moms are cool, fashionable and the people to watch when new products are released. Yes, they can help to advise on baby products or parenting, but their real value is pushing expensive interior design solutions for the home (and not just the nursery!), or touting fashionable outfits for the new work-from-home mom.
And big-name media publications have taken notice. Forbes recently called mom influencer agency A&E the “epicenter of influence,” and breathlessly noted how two beautiful sisters (Amra and Elma Beganovich) have transformed a side business of taking beautiful photos of each other into a full-scale digital marketing agency that’s taken seriously by major brands and Fortune 500 companies. These agencies now have “influence rosters,” and talk to brands the same way that other digital marketing agencies do.
What do models and fashionistas do when they have kids?
In no small part, the willingness of top brands to take mom influencers so seriously has to do with the fact that many of these moms were actually famous models, fashionistas or socialites in places like New York or Los Angeles until they had kids. Now, post-childbirth, they are returning to the game. They may no longer be young models, but that doesn’t mean they can’t advise on fitness and diet. They may no longer be single, unattached socialites, but that doesn’t mean they can’t advise on entertainment options for the whole family.
In most cases, the top A-list mom influencers have 1 million or more followers on platforms such as Instagram. The top mom influencer – Tammy Hembrow – has more than 12 million followers on Instagram and is a former top model and fitness instructor. (Oh, and she’s only 27!) She’s so highly sought after that even one of the Kardashians turned to her for fitness advice. Another top mom influencer is Savannah Rose LaBrant, with 6.6 million followers. She’s into fashion blogging and photography.
You can see what’s happening here – there has been a transfer of power from the traditional mom influencer – the sort of middle-aged mom who wears sensible clothes, carefully reads the ingredients on any package in the supermarket, and is up-to-date on the latest kids’ toys and hobbies – to the young (and often gorgeous) mom influencer who’s much more into fashion, trendy diets and workout regimes, and sexy beach vacations for the beautiful family. Of course, that doesn’t mean that more traditional mom influencers still can’t make it big. Many of the top mom influencers in the world still like to create fun family photos and goofy videos celebrating their kids.
The new mom paradigm
As The Influence Agency points out on its website, “Moms can be very, very cool.” And the cooler the mom, the more dollars there are for brand partnerships. That might be the big lesson here. Mom influencers are taking social media by storm, and they are doing so by using the same tactics, strategies and platforms as traditional A-list influencers. It is less about being “the mom next door” and more about becoming an aspirational role model, leading the good life while having kids at the same time.
