8 Tips for Marketing a Tech Product to Parents - Social Media Explorer
8 Tips for Marketing a Tech Product to Parents
8 Tips for Marketing a Tech Product to Parents
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Kids want the latest gadgets with all the newest features, and they could care less about the price. Parents are the ones who care about things like practicality, safety, and of course, their budget.  

How can social media marketers walk that tightrope? These eight tips can help you appeal to kids while still catering to the desires of their parents:

1. Lean on Testimonials

When they see a product on social media, parents want to know: What do their friends with kids think about it? Would they buy it again?

Word of mouth is particularly powerful when it comes to technology because not all parents are tech savvy. They worry about being misled by marketing spin, but a positive recommendation from another parent passes the sniff test. 

Don’t make parents go hunting for product reviews. Kids phone carrier Gabb Wireless posts them not only on its social media but also on its website, ensuring parents see them prior to purchase. Build trust by including the good and not-so-good testimonials.

2. Highlight Security Features

For obvious reasons, parents are worried about their kids’ safety online. When posting about your product on social media, lead with its security features.

Social media companies know this strategy works because they do it themselves. Whenever Facebook rolls out a new security feature, it announces the tool in a banner ad or a user notification. 

If your kids tech product includes internet access, pin a post on your social media profiles. Point to specific features that keep kids safe, such as website blockers or timers that discourage excessive use. 

3. Build a Community

On social media, brand communities are a big deal. The trouble is, many marketers misunderstand what social media users want from them.

Marketers prefer to post content that shares a lesson or story related to the brand. Many users, however, welcome more promotional content. One study found users want content that showcases new products and services more than anything other than posts about discounts and sales.

Contrary to what many marketers have been taught, parents want product news. Don’t be afraid to be direct: What makes your kids’ technology a better choice than its competitors?

4. Demonstrate Diversity

Every family is unique, but almost all of them use technology. Add some social proof to your tech product by pointing out that parents and kids from all walks of life enjoy it. 

To get this right, think back to your target audience: Are Millennial parents part of your mix? What about families from countries other than the U.S.? How about multiracial households?

Here’s another piece of advice that runs counter to audience-targeting wisdom: Go broad in how you demonstrate diversity. With every tech product, there are almost always user demographics you aren’t thinking about. And when someone isn’t used to being represented in marketing content, simply seeing people like them in it can make all the difference. 

Speaking of breadth, make sure your diversity shows across all types of content. Not every social media user watches your videos. Are your images and written testimonials every bit as inclusive?

5. Be Brief

Today’s parents don’t have a lot of time on their hands. Researchers estimate that being a stay-at-home mom is equivalent in time commitment to 2.5 full-time jobs. And remember, most modern moms work a traditional job on top of their responsibilities at home. 

If you want to capture their attention, you have to do it quickly. Get-in-get-out tactics include:

  • Placing your core message at the beginning of a video or text post.
  • Using bright colors in your images and videos.
  • Beginning content in surprising ways, such as shocking statistics.
  • Pinning particularly important posts so they stay atop your feed.
  • Write concisely and use action verbs liberally.

Every social media marketer’s dream is to have their content go viral. But especially when you’re trying to reach parents, the best marketing campaigns aren’t always the ones that go viral; they’re the ones that show consistency.

Parents don’t want to trust fly-by-night companies with their kids’ wellbeing. Data breaches, online predators, and phishing scams are all valid concerns. Consistent, buttoned-up campaigns demonstrate competence.

Aside from security, parents have practical questions: If they need to file a warranty claim, will the company be around in six months? And if so, will the customer service staff be singing a different tune than the marketers?

Parents don’t buy technologies for their kids on a whim. For every post you make, assume the parents you’re trying to reach have been watching since the start. 

6. Focus on the Positive

Blame their protective nature: Some parents automatically see the worst in technology. Many have taken horror stories about child predators leveraging software insecurities to heart. Others are simply sick of their electronics malfunctioning after a month. 

Whatever the reason, realize that many parents are skeptical. Make sure your social media content strategy emphasizes the positives. Use them to counter common objections you receive.

For example, it’s true that kids can become addicted to technology. However, it’s also true that many kids use digital devices in responsible ways, such as studying or connecting with their friends. Encourage parents to see the upsides, and they will. 

7. Don’t Forget the Kids

At the end of the day, kids are the ones using your product. Parents may control the purse, but they won’t buy something that their kids don’t want. 

Take a minute to add some layers to your marketing that will spark interest in kids. Kids are often drawn to flashy, emotional appeals: How will your product make them feel? Does it look cool? What will their friends think?

Can you blame kids for wanting the latest, greatest gadgets? No, but you also can’t blame parents for being careful with what they purchase for their children. 

Your marketing strategy has to cover both bases. Prove that your tech product is safe, entertaining, and helpful, and you’ll have hit a home run. 

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About the Author

Doug Brown

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