More than half of dads on social media are inclined to agree they’ve had had conversations or found resources that helped them become better fathers. That’s according to a survey of 1,200 “social dads” by Social Media Link and presented in the infographic – Dads Do Social – published nearby.
In perusing the data, I could see a reflection in many of the conclusions. In an introduction to the infographic, marketing director Jordon Ben writes:
“Today’s dads are social, vocal and see their online world as a communal resource to help them make decisions. From parenting help to choosing what products and services to buy, dads rely on social networks as a central part of the buyer journey.”
The infographic strikes me as an accurate profile or buyer persona of dads who are active on social media. In light of Father’s Day this weekend, the social dad is the theme for this week’s very different Unscripted Marketing post.
Unpacking the Stats about Social Dads
If we unpack the data presented in the infographic, it begins to paint a picture of dads who are active on social media. Social media and fatherhood do seem to be intertwined. In fact, according to the data, 61% tend to believe they use social media more than they did before having children.
What social media platforms to fathers use?
- 91% use Facebook weekly
- 60% use Twitter weekly
- 49% use Instagram weekly
What do social dads share on social media?
- 91% share photos of children
- 80% share children’s achievements
- 70% share interesting or entertaining things kids say
Why do social dads share about their children?
- 91% to keep family members up-to-date on recent events
- 73% to capture and remember important events
- 73% to show how important children are to them
- 60% to entertain friends.
What do social dads want?
- 82% family time
- 69% homemade gifts
- 61% electronics
- 56% personal care items
- 53% vacation or a weekend break
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Passionate Dads and the Opportunity for Brands
What the survey did not reveal, is just how passionate dads are about being dads. I LOVE being a dad!
And I consume an incredible volume of content across text, audio and video formats to learn how to be a better father. I’m definitely part of the 44% of social dads the survey says connect with other dads on social media.
It’s that passion for fatherhood that’s missing where the survey discusses the sort of brands or product categories social dads engage. It found the categories of products dads typically connect with are gadgets, beverages, grooming, auto and fashion. To me, those are the likely suspects, but there’s another opportunity.
The brand opportunity rests in brands that can tap into the passion of fatherhood and our collective endeavor to be better dads. For example, this week my daughter got a new “hair style” which requires a specialized curling iron to maintain. I had no idea, and so when she came to stay at my house, we approached crisis levels when we both realized I didn’t have the right tools for the job.
My daughter is five and she’s very proud of her new look – it was her very first haircut – and so it was important to her and therefore important to me. I don’t know much about maintaining feminine hair care, but for my daughter, I’m willing to learn.
The crisis was averted after I purchased a Wet / Dry Hot Air Styler by Conair. And while I’ll be armed with the tools, I’m short on knowledge, so I’d certainly appreciate it if the brand created content to show me how to use it.
It’d be better still if that content was for dads, and by dads. Instant trust, credibility and in a manner that speaks directly to dads. That’s a content marketing opportunity if I ever saw one.
3 Social Dads to Follow
Some of the social dads I follow and recommend other social dads include Ted Rubin, Bruce Sallan and C.C. Chapman.
Ted has a dedicated tag that’s helpful and inspirational for single fathers called divorced dad. Bruce produces a wealth of parental information, from a fatherly perspective, including a radio show, books and is the founder of #dadchat on Twitter. C.C. also maintains a tag dedicated to digital dads and this piece he previously wrote stood out in my memory: Dove Men + Care Respect Dads.
You can find these social dads on Twitter:
The complete infographic is published below. Click here or image for higher resolution.
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