Mommy Bloggers Catching Corporate Attention

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Stay-at-home moms have found a way to connect with their community and make money in a bad economy in the comfort of their own home.

Susan Wagner is a stay-at-home mom who shares her family life with a virtual audience.

"I really got into it more for the community and the ability to just talk to and hear from other grown ups who are in the position I was," Wagner said. "When I started I don't think I ever expected anyone to actually read it."

But fridayplaydate.com has a loyal following including movers and shakers in the corporate world.

If Wagner found a product she enjoyed, she shared it with readers, and that has caught the attention of major companies.

This trend had become more common in recent years. Companies want the advice of mommy bloggers, as they're called, on how to market to women using social media. In exchange the mommy bloggers receive free products from the company. Some even carry advertisements for the company in exchange for freebies.

"For a long time companies wouldn't pay attention to what moms were saying about products and services but yet marketers always knew word of mouth was the most effective way to get their message across," said Maria Bailey, an Internet marketing expert.

But the freebies don't just happen overnight. Wagner said she blogged for years before catching corporate attention.

"They are looking for blogs that have traffic. That have a high level of influence," Bailey said.

But that still doesn't' guarantee a truck load of freebies every day.

Wagner said she only accepts and writes about products she likes and can actually use. Her blogging experience has even turned into a steady income. She now writes product reviews for AOL and other popular sites. She said she's excited to see her words become the new corporate star.

"You can hire a celebrity to be the face of your product or you can go to these mom bloggers. I think my generation of moms are pretty savvy and trust each other possibly more than we trust a paid celebrity," Wagner said.

Marketing experts said mommy bloggers are transitioning to online video blogs. By the end of the year, the Internet buzz word will be mommy vloggers.

The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on bloggers who receive products. The FTC is adopting new guidelines that will give the agency power to go after bloggers and the companies that compensate them.

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