Did you know that one in every three moms in the U.S. owns a smartphone?
Maybe this shouldn't come as a surprise. We live in an era of tech savvy mamas - ladies who make up a large portion of digital consumption across all channels, including e-commerce and mobile use.
After all, women account for 85% of all consumer purchases and if you want to buy something, it’s a lot easier to read the reviews of other customers and make purchases online.
So you're a new mom, and of course you want to share every adorable baby photo and every precious anecdote about your little bundle of joy with all of your friends.
But wait! Before you hit Facebook, there are a few simple rules that every parent should follow. Seriously, it will make the virtual world a much better place for the rest of us.
Here are five common new mom Facebook fails:
1. Creating an account for your baby
Are you one of those moms who avoids computers? If so, the time may have come to change your ways - to embrace technology and all it has to offer.
A while ago, my friend Louise relayed that she was horrified to learn that a woman she knows “unfriends” people on Facebook who brag about their kids a lot.
Louise explained that she loves sharing news about her children and also hearing about other people’s kiddos. While I couldn’t agree more, I completely get where her friend is coming from.
Have you jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet? If you love cooking, crafts, DIY projects, fashion and more - you might just want to give it a go.
I’ve got a pinboard for crafty Christmas projects, tasty but simple recipes, home décor ideas, and sewing projects. I mean, sure I’ve also got a pinboard solely for pictures of cute puppies, but who doesn't love puppies?
The point is that Pinterest can be a very useful tool, especially if you know how to use it.
Getting Started
Facebook is supposed to be for reconnecting with old friends and communicating with current pals, but if you and your friends are nearing “that age,” you’ll likely have noticed that it’s being taken over by babies.
If people are talking more about yesterday’s baby shower than last night’s frat party, you’re reaching that critical point. Your turn is approaching. At some point, you’ll be expecting and want to shout it from the rafters. Take a second to collect your thoughts, though.
What the Facebook?!
First the massive social media site pushed users onto Timeline - and now they're swapping out your contact info!
That's right - without giving users any notification, Facebook created an email address for you AND posted it on your profile page. Talk about "boundary issues."
[Read "Status Update: More Underage Kids on Facebook = More Privacy Concerns"]
A day after Mark Zuckerberg took Facebook public, the CEO tied the knot with longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan - and updated his relationship status to "married."
The couple got hitched on Saturday at his Palo Alto home, in a secret ceremony with less than 100 guests. The attendees had been told that they were invited to a party to celebrate Chan's graduation from medical school.
The Wall Street Journal (which, refreshingly for a biz publication, frequently captures the wacky dynamics of modern motherhood) ran a piece last Wednesday chronicling all the ways kids try to outsmart their moms and get onto Facebook and other social media sites that parents have forbidden.
I read the article in our kitchen via old-school newsprint while my three kids hovered around me immersed in our family’s iPhones, iPads, and Macbooks.
Do you ever post photos of your children on your social media profile pages? Is it possible that sharing photos of your kids on your Facebook account could actually hurt you career-wise?
Writer Janet Paskin made a compelling point about this issue on the Wall Street Journal’s The Juggle Blog:
