Moms click with the Internet, averaging more time online than teens

[May 15th 2002]

The online medium has made mothers' lives so much easier that they are spending even more time online than teenagers and emerging as the family's online experts. These findings were among the results of the first-ever "Mom-Wired" survey, an online survey of more than 8,000 American mothers conducted for America Online by Digital Marketing Services, Inc. (DMS). The survey found that:

• Mothers who use the Internet average 16 hours and 52 minutes per week online. This compares to the 12 hours and 17 minutes that teens spend online, found in a recent DMS survey;

• Moms are increasingly the online experts of their family. Seven in ten said that they are as tech-savvy or savvier than their husbands or significant others (71%) and than their children (69%).

• Communications remains the most popular online activity for moms, with six in ten (58%) of the mothers surveyed using e-mail or instant messaging to communicate with friends and family members every day and another 21% doing so 2-3 times per week;

• Fully 91% of those surveyed say the Internet makes their lives easier by saving them time, with a majority (57%) estimating time savings of at least two hours per week;

• The busiest moms go online the most. Single mothers and those with three or more children each average 20 hours per week, nearly 20% more than the overall average; and

• 84% agree that being online and being part of their child's online experience is an important part of modern-day parenting.

Regina Lewis, AOL's Online Advisor and author of the best-selling "Wired in a Week," said: "Wired moms and the Internet are a perfect fit -- whether they're at home or in the workplace, mothers are busier than ever and are finding online services like AOL an incredibly useful way to save time and stay connected. At its heart, the online medium is about two things -- convenience and communication -- that are central to moms' daily lives. It's no wonder moms are taking their place as the online experts."

The DMS survey reveals that the Internet is increasingly becoming an integral and essential part of mothers' daily lives, spanning the full range of their everyday activities. According to the survey, the most popular online activities for moms are:

• Communication, with 97% using e-mail and instant messaging to keep in touch with friends and family;

• Getting news and current events information (93%);

• Accessing local information on shopping, entertainment and directions (90%);

• Getting health information online (88%)

• Researching products and services online (83%)

• Visiting kid/family sites with the children (80%); and

• Searching for discounts or coupons (80%).

This time-saving trend is likely to increase, as moms indicated they would like to do even more of their "chores" online. While only 6% of moms said they currently use the Internet to set up appointments, 62% indicated they would like to do so.

The survey also revealed that 8-10 p.m., when the kids have gone to bed, was the most popular time of the day to go online for both stay-at-home moms and working moms (55%). Additionally, the majority of moms who are not employed outside the home go online during the weekdays between 9.a.m. and 12 p.m.

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