Blogging Moms Drive Traffic to Shopping Centers!

April 22, 2009

Word of mouth has always been a great marketing tool and blogging seems to take normal word-of-mouth to the next level," says Keily Potter, Marketing Manager with University Mall in Tampa, FL. Potter says that her team even worked with local blogs as they launched their new play area.

"When we began planning our grand opening, we worked with local mom blog sites, including 'Whoa Momma.' They shared the grand opening activities with their blogging moms and the word spread quickly about the new play area," says Potter.

"Whoa Momma" wrote: "Free and cheap family fun this week! Some of our Mommas here have already checked out the new pirate-themed children's soft play area and say it's a hit with the tots."

Potter says, "We knew the value of their blog. Moms share everything!"

And the buzz didn't stop there.

Another mom known as "Goldenmom" in Odessa, FL also announced University Mall's new play area, telling her readers, "Just wanted to pass along a new press release on a new play area at University Mall!" She shared the mall's entire press release in her blog.

"The children's play area was high on the list for shopping parents," Potter says. "We are excited to see so many moms taking advantage of it as well as sharing their positive experience with their friends."

David O'Niones, VP and Director of Sales for Playtime, LLC in Englewood, CO, says, "We've always known that there was a sort of underground buzz among the mom groups, play dates and coffee gatherings that use our play areas around the world. Other than hearing from parents while visiting our systems, it used to be very difficult to capture a pulse on any of it. Blogging certainly allows a peek into some of what's going on. These online diaries are very telling! We're thrilled to know that shopping center marketers are capturing and utilizing their local blogs as a social media extension to their typical marketing efforts."

Mom bloggers around the country seem to be jumping on this trend. In a Durham, NC blog called "Triangle Mom2Mom," Sarah Lindenfeld Hall announced the grand opening of the new play area at The Streets at Southpoint. She even plugged the area's sponsor, Duke Medicine.

Hall wrote,"Southpoint Play Area Back! The new play area at The Streets at Southpoint will officially open Friday at a new spot on the lower level in the JCPenney Court. The Duke Medicine Kidzone features sports-themed soft-play equipment and soft seating built into the play area for parents to keep an eye on their kids. It's part of a new partnership between Duke Medical Center and Southpoint, which also will allow the hospital to host some community events at the mall in the future."

Potter at University Mall says that success with mom bloggers starts when malls provide a great customer experience.

"Moms have told us they are thrilled to now have a play area close to home where they can meet their friends, bring the kids to play and have lunch together," she explains. "They never need to worry about the weather because the play area is indoors. Our play area has become very popular and is always crowded."

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