About 34 million mothers in the U.S. go online to shop, plan trips, research health-related issues, pay bills and more.They also go online to connect with friends, give and take advice, write about life and socialize—otherwise known as social media. In fact, much of social media's success can be attributed to women. They’ve embraced blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and other related sites more than men have. In general, where men have embraced a world wide web that allows them to search for and use information, women enjoy interacting and socializing to a greater extent – things women have always traditionally done better than men.

As any mom knows, motherhood is no walk in the park.As the Internet has offered moms a useful tool, social media has become more of a companion in the journey.Blogging moms share stories about their kids, pictures of the silly stuff, reviews of products that rocked or flopped, frustrations, joys and more.And these stories are about more than just parenting and babies.

These women are diverse, unique, interesting and talented. Their life stories are entertaining, emotional and engaging (and occasionally peppered with humor, edginess and sarcasm). To their credit, we are no longer fed a primarily homogenized version of motherhood and life from the mass media or from a celebrity perspective. Instead, we enjoy unfiltered, unapologetic and, above all, sincere experiences from a variety of women living in real time. Readers gravitate to their unabashed conversations and become fiercely loyal and responsive.These women have a growing audience who is following their lead and giving them attention, and businesses are taking notice.

Businesses covet these moms who blog because of their influence. Mothers trust other mothers because they've walked the walk.When a mom blogs about her opinion on a product or service, other moms respect that opinion and take that sentiment to heart. Even the U.S. government has recognized their power, recently publishing blogger guidelines governing endorsements and testimonials.

As the voice of mothers gains influence in social media, businesses are aiming to find their place in this arena and identify how to connect with these moms. With marketing, media and technology changing so fast, it isn’t easy. Businesses can start by observing and learning from these moms who blog and investing in relationships with them, embracing their expanding role in social media. After all, it is these moms who are able to reach and connect with this growing social media population, a valuable market businesses can’t afford to overlook.

About the Author:
Kevin Burke founded Lucid Marketing to help brand marketers create and implement marketing programs that connect with moms and MomsWhoBlog, a news journal about mothers active in social media.

Through these endeavors, Kevin has worked with Disney, AOL, eHarmony, Boiron and others to build millions of lasting relationships with their customers. He has spoken at the Marketing to Moms Conference, Parent Publishers of America, KidScreen Summit, Word of Mouth Marketing Association, Association of Interactive Marketers, Association of National Advertisers, Association of Advertising Agencies, and Couture Jewelry Collection.Follow him on Twitter @kb33.