As dads flock to social media, brands see opportunities

A recent survey of fathers with children 2 years old or younger found that 42 percent regularly post updates about their families, with a lot even posting videos.

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“They’re not just a growing group, they’re a vocal group,” says Missy Maher, director of modern family foresight at Edelman. “The number staying at home is growing.”

About 600 dads responded to a questionnaire, and the results show that 42 percent of dads with kids age 2 or younger regularly post updates about their families on social media sites. Even more—56 percent—post photos, and 21 percent post videos. Millennial dads—those born in 1980 or later—actually have more online friends than moms do, with an average of 96, compared with an average of 70 friends for moms.

“As both parents equally share in the parenting duties, dads become more involved with social media,” says Andrew Schrage of Money Crashers, a personal finance blog that is doing more to reach out to fathers. “As more dads realize that other fathers are taking part in social media, they’re also more likely to get involved.”

Indeed, a huge outcry from fathers about a Huggies ad last month that depicts dads as less-than-proficient at parenting proves they’re becoming increasingly vocal on the Web.

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