Among pregnant women and new moms, the internet is the No. 1 driver of word of mouth. While we found the majority of discussions about brands and products still take place in person, much of the talk is stimulated and informed by content that moms have been exposed to through the internet and other media channels. And the opportunity online is only growing.

By the end of this year, there will be 35mm U.S. moms online. We know from past research that the vast majority of moms use the internet to help them stay connected to their world and for support and guidance. The opportunity for them to share and receive advice is far greater today than it has ever been, making word of mouth even more powerful. Web 2.0 affords multiple avenues for mom-to-mom connections, making it even easier to find and compare notes via blogs, chats, message boards and social networks.