Marketing to Children

by John

The Ethics of Marketing to Children

Are you a spirited extrovert? Since toddlerhood I have been bursting with energy and always on the prowl for new stimuli. My parents had trouble understanding my abilities to remain awake for 18 hours every day with no signs of tiring. I just never wanted to miss a beat.

Well here we are 40 years later and have never taken the time to mellow out. Since the internet began to take form in the late 90's my interest has been in search engine advertising and publishing websites that kids like. Many marketers research websites for children, but few have been or are spirited extroverts themselves.

At the turn of the millennium I began to realize that search engines and website research can pave the way for pinpoint targeted search engine marketing to children. After determining the role that search engine data had to help organize the setting of websites I set up my first kids research website in 2002. Why kids research, aren't there threats to children from online marketing? It's no secret our children are the future. Many marketing communications companies such as McDonald's, Hershey's marketing to children or Toys R us spend millions every year directed right at kids.

"Mommy, can you buy me that for my birthday?"
"Daddy I want that for Christmas"
"Hey Mom can we go to McDonald's for dinner?"
"I want that chocolate bar!"

Sound familiar? This is no fluke that your kids want what they see. The way many kids products are advertised and packaged leaves very little room for interpretation. In less than 1 second a youngster sees it, likes it and finally wants it. Now mom and dad you are the target of the "nag Factor".

Recent statistical surveys conducted suggest that children aged 12 to 17 years of age only need to say it 9 times (on average) before the parents cave and buy what they are asking for. When your son or daughter "says I want that"...you have actually been targeted by a marketing children pro. Promotion to children is a double edged sword. There is the ethics of marketing to children issue and threats to children from online marketing that is not as seen.

How and Why of Communications to Children

Each child in North America is exposed to roughly 100 TV commercials a day. If I set research in motion and dig what information I find about marketing to children is astonishing, but do I feel like I betray myself? The truth is research websites for children are a true blessing for parents.

Here are a few resourceful sites for children that are filtered by humans to ensure integrity of suitable information.

Ask Jeeves For Children
http://www.ajkids.com/
Kids can ask a question and get and immediate answer

Looksmart Children Directory
http://search.netnanny.com/?pi=nnh3&ch=kids
More that 20,000 websites organized in a directory for children

Yahooligans
http://www.yahooligans.com/

Started in 1999 it is designed for kids in the age bracket of 7 to 12.

KidsClick!
http://www.kidsclick.org/
Over 5,000 kids related site compiled by librarians.

If I think back to my teenage days the closest information source I had was the school or public library.

Children today have a wealth of information at their fingertips with a research website for kids of choice. Listen-up mom and dad...the trade off for hours of engaged internet activities is "daddy I want that dolly" or "can you buy me an Xbox mom, all my friends have one and I really, really want one...please?".

I am telling you first handed research websites for children are aimed at EXACTLY what I have told you above. enticing your children to say any of the above magic phrases is why Free kid friendly sites have such a high conversion rate. On research websites for kids search engine marketing is studied carefully.
Appealing to and irregular child, intense kids, excited kids, sensitive kids, analytical kids, a persistent child, an introverted child, spirited children or an intense child has all been researched well. Behavioral studies allow website administers to hone their campaigns so that more and more children start nagging "I want that..."

Mom and dad, I am just letting you know what's up here with marketing to children. Many of the research sites for children are well researched with sound search engine marketing strategies that are aimed at getting in your kid's mind. Although you feel comfort in "kid's safe" websites, he, he ,he...it could translate to persistent kids nagging you into purchase after purchase.

Finally, I'll leave you with a few facts on marketing to children.

1) Children today are suffering form obesity. This is a result of Junk food (McDonald's), extensive TV viewing hours each day and home video games such as Xbox.

2) When a child nags their parents for a gift they are 55% successful.

3) About 1./2 of children surveyed claimed that when they nag and the parent(s) cave in and buy the desired gift it improves their sense of well-being

Any statistics quoted in this article were obtained form the following websites

http://www.newdream.org/kids/facts.php
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/parents/marketing/marketers_target_kids.cfm
http://www.kff.org/

About the Author

Helping in submitting to article directories for maximum benefit, creativity coach and a director of a search engine marketing firm, John is a busy beaver. Recently added to his repertoire of tricks is website blueprint business plan layouts. An engine business plan template is the new approach to websites that withstand the test of time.

http://www.createonlinebusiness.com/silo.htm