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Quote:There are also dozens of "mommy blogs," such as Mommy Track'd, and numerous community sites like BPN around the country. While some of these sites are "hyper-local," they're not just about local. There is typically advice and information about parenting and family that doesn’t have to do with a particular DMA. But there’s a great deal that inevitably will involve local markets: doctors, preschools, events for kids, travel, and so on.

The identity and affinity of being a parent helps create the incentive to participate in these communities. The community also creates loyalty and trust. All this is fundamentally different than a straightforward local search/directory site, which often feels highly anonymous or "cold" by comparison.

This trust factor is key...

Marketers and local businesses should consider some of these mom sites in their thinking about targeting local audiences and in terms of "online word of mouth."...