The 50+ generation is a considerably large generation that many marketers fail to acknowledge. This is mostly due to false and outdated generalizations—an inexperienced marketer might assume that catering to them is a waste of time because they probably hate the Internet or they probably don’t even know how to use any gadgets.
Well, we’re here to tell you that this is absolutely and unequivocally false. Stop missing out on the grand opportunity to expand your brand by focusing your attention on the baby boomers and Gen Xers.
1. Don’t Underestimate Them
Contrary to popular belief, baby boomers are a lot more tech-savvy than they seem. According to Ofcom’s Adult’s Media Use and Attitudes Report 2020/21, in fact, which is a study on the media literacy of people of all ages around the UK, the online presence of baby boomers and senior citizens is quite sizable.
As you can see, there is a lot of potential for digital marketing and social media marketing in this generation. Many in these age groups use laptops, tablets, and smartphones to access the Internet and are exposed to all types of advertisements for various products and services.
In addition to that, according to AARP, the 50+ generation also has a higher net worth compared to the younger generations and owns a majority of investments (e.g., mutual funds, stocks, monkey market funds, and annuities) as well. This means that they have a lot of money to spend, so much so that 51% of all consumer spending in the country actually comes from the 50+ age group. The focus here now is directly catering to their generation, marketing your brand to a largely neglected group of people, and unlocking a gold mine of opportunity.
Drive Traffic Media is a Los Angeles marketing company that can help you with this task. As an expert in SEO and web design, we know how to expand your business like never before. Please refer to our contact details at the end of the page.
2. Make an Effort to Educate Seniors
As a generation that largely did not grow up with technology, it’s very important to be patient with senior citizens. They may not totally understand how to utilize new products and services, but that doesn’t mean they’re averse to trying them out. You just have to invest the time and effort to educate them and let them know your brand is worth their while.
Consider making infographics with easy-to-follow instructions. They can get deterred by things that seem too complicated and time-wasting, so keep the instructions short and sweet. Also consider using more traditional forms of advertising such as flyers, newspaper ads, and marketing calls—they may not be too comfortable on the Internet and will need to be convinced in other, more familiar ways.
Another excellent avenue for educating senior citizens is by utilizing YouTube. According to Google, 1 in 3 boomers use the site to learn about a new product or service, and 68% of them use YouTube for entertainment purposes. This is because YouTube offers a ton of information in a short span of time—boomers can easily watch a 10-minute video on how to use the latest smartphone, or watch a 30-minute recap of their favorite TV show without those pesky commercial breaks.
3. Understand their Generation
A very important characteristic of the boomer generation is their loyalty. Once you’ve established your brand as one that is high-quality and consistent, and with excellent customer service to boot, they are more likely to keep you as their go-to and are less likely to seek alternatives. It’s important to keep your customers happy and satisfied every step of the way.
As was already mentioned, one way to do this is by providing lots of educational and informational content. They want to know that they’re getting good value for their money after all. Other ways include having lots of discount opportunities (to show how thankful you are for their patronage), making the buying process simpler and smoother (to make things easier for them), sharing feedback from customers (to let them know you’re listening to their comments), and having personalized, lifestyle-related content (to make them feel included).
You should also understand the values their generation typically upholds. They tend to value hard work and persistence, so perhaps share the story of how hard you worked to build your brand. Family is also important to them, so you could emphasize how your product is very child-friendly or how your service lets you spend more time with the people you love.
As a digital marketing agency in Los Angeles, we know very well that it’s the simple things that can evoke the greatest results. Contact us now at (310)341-3939 to get started!
