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Facebook, Internet Users More Similar to Offline Population Ages Than Ever

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

With all the excitement over the Facebook IPO, Heather Dougherty at Experian Hitwise today rounded up 10 stats about the social network that are key to understanding its reach and impact. We focused in on Stat #5 – a demographic breakdown of Facebook users, which include 19% younger Baby Boomers aged 49-54 and 20% older Boomers or seniors aged 55+.

The chart (below) shows the visit share by age for the big four social networks: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus. And the age breakdown of the (US?) online population.

As eMarketer has noted, “The average age of Internet users is rising in tandem with that of the general population.” It appears so far Facebook is the online social network that most closely mirrors the age diversity of our offline world. Twitter continues to appeal to GenX and GenY. And LinkedIn continues to be an excellent if underappreciated network for reaching 55+ adults – 57% of users are baby boomers or beyond!

I was surprised to see Google+ have a larger audience over the age of 55 than Twitter, but on second thought its design and functionality is so similar to Facebook, it might feel more comfortable to older users.

Stat #8 wasn’t a surprise to us. As Dougherty writes, “Facebook” is the most searched term in the US and Facebook-related terms account for 14% of the top search clicks.” We shared that insight with a team of social media marketing ambassadors from a leading continuing care retirement community just two days ago. It was terrific to see their excitement for how the network could promote deeper relationships with their senior prospects and adult children.

If your organization needs help turning social media stats into social media strategies, please check out these related posts (or give us a call – we’d love to help).

Tags: Facebook, Google+, HitWise, LinkedIn, twitter
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Gen X, Internet, Marketing, Silent Generation, Social Networking, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Mature Marketing Tweets of the Week – 1/23/2012

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

It’s time once again for the top baby boomer and seniors marketing tweets that were most shared or talked about last week.

1. MOST CLICKED: Poor photo choice – unprofessional, young – for a press release about marketing to professional baby boomer women. http://bit.ly/w43h1Z

Do you agree with our critique of their image? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Do you worry that your own photography may not be doing the job with baby boomers and seniors? To learn how you can spend less money and see more results with the right photography, download our free eBook – “Photo Finish: Images that Motivate Mature Consumers” – today.

Photo Source: Sirius Bark by Temple3

2. What influences changes in aging brains? 24% of mental #aging due to genes (Wall Street Journal) http://on.wsj.com/y2hPvP

3. MOST SHARED: Apparently consumers use QR codes for the same reason kids touch hot stoves: to see what will happen http://ow.ly/8wSgY

Related Post: A Q&A about QR Codes and Baby Boomers http://bit.ly/yF3yqF

And here’s one link that should have captured more clicks:

Five Ways Content Marketing Connects Brands & Customers (@1to1media) http://ow.ly/8uHBA As Anna Papachristos writes for 1to1Media:

“Joe Chernov, vice president of content marketing at Eloqua, defines content marketing as ‘the art of creating, distributing, and measuring share-worthy content that grows and engages an organization’s audience, while deepening affinity for the brand.’ But as this ‘share-worthy content’ expands in terms of form and delivery, content marketers need to blend old and new tactics to keep their content effective and engaging.”

Some of Papachristos’ five ways may be new to you; others, helpful reminders.

Encourage Sharing – with short-form content that engages targets in conversation
Solve Problems – with content that is informative, not self-promotional
Re-Use and Re-Purpose – to extend the reach of each piece
Observe and Report – “Content marketing isn’t about simply dumping a glut of articles or videos online; it’s about strategically presenting customers with particularly
applicable information at crucial points in the buying cycle.”
Serve It Up Social – leverage social networks to extend the reach of your content … and your brand

If you found this content relevant, we hope you’ll use the tools provided to share it with your networks. Thanks!

Tags: content marketing, photography, QR codes
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Internet, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Following the True Leaders: Your Boomer and Senior Customers

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Last week I had the honor of speaking at the International Council on Active Aging’s excellent annual conference. ICAA has for ten years been trying to change not only society’s perception of aging consumers but the way we age. I had only 90 minutes to change my audience’s perception of how aging consumers are leading marketers to better, more successful programs.

And today’s boomers and seniors are absolutely telling marketers what works – and what doesn’t – in motivating them to buy a product, sign up for a list, join a club or take other actions.

You just have to know what to ask and how to listen.

Unfortunately, many organizations working to attract or motivate older adults aren’t taking advantage of new, digital research methods. Why? I addressed three main reasons in my presentation:

Misconception: seniors and boomers are not online or expressing their opinions online
Fear: digital research requires costly, specialized tools or platforms
Cloudy vision: not seeing the gold to be found in the marketing platforms and services already in use

Didn’t make it to ICAA 2011? Never fear.

All this week I’ll challenge the obstacles noted above. Posts will share actionable tips for following your customer’s lead. I’ll include lists and links to resources available to organizations of all sizes. And I’ll look to you to lead us to your favorite resources via the comments below.

Mature Market Research 2.0

Thanks to the wild and wooly world wide web, market research has gone from formal and established methods to insights that are often offered informally … sometimes without research “participants” even being aware of what they’re sharing. Data has gone from a hard-earned trickle to a flood. As Tom Webster says, we’re now “drowning in numbers.”

For example, mystery shopping has long been a terrific but time- and person-intensive way to see first hand how sales teams interact with prospects. Or to spot potential turn-offs at an active adult community or destination.

Today, you can mystery shop without ever leaving your keyboard. Want to find out why people leave your floor plan page without first signing up to receive a brochure? Program a quick poll to ask that very question of web visitors. Curious about your sales team’s performance? A few quick web searches for your brand name plus “customer service” can let you know what customers really think.

But Baby Boomers … Seniors … Older People … Aren’t Online, Are They?

Yes, Virginia, there is an older and wired consumer. In fact, the Internet population in recent years looks more like the actual population.[link to another post of ours]

And per Creating Results’ Social, Silver Surfers research we know baby boomers and seniors are expressing their opinions as they interact with websites and social platforms. We found that 36% of 40+ respondents had voted or ranked items online, 25% used comments or message boards to share their thoughts, and 21% had posted a user review.

Online share tools most commonly used by baby boomers, seniors

Voting/Ranking, Blogs, Message Boards and User Reviews are most popular with older Baby Boomers. This mirrors their offline preferences. They love to talk and share; there is value in a peer’s opinion of a product or service.

And that’s just the information they’re volunteering. In the Wall Street Journal’s terrific series “The Web’s New Gold Mine: Your Secrets,” reporter Julia Angwin writes “… the tracking of consumers has grown both far more pervasive and far more intrusive than is realized by all but a handful of people in the vanguard of the industry.”

While all this can seem scary, there are big benefits to moving to market research 2.0:

* For consumers, they get more relevant content, better customized experiences and time-saving short cuts

* For marketers, you can be more targeted, more cost-efficient and more effective

Tune in tomorrow for ways you can enjoy these benefits by following your customer’s lead online.

Tags: International Council on Active Aging, market research
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Internet, Marketing, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

A Q&A about QR codes and Baby Boomers

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

Have you considered incorporating a QR (Quick Response) code within marketing pieces? The geek in me loves this as another avenue for marketing to baby boomers and seniors because of how easily we can measure responses and pull prospects further through the purchase funnel. But reports of senior usage (or lack of) leave me with two questions: 1) is it a viable application for baby boomers and beyond, and 2) what is the recipe for success for using QR codes to reach them?

During a recent coming together of the marketing minds of Creating Results we discussed the phenomenon of QR codes and their implications in marketing to the mature consumer. We debated the benefits and challenges and explored several opportunities that could be leveraged for this cohort.

Just the facts, ma’am!

According to a recent article on MarketingCharts.com , 72% of consumers could pick a QR code out of a line up and 55% of those aged 55 and better were familiar with the technology (surprisingly a higher percentage than those 45-54). The bad news….30% of the same survey respondents across all age breakdowns didn’t know exactly what it was. Further, comScore reported that those 55-64 and 65+ only make up 7% of overall QR code users.

Media Post’s Online Media Daily also examined usage within advertising avenues noting that use of QR codes in print rose as much as 228% over the last year.

The QR Recipe for Mature Marketing Success

Mature consumers may not be familiar with this code today, but that shouldn’t stop us from leveraging it. Here are a few ideas for how marketers can maximize their efforts and aid in fostering an awareness of QR codes among baby boomers and seniors.

1. Spell out HOW: So many times I see QR codes being utilized in advertising with no messaging that alludes to what to do with them. If your target audience is 55+ consider incorporating directions. It could be as simple as “Scan with your smartphone QR reader.”

2. Create opportunities: If your organization already offers classes and tech experiences to seniors, why not excite those seniors who already have an established smartphone comfort level? This is a great avenue for CCRCs. Retirement community North Hill, a client of Creating Results, is introducing QR code scanners to members of its iPad club (a group of 70+ early adopters).

3. Know where opportunities exist: One of the cardinal rules of marketing is knowing your target market. If you know how Boomers typically access information you can determine marketing avenues that would most benefit and be most effective for QR codes.

According to Vertis, 52% of Boomer women rely on ad insertions and print/online coupons and incentives. Have an upcoming insert scheduled? Why not incorporate a QR code as a way to gauge how your target will respond. And as with every avenue you will want to test, test and test until you ensure the perfect storm of elements to motivate to action.

4. Spell out WHY: Boomers and seniors are concerned about their digital privacy and how their information will be used. We heard that over and over again during our Social Silver Surfers research. And they’re incredibly time-strapped – working, caring for elderly parents and adult children and grandchildren. By spelling out the benefits at the other end of the QR code – the what’s in it for me? – you’ll earn their trust and earn a scan.

5. Make it worth while: As with any new technology there is a comfort curve for seniors, which is a slightly more extensive than their millennial counterparts. Make sure that your QR code usage complements your marketing efforts and doesn’t just lead to a landing page replica of your ad. No one appreciates that and seniors especially will find this inauthentic and unworthy of their time. (And you don’t want to get them there only to lose them).

Following this recipe will ensure that your QR codes get the love they deserve and become effective elements of your marketing plan.

Posted in 50+, 60+, Advertising, Boomers, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Mature Marketing Tweets of the Week-11/21/2011

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Top Tweets from @CreatingResults that were most shared, clicked and action oriented from the past week:

1. MOST CLICKED: “What if we cherished our elderly as we worshiped youth?” Hi-impact video from Rogerson Communities. Thought provoking look at the value of services and care of #Seniors. Click here to see the full video.

2. MOST SHARED: 27% of Virginia #babyboomers & 19% of VA #seniors say they’re not financially ready for retirement ow.ly/7wGmV. Informative survey into the insights and perceptions of #boomers. Other interesting results include 68% #seniors feel prepared for impact of aging and 42% say their communities are ready to meet the needs of that process. See the full report here: www.olderdominion.org.

Actionable tweets of the week:

1. Blah, blah, blog, #blog: Takeaways from BlogWorld conf from which all can benefit ow.ly/7sDEm

2. Study: radio has positive impact on all stages of purchase funnel ow.ly/7tWPn Chart w/ % lifts ow.ly/7tWSF

3. Understanding paid vs organic search, & why to think LEFT for better results (@tedives) ow.ly/7sEBv

4.Something to think about: Leading retailers commit to paid search, email & SEO in 2012 ow.ly/7sLRG What are your priorities?

5. Shameless plug of the week (and shared case study): Case study on another CCRC website that increased leads from 5/mo to 25/mo after re-design ow.ly/7sAWh

Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Advertising, Boomers, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Sources for Local Information Vary by Age

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Pew Internet has published a new report on how people learn about their local community and determined that age is a big factor. In short, per Pew, “older consumers still rely more heavily on traditional platforms while younger consumers rely more on the internet. Among adults under age 40, the web ranks first or ties for first for 12 of the 16 local topics asked about.”

When Creating Results conducted its Social, Silver Surfers research, we found local websites – including community & local news – were the #3 most popular category of websites for folks over 40. 60% of all our respondents had visited local sites which included hyperlocal news sites, the local municipal government, senior centers and more.

To read the Pew study, click here. To download our free eBook with research and actionable tips for web and social media marketing for baby boomers and beyond s visit www.CreatingResults.com/SocialSilverSurfers

Tags: local news sources, Pew Internet
Posted in 40+, Internet, Uncategorized | No Comments »

New Statistics and Analysis as Baby Boomers Age in Place and Become Seniors

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

One of the benefits of power outages is you catch up on reading. So last week, day 4 post-Irene and still off the grid, I finally had time to read an excellent study from the Brookings Institution, “The Uneven Aging and ‘Younging’ of America.” Study author William Frey looked at Census data from 2000 to 2010. Here are some statistics related to baby boomers and aging in place that jumped out from his analysis:

* Nationally, the over 45 population has grown 18x more than the under 45 population. We can thank the Baby Boomer s (born 1946-1964) for this. As they have shifted into middle age, so has America.

* The median age in each of the 50 states has gone up. The increase in median age is most notable in the Northeast, where the average person has gone from 34 years old to 39.2 years old. Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut now rank among the oldest states – hello, New England! West Virginia, Florida and Pennsylvania round out the top 7.

* Texas, the Southeast and the Intermountain West have moderated the effects of the aging population thanks to immigration and migration of young adults attracted by healthy, diversified economies.

* The Sunbelt has seen the biggest growth in its over 65 population, and the senior population is growing in states not typically associated with retirement. As Frey put it, “Areas that show growth in these seniors, due both to ‘aging in place’ and migration, are likely to benefit from their above-average economic attributes.”

* And, there is a “senior explosion in the waiting” in areas – again, the Sunbelt – where Baby boomers attracted by weather, knowledge-based economies and college towns have been moving in the past decades.

* When the Baby Boomers were actual babies, they were likely suburban babies. These were the areas where young families bloomed. When they had their own families, they raised them in the suburbs. And now, they age in place. Fully 40% of the suburban population is over 45.

What do you think these statistics mean –for marketing, for health care, for your business? Are you adjusting your plans based on these population trends? Please share your thoughts below.

Tags: Brookings Institution, Census 2010, population growth
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Mature Consumers, Silent Generation, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Messaging, Part II: In the Name of All That is Email

Monday, July 25th, 2011

A week ago my post To Email or Not to Email reviewed recent research and examined different ways to make email work for you when engaging Boomer consumers.

The news at first glance doesn’t appear great for those who target consumers aged 55 and better, as many of these folks are moving away from checking email on the web.

But don’t worry, Chicken Little, the sky isn’t falling – especially for those who target the mature consumer. The same report shows that Boomers and seniors are actually relying more and more on email. This is a trend Creating Results has seen on the rise for a while and even highlighted in a post by one of my colleagues.

You see email really isn’t dead – it’s just our definition of what email is that is changing. I believe that “email” isn’t just a pretty html piece that hits an inbox.

It’s any online or SMS messaging that is sent in an effort to engage and, if you look at your various avenues and messaging in that light, you can apply many of the same email principles to achieve desired results.

The challenge for marketers is to know their target consumers as intimately as possible in order to identify their preferred channels – email, second channel, third channel. Then we must become experts within those channels and modify messaging accordingly.

There are some key channels that are gaining popularity with the mature consumer segment. eMarketer recently reported that 43% of Boomers on Facebook have established themselves as brand advocates by “liking” brands (and that is a pretty significant increase over the course of less than a year). With the ever expanding ways we can message (email) directly through Facebook this stands out as an avenue to test to reach this segment.

One note of caution for those putting all their marketing eggs in the Facebook basket: not every mature consumer is active within social networks (something to keep in mind when looking at your media mix). In fact, during a recent Creating Results study of the web and social marketing preferences of “Social, Silver Surfers,” 68% of respondents who hadn’t tried social media avenues to date indicated they would NEVER venture down that path (a response repeated most regularly among 55-64 year olds and those 75 and better) . And those who are active in online social networks, aren’t jumping over themselves to LIKE your brand.

Percentage of social networkers who want to engage with brands by age

Another avenue that is popular among those 55 and better is blogging. This audience is looking for authentic, informative insights to help drive their purchase habits and preferences and reading insights from contemporaries speaks directly to this desire. Who are your current brand ambassadors? Is it a current home buyer for a senior living community or a family member with a mother who just received excellent rehabilitative care from your health care professional? Encourage them to contribute to your blog or post on your social media sites to help reinforce the value of your brand.

All this is well and good – but consumers have to know where to find your message.

When creating email programs for national restaurant chains during my previous life, I found this to not only be true but to be an important key to driving traffic. By informing consumers of the wide range of avenues through which they can receive messages we were able to expand our reach and drive measurable and immediate results.

Variety is the spice of life and offering a number of online avenues through which you communicate with consumers is especially important, if your marketing goal is to drive traffic and sales. Remember I may not check my various email accounts for a week (evident by the fact that one of my email accounts has 500+ unopened messages – a fail for any brands who have reached out) but I have my cell phone with me at almost all times. If you know that and want me to act, tell me I can receive information that way and make it easy for me to subscribe.

Knowing not only who you are talking to but how you are talking to them is an important piece to your messaging (email) strategy. Not all boomers are created equal when it comes to their avenue of choice but one thing is universal among this cohort – they want us to listen. It’s up to us to demonstrate through our messaging that we are.

Posted in 40+, Boomers, Internet, Marketing, Social Networking, Uncategorized | No Comments »

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Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Mature Marketing Tweets of the Week – 1/23/2012

Following the True Leaders: Your Boomer and Senior Customers

Mature Market Research 2.0

But Baby Boomers … Seniors … Older People … Aren’t Online, Are They?

A Q&A about QR codes and Baby Boomers

Mature Marketing Tweets of the Week-11/21/2011

Sources for Local Information Vary by Age

New Statistics and Analysis as Baby Boomers Age in Place and Become Seniors

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