How To Target The Baby Boomers

What is a baby boomer?
Baby boomers are the generation born between 1946 and 1964 during the baby boom after the 2nd world war, hence the name ‘baby boomers’.

They didn’t grow up with the standard of technology that we deem normal today, so baby boomers are having to learn how and why to use the Internet all by themselves, unless of course, they have help from their grandchildren who tend to find the lack of knowledge regarding technology amusing.

It would seem that Baby Boomers are not as anti-tech as some might assume. While it is true that they sure do use the Internet differently to us, they are active online and taking advantage of the way the internet can make life easier. As shown in the graph below, this includes checking the weather online, reading the news, and sending emails. They seem to not be as heavy users of social media and the digital marketing aspect. That is left to the younger generations, who’s lives have totally evolved around technology. From attending job interviews via webcam, to online shopping and watching TV through streaming online, there is definitely a clear shift in how life was conducted from when our grandparents were growing up.

The best ways to target these Baby Boomers:

When aiming marketing strategies towards those not-so-savy Facebook users, a different approach compared to targeting teens and young adults is required.

1. Be clear and concise- Firstly, make it clear as to what you are actually offering. As Baby Boomers are likely not expecting to come across an incentive to purchase online, it is best to be clear and concise to avoid confusion or dismissal of your message. To achieve this, avoid using slang terms or abbreviations, what may seem obvious to a daily Facebook user may not be so obvious to someone who hasn’t spent much time in the online space. Being straight forward will ensure that your marketing efforts are not going to waste and increases the chance that you will capture the attention of your target market.

2. Provide useful information- In order to capture and retain the attention of your target market, you need to provide value and a reason for them to continue using the online space. Statistics show that baby boomers use the internet to find and learn information, as a marketer you can use this to your advantage. Explain what your product does and how it will improve their lives- explain why they need it.

3. Make your website device friendly- Whatever link you’re providing on an advertisement, it needs to be accessible on a PC, mobile and iPad, otherwise the user is just going to get confused and click off. This is an affective way to ensure your audience loses interest. However, a modified version for each device to make viewing and scrolling easier makes a huge difference in retaining the audiences interest and attention, without having to struggle to find links and avoiding the continuous need to zoom in to read and zoom out to view the contents of the page.

Following these tactics is a good way to structure your strategies initially, however, each individual is different so market research is required to determine what will work best for your specific audience.

Good luck!