Resources - Mature Market Headlines

Social Networks and Older Boomers

Media Post Publications, 10/26/09

Abstract:

We frequently see excited news reports proclaiming that older adults, age 45+, are the "fastest growing demographic group on [Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, insert social networking site name here]." If you are marketing to older adults, the logic follows, you need to be investing heavily in social networking and social media.

Hold your Benjamins. We don't share in the excitement that boomers and older adults are truly smitten with social networking sites for three reasons --- one based on experience to date, one based on psychology and one based on the math.

Experience: Over the last several years at least a dozen boomer-focused social networking and social media sites sprang up --- BoomerTowne, BOOMj, TeeBeeDee, Eons, reZOOM, and more --- and practically all have disappeared due to lack of interest among boomers (Eons lives on but only after it broadened its user base to include anyone over the age of 13 -- how's that for focus?). If boomers want social media, they apparently don't want it exclusively targeted to them.

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