Daily Dose – Social Media Tip of the Day – Social media is not just for the young!
I get invited to speak at a wide variety of events through my business, a perk that I truly enjoy.
I find speaking at civic engagement clubs such as Rotary and Kiwanis to be very fulfilling, both personally and professionally.
Baby Boomers make up the majority of the membership of these clubs (although that is changing). My colleagues often ask me how I address this wide generation gap when discussing social media and new technologies.
My answer? Don’t underestimate the older generation.
A recent report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 32% of people aged 50 to 64 use at least one social networking site on a regular basis. We are seeing a big increase in these numbers from only one year ago, and the numbers are increasing every day.
How are Baby Booomers using social media, and for what reasons?
- To stay connected. Baby Boomers use social media to connect with the things and the people they are interested in. This includes family, friends and colleagues; political issues; organizations they support; hobbies; travel; you name it.
- To conduct a job search. In 2012, retirement is not a reality for everyone. People are not assured a comfortable standard of living anymore when they reach 65. Baby Boomers use social media sites to help find jobs, to seek referrals, to post resumes and to conduct research on potential employers.
- For entertainment. It’s not all looking up photos of the grandkids – Baby Boomers go on YouTube and watch funny videos just like you do!
- For support and for fun. ActiveEmptyNesters.com, a social networking website designed specifically for the baby boomer generation, launched in 2011. Ronald Mercier, the site’s creator and founder, has made it his mission “to help his generation stay involved in, and educated on, the rapidly changing technology of today’s modern world.” Baby Boomers want to be connected to other Baby Boomers, and they are finding ways to do so.
- To stay current. Baby Boomers don’t want to get left in the dust. They want to be relevant, to know what’s going on in the world, and to experience news and events in real time.
My advice? Ignore the Baby Boomers at your own peril. Any savvy social media marketing plan should build in ways to connect with older generations, not just the young.
Do you have anything to add? Anything that I missed? Please feel free to comment in the section below or email me directly at julia@jcsocialmarketing.com Thanks for reading!
Comments 2
I completely agree with you! In fact, I just spoke to a group of individuals yesterday that ranged from young to old and it seemed like the older generation was far more interested than the younger. They were asking more questions, being more active in the conversation and generally really soaking up the information.
Sometimes I do feel as if the older crowd is more adept to learning social media (and in general).
Great tip!
Author
The older crowd doesn’t want to be left behind, while the younger just tends to take it for granted. Thanks for reading!