Focusing Your Marketing On Baby Boomers
- Written by NewsCo
Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 and nowadays hold most of the wealth in the US economy. This article will help you target your marketing campaign on people between their late fifties and seventies (the agreed-upon age range for boomers).
Social Media Marketing
We already know that social media marketing is a highly effective tool for any promotion. However, if you advertise to boomers, you should know that they spend their time on social media differently. We suggest that you post on YouTube and buy Facebook likes to boost your Facebook accounts. Research has shown that boomers primarily spend their time on three different social media networks: YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest.
By focusing your marketing campaign on these three platforms, you are more likely to reach a higher proportion of the older generation. Keep in mind that your content must also appeal to them, and we will give pointers on that as well.
Slang Is Not Well Received
Many marketers make the mistake of assuming that if they add appropriate slang used by different generations, they will appeal to them better. However, our research shows that most boomers will not appreciate the addition of slang (even if it was used in their time). They feel that it is condescending and alienating. Generally speaking, businesses that use slang in their marketing are considered insincere.
Price Is Important
Baby boomers control over 70% of the disposable income in the US - that’s a significant motivating factor for marketers. However, it is worth noting that baby boomers still consider price an essential element in their purchasing decisions and prefer to know about it upfront. So, if you want your ads to have a significant impact, make sure to include price information in your advertisements to allow your potential customers to compare between you and your competitors. Terms like sale, discount, and clearance are likely to attract boomers.
Boomers Don’t Like To Be Called Old
If you’re significantly younger than boomers, you may be tempted to refer to them as the older generation. Most Americans would consider that as an insult, and words like “elderly” are not well-received. Even though most boomers are in their sixties, they are the first generation to consider aging well. They do not think of their age as restrictive and tend to try their best to enjoy themselves. Use your marketing to empower your potential customers to lead fuller lives.
Which Devices Should You Target
While it is true that boomers are not well-known for their relationship with technology, do not underestimate how much they use their devices. Most likely, they are accessing the internet on desktop computers and have shown heavy use of search engines. Most of your advertisement and marketing should be focused there. However, research has shown that boomers use their smartphones almost as much as millennials do, so do not forget to add some marketing there as well.
Email Newsletters
Most of us these days don’t give email much thought outside work. Boomers, on the other hand, tend to use their emails heavily. Sending them weekly newsletters with informational content will likely get you on their good side. Research has shown a highly positive correlation between newsletter campaigns and sales, so use this powerful tool to drive traffic and increase your potential revenue.
Accessibility
Although boomers are more adept at using technology than most people expect, and although they do not like being called old, these factors must be considered. Make sure all your digital marketing is user-friendly and easily accessible. This means your content should have large enough fonts for them to navigate (most boomers are old enough for eyesight problems), and there should be a lot of white space so as not to overcrowd the pages. Keep everything simple, which is a general rule of thumb for both older and younger populations. If your ads are too dense, most people will not bother reading them at all, and your efforts will have gone to waste.
With a few tweaks to your advertisements, you can easily target the boomer generation without offending anyone. They have more disposable income than any generation currently, so it is not surprising that a high percentage of marketing efforts are directed towards them.
