The latest research shows that Baby Boomers (55+ old adults) now use social media more than ever. Not only have they embraced social media for communication, but they’re also using it to their benefit in a variety of ways including product research. Leave your assumptions at the proverbial door and check out some insightful stats on this huge demographic.
Do Baby Boomers use social networks? Would you believe they use LinkedIn at the same rate as the general population? Baby Boomers use of social media can help inform your social media marketing strategy, and there are some surprising numbers about social network usage among the largest population group in the U.S.
Baby Boomers are, for the most part, avid social media users with 82% utilizing social networks to connect with family and friends. Additionally, Baby Boomers spend 27 hours per week online, two MORE hours than those aged 16-34! The opportunities to reach Baby Boomers in unexpected ways exist if companies are willing to keep an open mind. The Baby Boomer generation spending more time online than any other generation is a surprising role reversal relative to many people’s expectations, and the data shows they are one of the most active online demographic. Their penchant for sharing and communicating on social networking sites should not be understated, and creating content specifically targeted to Baby Boomers seems like a massive missed opportunity!
With so many Baby Boomers using social networks, social media advertising is one of the best ways to reach this generation. As social media use has become more entwined with everyday life, adults 55+ have not been left behind in the slightest and are using social media as a primary form of content consumption and sharing. There are unique opportunities to utilize social media to target Baby Boomers in perhaps unexpected ways. As always it’s important not to get caught up in your assumptions about your audience but to find out what they really want and where they go to get it. For your own edification, ask your parents about their social media usage. You might be surprised at the response!
