Marketing for baby boomers – 5 useful insights
Baby boomers are way more tech-savvy than we think. Their spending power is significant and… there are lots of them. According to statistics, in Flanders alone 1 out of 5 citizens is a baby boomer. So why aren’t you targeting them? Brands have been overlooking the needs of boomers way too long. Moreover, there are still a lot of myths and misconceptions about baby boomers. We offer you 5 insights to boost your marketing for baby boomers.
Get support with your marketing challenges1. Baby boomers spend a lot of time (and money) online
Contrary to what you might think, this generation spends a lot of time online. In fact, they make even 20% more online purchases than Millennials (The Definitive Guide: Marketing to Generations). Surprised? Think it over, because the reason is rather simple. Baby boomers just have more money to spend than the cash strapped millennials.
2. Baby boomers are social, but not on every platform
Yes, baby boomers use social media. But don’t try to reach them on Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok. While Facebook’s popularity is declining with younger generations, 96% of baby boomers check their Facebook page at least once a week (The manifest 2019 Consumer Social Media Survey).
3. Baby boomers use their smartphones
83% of adults over 50 years old own a mobile phone. And they use it. A lot. Not only to keep in touch with their friends or share pictures of their beloved grandchildren. Their number 1 activity is … checking their email. That’s right. So you better think about integrating email campaigns to promote your brand or business. But don’t forget to make those campaigns mobile friendly.
4. Baby boomers are not into slang
Besides not referring to them as old, what other things should you take into account when addressing boomers? Well, just keep it simple and straightforward. Don’t overcomplicate messages by adding slang or abbreviations. Yes, baby boomers are a lot cooler than we might think. But play it safe and don’t risk confusing them.
5. Baby boomers don’t get scared of blocks of content
Remember, this is the generation that grew up reading the entire newspaper at breakfast. Long texts don’t scare them. Neither is their attention span short, as is the case with millennials. So when creating content you can go as long and detailed as you want. Just stay informative and relevant.
Do you want to know more?
Marketing to baby boomers is different than marketing to any other generation. Do you want to focus on boomers and include them in your target audience? Contact us and we will take care of your strategy.
About the author
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