When you think about older adults, you may picture the cliched couple on the front porch in a rocking chair. However, seniors are more active and adventurous than ever before and more and more are active on the internet. Internet marketing to this group can be tricky, because many use the net but may not be quite as tech-savvy as those who grew up using the internet or those who use it on a daily basis at work. When you start planning your next marketing experiments, be it through PPC ads, viral reach or even by hiring marketing writers to create content, don’t forget about older adults. It is easier than you may think to keep these individuals in mind.
This is NOT a Niche Market
Older adults are not necessarily a niche. Older adults often fit in other niches—they just happen to be of a certain age. Older adults can be from all walks of life and have varied interests. Often you will simply make small changes to your marketing campaigns to make them more accessible to those in their golden years. This allows you to reach this group, without alienating them.
You Don’t Have to Target the Market to Include Them
Unless you are marketing a product or service specifically to older adults, you don’t have to target your campaign directly to them. Instead, you want to make certain that your marketing materials and methods are inclusive of this group—rather than using your methods to target this group. This means that you don’t have to change your entire campaign to attract older adults, but you may make a few adjustments or changes to avoid excluding them. One example is the use of viral marketing. Some of these methods may be unfamiliar to older adults, so providing an alternative way to pass the message on to these groups can help.
Don’t Underestimate Social Networking
Many people mistakenly believe that older adults don’t “get” social media. This couldn’t be further from the truth. As reported by Creating Results, a Pew research survey shows that around 57% of online Baby Boomers are using Facebook. This is a huge number and provides a simple way for organizations to market to and stay in contact with people of all ages, including older adults. While sites such as Reddit and Tumblr may not have quite as wide of a reach, there are niche areas even within these sites that can be the ideal place to reach certain niches of older adults.
As you can see, marketing to older people is not as difficult as it may seem. The important thing to remember is that older people are living active, interesting lives. Make sure your marketing plan includes ways to reach these seniors. Your results could be priceless—and ageless!
Tracy S is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
