Increasingly, Baby Boomers are leading the charge for online media consumption. 

But then again, should we be so surprised?  

Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are accustomed to great change. They lived through numerous wars, man landing on the moon and the first broadcast of television in Australia…the Digital Age is but a minor step in evolution to the discerning Baby Boomer market.    

Although most reports (such as the recent Bridge Ratings Study) cite US statistics, it can be said that as a collective around the world, Baby Boomer usage of computers and mobile phones are on the rise whilst their time spent reading books, newspapers and watching movies are somewhat decreasing.  Here are some interesting statistically: 

> Internet users aged 50 years plus rose 21% to reach 43.1 million in 2004 – 2005.  

> The Bridge Ratings Study found that preferences for internet radio rose from 25% to 33% and podcasts from 12% to 18% whilst that for HD radio dropped from 2% to 1% amongst the Boomer market. 

> InsightExpress found that approximately 80% of Baby Boomer survey respondents owned a mobile phone with around 25%-30% planning to upgrade their phone in the next year or so. Between 32%-39% of Baby Boomers can access the net via their mobiles and between 10%-16% text on a daily basis. 

Interestingly, the gaming world is also captivating Baby Boomers. No longer just for kids and the 30ish crowd, it appears that Silver Surfers are invading gaming turf!  

PopCap Games found in a recent survey that 31% of adults surveyed had children or grandchildren in the home who were “family gamers”, playing family friendly computer/video games casually. Of those adults, 80% said they also played computer/ video games with their children or grandchildren as an opportunity to spend time with younger people.  

Meanwhile, Information Solutions Group identified that some 79% of family gamers were female and 95% were aged 30+ years. 36% of respondents said they were grandmothers of children who played casual games compared to only 6% who said they were grandfathers. 

So what does this all mean? 

Combine these statistics with the knowledge that Baby Boomers tend to have great friendship networks and you get a recipe for successful word of mouth marketing. Indeed, 89% of Baby Boomers advise their friends about products and services and 93% of this group also use their friends as sources of information for the same advice. 

For small businesses, there is no better or more cost effective way of achieving this than through digital media. 

How do you do this? Just keep reading… 

1. Create engaging content
Baby Boomers tend to be quite socially conscious so why not try developing your corporate messages around climate change, health, fair trade or other social issues. Be sure to include a “forward this to your friends” facility. 

Those in their 50’s are also more likely to visit news or information sites, followed closely by politics, health and travel.  

2. Appeal to concerns not just benefits
Leading from the first point, Boomers’ concerns about the world around them and their daily lives means using emotional and behavioural appeals may resonate louder. 

3. Incentives
Provide incentives for why the target audience should pass your message onto their friends. This may include a chance to win a gift or discount offers. 

4. Educational vodcasts and podcasts
Working Baby Boomers are time poor too, so why not create podcasts and videos that they can download and listen to during transit? 

5. Social networking sites for Boomers
These sites exist and they are rise in popularity, so why not use them? 

It is recommended that you seek professional advice before engaging in online marketing activities. If you require more information or assistance, please contact Australian Business Marketing Services on 1800 505 529. 

Otherwise, tell us your story! If you have a similar experience or question relating to the article above, please do not hesitate to let us know in the comments section below. We will attempt to respond as soon as possible.   

By Vanessa Tsui