The boomer generations might feel out of reach for digital marketers, and it is easy to assume that they are not digital natives and would appreciate more traditional and conventional modes of advertising. It is not that the online world is completely off the radar, just that online advertising modes tend to mimic those of the offline world.
If this is your approach to the boomer generation, you are likely missing out on a chunk of change. The boomer generation has the most disposable income and spare time for those impulsive buying decisions while browsing online. It is important not only for your brand, therefore, but for the care of these older customers to make sure your marketing works for a variety of ages.
Let's look at five ways to tap into this market, which has long been neglected.
Check your assumptions about media use
In the 2020/1 Media use and attitudes report, Ofcom noted that 86% of 55-64s use a smartphone, 94% use the internet at home, and 73% have a social media profile. For the over 65s, the numbers are still significant. 55% have a smartphone, 77% use the internet at home, and 59% have a social media profile.
Consequently, we have direct access to older audiences through mobile, SMS, and smartphone marketing as marketers. You have a significant opportunity to influence this boomer generation while they are on the move and require a mobile-first content mindset and other traditional optimisation tools.
Tap into the loyalty of the seniors' market
Once a senior has decided on your channel as the digital go-to for their buying choices, they are likely to stay around. Seniors want to learn about new brands, but they are less likely to go looking in various places for information on trends. Consequently, once you have attracted this market, you are in a prime position to continue influencing them.
There are ways that digital marketers can attract this loyalty. First, providing information about the local community and insights into their lifestyle and making information local. Equally, ensuring the seamless offline and online user journey will also promote the seniors' use.
There are other more obvious techniques to prompt senior loyalty. First, simplify the marketing experience, ensuring that substance takes centre-stage over style. Also, offering telephone calls to action are much preferred by this older generation.
Experience matters more than being unique
While younger generations are looking for fresh insight and style, seniors seek ease of experience and greater personalisation of content. The senior market likes to be targeted, to be known, so much work must be done to deliver an experience that is completely relevant to their experience.
When asked to rate brands, seniors tend to focus their comments on customer service and personal contact and held more traditional means of contact, such as a telephone line, as being most important.
Increase focus on education
Digital marketers are right to consider how native the user is in the digital world. When we live most of our lives on our phones or online, our experience can leave us blind spots about what a non-native might need. With careful content placement and promotion, an older audience requires some explanation and more clarity than younger audiences. You will need to place clear markers through the buying process to help them feel confident to click to purchase.
Online banking apps have done most work in this area, where aversion to change is strongest. Here, the banks used the offline experience to train the older generation in using the app. By training colleagues in branches, they helped the user become accustomed to the features on the phone. Equally, these companies offer traditional print documentation to guide users through the online world.
In short, the more senior user needs a lot more explanation than younger users would tolerate.
YouTube and Pinterest
YouTube and Pinterest have the most influence over boomer buyers, and Google noted that one in three boomers use YouTube to learn about a product or service. Equally, there has been an 85% increase in the use of Pinterest to influence buying decisions.
Video and image-based brand presence are essential for the older generation. Seeing is believing for seniors, and they want to see a product in action.
In summary
The digital marketer's role is to bridge the gap between the offline and online world of the senior and make that experience seamless. This means offering more explanation and calls to action to a telephone line on a practical level. Creatively demonstrating the product and using other users' testimonials is an excellent way to build trust – and loyalty.