Baby boomers (ages 55 to 73) have played an essential role in the U.S economy’s spending. According to population estimates, the total number of baby boomers is 71.6 million. It’s safe to say that the baby boomers’ spending power influences business growth and other factors that lead the U.S. economy to flourish.
Shedding some light on the arena of eCommerce, baby boomers are treated as a secondary audience. Boomers are the most neglected wealthy people in marketing history; however, most companies fail to market effectively.
To avoid this in the future of marketing, you must know your target customers’ behaviors and purchasing patterns- baby boomers.
Suppose you don’t want to regret a lost opportunity to impress this specific audience. In that case, we’ll show you the marketing strategies to market to them in a useful way and valuable to your business.
Let’s get started!
Ensure Websites & Mobile Apps Are Responsive
Baby boomers did not grow up with technology, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have access to the latest technology. They may struggle with day-to-day technology; however, the majority of people own digital devices. According to the Pew Research Center, 52% of Gen Xers, 53% of Millenials, and 52% of Boomers said they own tablets.
Smart gadget ownerships among baby boomers continue to grow. For example, the Huffpost website is responsive to all kinds of screens, allowing users to browse different topics as they want to explore.
Provide Relevant Information
The 55 and over age group controls more than 3/4th of America’s wealth. It’s also estimated that $14-20 trillion in the next 20 years. Hence, you need to take into account the baby boomers’ marketing strategy, which is to provide them with useful information.
For example, when it comes to selling products through eCommerce websites, it must provide complete information. Showcasing exact details can help this demographic through the decision-making process.
The main thing to notice here is that eCommerce product copywriting uses clear headings and bullets to convey key selling points. This style of formatting makes the content easier to understand and helps them grasp information quickly.
Focus on providing benefits of products or services while writing for baby boomers. This will give a clear picture to your audience. Moreover, this generation comes with significant potential, and it’s okay if you take advantage of their purchasing power.
For example, the Medical Guardian blog provides information to help seniors to live their lives healthy. Its blog section covers various topics, including personal finances for seniors, tips on knowing if a medical alert system, and age successfully.
Avoid “Clickbait Articles.”
Baby boomers are quite smart. So they would not lean towards “clickbait articles.” If the article fails to provide complete information on the topic, they may not bother with it at all.
Still, if you give what you have to offer in an upfront way, they will likely click on the articles as long as it concerns them.
Use the Best Social Media Platforms
With the advancement of social media platforms, users’ habits also evolve. The best social media platforms for U.S. baby boomers are YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. According to Statista, baby boomer internet users in the United States uses selected social networks as of February 2019. 68% of baby boomers use Facebook, and 70% use YouTube. At the same time, 23% of U.S. adults aged between 50 and 64 used the photo-sharing app, Instagram.
Moreover, Facebook advertisements have become a mainstay to reach more and more audiences. With a Facebook ad campaign, it’s possible to use segments and advance targeting to identify boomer prospects. The factors like age, gender, geographic location, device, and interests help narrow who sees the advertisement. Using social media strategy, brands can ensure their messages reach the right targeted audience with the right notes.
Don’t Use Abbreviations & Slang
Generation-specific languages sometimes may turn off baby boomers, and it often appears insincere for business’ purposes.
All you need to avoid is the usage of abbreviations and slang or generation-specific languages that create miscommunication and lack of clarity. It’d be a worst-case scenario if the brand would spend all the time and money to reach the audience like baby boomers with slangs.
Excellent Customer Service Plays an Important Role
Live chat is undeniably a convenient option for Gen X; however, many baby boomers still prefer to interact with a real person. Excellent customer service with a human touch is essential. If you provide various ways to contact companies, you can lessen the friction between consumers and companies. As a business owner, provide a visually prominent email address and phone number to enhance your website experience.
From turning customers’ uncertainty into brand loyalty, all you need to make the process of customer service easy and reliable.
Avoid Using Hashtags
While it’s suggested to avoid using any hashtags while marketing to baby boomers, we recommend a “very focused” hashtag strategy. Use only a single word hashtag and prevent anything which is too vague and lengthy. For baby boomers, use only hashtags that should be incredibly relevant to the post’s actual content.
Never Use the Word “Elderly” or “Old”
In American culture, the word “old” and “elderly” are viewed as disrespecting comments. Mostly baby boomers are at the age of mid-sixties and living full lives. As a marketer, the main objective is to empower them to achieve their goals. This can only be achieved by showcasing the benefits that services or products provided.
Bottom line: enthusiasm and clear communication with a respectful attitude can help brands resonate with the target audience. Above all, keep reminding yourself – this idea never gets old and will always be applicable in marketing, specifically for the baby boomers.
Put Clear Links on Policies & Documentation
Baby boomers prefer the content in a longer form. Brands must provide clear instructions and documentation, which proactively address their needs. No matter which generation is, every generation always appreciates transparency.
Marketers should provide links on policies and documentation in a transparent manner. This will help you provide the level of helpfulness and openness that can often lead to enhanced user satisfaction and increase the likelihood of purchase.
Dedicate Information for Improving Lifestyle
While creating marketing campaigns, focus on how your products and services can improve baby boomers’ lifestyles. This generation comes from the era when televisions and telephones were rare in every home.
Undoubtedly, they do prefer face-to-face interactions, but they will also go online. Since they have disposable income, they do not mind spending money when it comes to comfort and luxury.
If you have a better chance of selling to them, then provide information on improving their lives.
Conclusion
The demand for every generation is unique. However, every age group comes with unique challenges and opportunities. On top of that, you need to remember that your ultimate customer is an individual but not any concept.
As you go through with the marketing strategies mentioned above for baby boomers, we hope you would find it useful for your businesses and hook your target generation.
Want to share your thoughts with us, you can comment below.
