Apartment Blog

“Baby boomers aren’t technology Luddites. More than 60 % of them consume socially created content. You’ll find them leaving their opinions on Web sites and joining social networks.”
- Jeremiah K. Owyang (@jowyang), researcher with Forrester Research

There is this perception that adults over 50 only dabble on the Internet, but research is finding that they are spending more time online and interacting in robust social networking communities. Baby boomers using social networking sites such as Facebook™, MySpace™, LinkedIn®, Twitter and YouTube™ are not as uncommon as you may think.

According to The Pew Internet and American Life Project, boomers now account for 35% of all Americans online. A consumer survey of U.S. consumers, from the NPD group, Inc., a leading provider of reliable consumer research, shows that 61% of baby boomer Internet users (age 44 to 61) had visited sites that offer streaming or downloadable video, while 41% had visited social networks.

Baby boomers are finding social networking sites appealing for the same reasons most people do- to stay in touch with people. They are interested in reconnecting with old friends and classmates whom they haven’t talked to in more than 30 years. They enjoy sharing photos with family and friends and staying connected to their children and grandchildren. High school and college reunions are also being organized via Facebook. Nielsen Reports that moms (aged 40-50 with 3+ children) are heavy online shoppers who stay connected via social networking more so than mom’s 39-54. Some are even replacing e-mail with social networking sites for staying in touch with people on an ongoing basis.  In addition to sites like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn, they are also using boomer-specific sites like eons.com, boommj.com, boomertowne.com and the aarp.org social network. 
According to Facebook, women over 55 remain the fastest growing group on the site, and growth among the teen and college-age set has been relatively paltry. In absolute numbers there are now even slightly more members between the ages of 45 and 65 than there are 13-to 17-year-olds. Analytics company iStrategyLabs has examined the demographics stats from Facebook’s Social Ads platform, and they have found staggering results. Interestingly, they found that the number of users aged 25-34 has grown 60.8%; the number of users aged 35 to 54 has grown 190.2%, while the number of users older than 55 years has grown a tremendous 513.7%.

Baby boomers are making themselves known in the social media space of the online world. Marketers who neglect to speak to them in the language they are now adapting to will miss out on a rewarding opportunity!

Be sure to check out After 55 Housing & Resource Guide during a paid advertising program which will be featured on Life and Leisure Television.   To view the segments’ airing schedule, click here.

Placement on Life and Leisure, which is a part of the Bravo Network, will expose After 55 to a vast audience, including:

• 70 million cable households nationwide
• Millions on DirecTV & Dish Network
• 2 million potential television households throughout Canada, via DIRECTV and the Dish Network
• 75 million Internet and news media users
  • Video On-Demand
  • LifeAndLeisureTV.com Website
  • iTunes/Podcasting and other Radio Venues
  • YouTube, howstuffworks and 12 other Video Venues  

With several housing options available for Baby Boomers and beyond, After 55 Housing and Resource Guide offers a comprehensive and educational publication that represents a multitude of communities nationwide together with companies providing products and services specific to fit the needs of the After 55 audience.    

According to PreRetirement Resources Group, Baby Boomers are turning 50, at an astonishing rate of one every 7 to 10 seconds. That’s more than 12,000 each day and more than four million a year. With that being said, the housing industry has responded to the needs of this generation and their multi faceted preferences. With several housing options available for Baby Boomers and beyond, After 55^TM Housing and Resource Guide offers a comprehensive educational publication representing a multitude of communities nationwide together with companies providing products and services specific to your needs.  After 55 Housing and Resource Guide powers SeniorOutlook.com^TM, which also offers information on moving services, insurance and healthcare.

Outdated stereotypes have portrayed people over age 50 as those slowing down in life, going through the empty-nest syndrome, and so on.  On the contrary, Baby Boomers view turning 50 as beginning a new life.  More and more, adults over 50 are starting second and even third careers, developing new hobbies, and remarrying. 

It is important to note that Baby Boomers account for 50% of all U.S. discretionary income and 65% of the average household worth.¹   By the year 2015, about 45% of the U.S. adult population will be 50 or better.²   With this in mind, marketers should acknowledge the buying power that Baby Boomers have.  This generation accounts for $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending³, making it virtually impossible for them to be ignored as consumers.   Research shows that 34% of Boomers live in households with annual incomes of $75,000, versus only 31% of non-Boomers, affirming that Baby Boomers are more affluent than non-Boomer consumers.

The online market is one of great importance when it comes to the discussion of marketing to the Baby Boomer population.  “Wired Seniors” as they are sometimes called, are the fastest growing demographic group online.⁴ In fact, SeniorOutlook.com was recently recognized as one of the “Most Useful Sites” on the Web for 50 plus adults by PreRetirementLife.com.  It has also been proven that Baby Boomers research products online more often than other groups.⁵ For instance, Boomers purchase products or services online 3% more than non-Boomers. ⁵ Boomers outnumber non-Boomers who research products and services online by 6%.⁵ Nearly 20% of online Boomers utilize social networking sites as well as online chat and IM programs.⁵ 

The Baby Boomer generation will only continue to evolve and break away from the traditional mold of how Americans over 50 live.  Marketers will need to develop new tactics and strategies to cater to this massive demographic.  The Boomer generation holds America’s buying power in the palm of its hand - a potential gold mine for marketers everywhere.

Source: ¹ Deloitte Touche, ² After 50 Marketing, LLC, ³ U.S. Census Bureau, ⁴ Pew/Internet, ⁵ Jupiter Research