Audience Reach: From Millenials to Boomers, How To Reach Your Customers Online

0 Comment(s) | Posted Mar 9, 2010 by Pat Morrell

Patrick Morrell

Nielsen recently released a report detailing the shopping habits of four major age demographics:

• The Greatest Generation: born prior to 1946 (64 + years of age in 2009)
• Boomers: 1946 – 1964 (45 to 63)
• Gen X: 1965 – 1976 (33 to 44)
• Millennials: 1977 – 1994 (15 to 32)

Not surprisingly, each generation is unique in terms of the volume of money they spend, where they spend (online and off), and what they spend it on.  While the report takes a very deep, very informative dive (I HIGHLY recommend reading this report in its entirety if you are a marketer or small business owner seeking to target a certain demographic), here are a few highlights:

• The Greatest Generation (TGG), "shaped by the Great Depression and World War II frugality," shop more frequently, and more strictly according to publicized bargains.
• Boomers enjoy the most cash on-hand, and shop less than TGG, but purchase in higher volume per trip.
• Gen X and Millenials lack the cash and free-time enjoyed by TGG and Boomers, often spending their limited budgets in "mass merchandisers"

While this data - although interesting - is not explciitly useful for a small business owner as he or she sorts through a social media marketing investment, the "Shopportunities" section at the end of the report holds critical information for market targeting.  Again, I strongly recommend reading in its entirety, but here are the highlights (as far as ecommerce is concerned):

"The Greatest Generation: These savvy shoppers spend most of their online time using email and message boards, providing two ready avenues for delivering targeted offers and initiating value-add discussions about health issues and special wellness programs." 

Pharmacists, boutique store owners, health food specialists, physicians, physical therapists - this is your target market, and they are waiting for you online.  While not necessarily as active as Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millenials across social networks, seniors are certainly online, and their activity level across all platforms is increasing.  TGG still relies heavily on personal interaction and word-of-mouth referrals, and there is no more efficient way to accomplish that on a large scale than to find and engage these folks online.

"Boomers: Comprising more than one-third of the Internet population, Boomers are big online shoppers, comfortable using email and messaging to stay in touch. Twitter is a huge untapped outlet for reaching Boomers, who increased utilization 469% during 2009 (highlight added). Reach one and you reach their entire follower base with product info and special offers."

There are as many 45-54 year olds as there are 25-34 year olds across social networks, and that number is growing.  Boomers are buying into social media (just ask the once-skeptical Dr. Morrell).  The Twitter statistic highlighted above is frankly, shocking.

"Gen X: More than 80% of X-ers are online checking out Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, shopping and price checking online and texting or emailing friends. Deliver quick hit info and offers using new media for fast results."
"Millennials: These visually-oriented shoppers will Tweet and text about special deals real time from the store aisles about what looks good today, where to meet-up, and anything cool that catches their eye on site. If you’re lucky, you’ll hit a quirky Millennial sweet spot, and they’ll YouTube or Hulu a video of a helpful employee or unusual in-store promotion." 

Long story short, if you want to attract a cash-carrying American between the ages of 15 and 44, you can't not be online, particularly networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (and soon, in my estimation, FourSquare).

Filed under: Old World Changing, Small Business