Reaching older folks on social media almost sounds like an oxymoron. After all, Facespace and Twitterbook are all for the whippersnappers, right? The older generations are out in their gardens while they knit sweaters.
Well, that isn’t so, and hasn’t been true in a long time. Many older people have been on at least Facebook for a while, where they enjoy meeting up with friends and playing games, just like the rest of you young kids.
Sure, marketing to them is a little trickier. But just like any niche, the older generation simply wants to feel like you understand their needs and are speaking directly to them.
Choose the Right Social Media
One of the first steps to marketing to an older audience is to figure out which social media outlet to use in the first place. Again, they’re just like any other niche audience, and have their own wants and needs. You may want to use the same outlets you normally use, but if your audience isn’t there, it obviously won’t work.
So while you may think your older audience is on Facebook playing Farmville (which, okay, they are), the specific people you want to reach may not be there. After a little research, you could discover they’re all on Youtube watching funny videos.
Instead of fighting against that, you could embrace it. Maybe you’ve been thinking about making a video anyway. So now’s your chance! Make something you think your audience will enjoy. It doesn’t have be a rib-tickling hilarious cat video, but it can at least be something fun and not obviously trying to sell them something.
Advantages
You have a few advantages when it comes to reaching an older audience rather than a younger audience. For one, they’re less likely to be encumbered by work and other obligations. If they’re of age, they may even be totally retired and have more time to check out what you’re selling. Not to mention, they have more disposable income than that 18-35 demographic so many marketers covet. And they have more people to buy for – their children, grandchildren, friends, etc.
Another big advantage is their particular niche actually comes with their own social media. Eons is a social media network specifically for the baby boomer generation, and may be the perfect place for you to launch your campaign.
If not there, then try to search out other means of reaching them, like web forums. If your audience base is particularly religious, try to find them on their church website. Maybe they’re more community minded and like to discuss town matters online. If so, you can talk to them there.
With a little ingenuity it’s simple to reach the older audience you need. Treat them like in any other niche and you’ll quickly find they’ll find YOU.
What’s your business’ social media niche?
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab three ebooks, including My Facebook Formula, a free report on Facebook and why you should be using the largest social network for your business, here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/big-press-release-samples-book/