Amazing how perception of who's online, who's blogging and who's using social media lags far behind the reality. If you're a marketer, are you still thinking about social media, including blogs and social networks, as channels to reach a young audience? Think again. A few touchpoints:
- 56% of those ages 65 - 69 are now online
- 45% of those 70 - 74 are using the Internet
That's according to stats from eMarketer: Online Generation Gap Narrows. Some of eMarketer's numbers come from a new Pew Internet Project report: Generations Online in 2009. Not surprisingly, researching health information online is a preferred activity of seniors.
Here's another stat I love:
- 44% of YouTube's users are ages 45 - 55+
Chart is from a nifty July 2008 PDF that YouTube published.
Food for thought if you're thinking about how to reach your target audience this year.
Useful Links
Who's Online and What Are They Doing There? (ReadWriteWeb - Jan. 30, 2009)
Geoff Livingston's round-up of latest market research (Feb. 4, 2009)
Facebook vs. Linkedin - chart shows that those ages 55 - 65+ are using both (July 22, 2008)
Previous Comments
Melissa Mines said on February 6, 2009 at 12:21 AM
It appears as if the the older population trends towards “1:1” online interactions (research, email, etc). I’ve been trying to find some exceptions to this and have been really impressed with how sites like Boomer Cafe (http://www.boomercafe.com/) are attempting to engage a generation band with topics that are engaging and edifying. It will be fascinating to see how the various generation bands evolve. Do keep sharing. This is great.
Tina Fountain said on February 8, 2009 at 08:45 PM
My in-laws are both 75+ and they read all their news online, shop online and email their friends. At least once a day I get an email from them, usually regarding politics, religion, or comedy;)
They love to read blogs and they have tried twitter and facebook, but said none of their friends used it, so they prefer emailing.
John Russell said on February 23, 2009 at 06:54 PM
Thanks for this useful information. My parents are in their 70’s and they’re very comfortable with email and the ‘net, as are all their friends. Honestly, I’m surprised the numbers aren’t higher.
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