Boomer update: online marketing works

Online media should be at the center of marketing campaigns for mature consumers, reveals a new survey from Engaging Consumers >40 in conjunction with Continuum Crew.

The survey, which focused on the area of media communication, revealed a new consumer type: the "Social Media Maven"–a term created to define the emergence of older people highly active in social networking. According to the survey, these Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) indicated that "they connected with the most contacts each day and made the most recommendations." Additionally, Social Media Mavens identify as someone "that is heavily connected, exploring and expanding their networks."

Understanding the major characteristics of this group provide many fresh marketing opportunities. The most commonly cited qualities include:

• Equally likely to be male as female.
• Majority are still working.
• More likely to be owners of their own business (in comparison to other tested segments).
• More likely to be volunteers and to have the highest household income.
• More likely to try new products, technologies and experiences.
• 73 percent identified strongly with the statement, "People often come to me for advice."

Lori Bitter, president of Continuum Crew, responded to the findings saying, "With more time being spent online, and the emergence of the new Social Media Mavens among Boomers, this is further confirmation for companies targeting the mature consumer that online media should be at the core of an integrated marketing campaign."