Baby Boomers Online

‘Baby Boomers’, those born during the 20 year period after the Second World War, are having a significant effect on today’s Internet marketing scene. It is estimated that as well as laying claim to becoming the largest group of United States Internet users, some 60 million of this group make up nearly one third of United States online users.

With the life expectancy of Baby Boomers being greater than in previous generations and with many of them delaying retirement longer than their parents or grandparents, there is a huge spending market waiting to be tapped by Internet marketers.

Many Baby Boomers have put off retirement because of the effect of the present economic situation on their long-term savings. Credit card debt, unpaid mortgages, personal loans; are all factors demanding a need for a money source. Baby Boomers, then, have and need more money than previous generations.

This 50 plus marketing group has a maturity that is missing from younger groups. With the millions of dollars spending power at their disposal, they like to shop around and generally steer clear of care-free spending. In marketing to this group, then, Internet marketers would do well to consider how they approach and tap into such a potentially lucrative market.

With the focus on relationship building these days, we need to note that Baby Boomers are very interested in social networks in their search for entertainment and general consumption. Traditional advertising mediums may not be so rewarding, then, and social networks may need to be targeted by marketers to meet marketing needs within the Baby Boomer group.

One fairly new social network is Eons, which specifically targets Baby Boomers. You need to be at least 50 years old to register at the site. The success of Eons has been its ability to keep members interested through social networking tools, discussion boards and online self-assessment tools. Eons is a huge market for entrepreneurs to tap into.

It is estimated that the 50 plus marketing group will increase significantly in the next 10 years. In targeting this group we need to concentrate on building relationships and not treat them as elderly people with limited ability, which they will resent. Position yourself so they can evaluate the facts of your business. Train them to believe that your business and what you have on offer will be the best solution for their needs.