Influencer Marketing for Baby Boomers

Exploring the untapped potential of influencer marketing amongst the baby boomer market

When you think of influencer marketing, the first audience that probably comes to mind is millennials; this group of young adults who consume, shop, interact and some would even say live online. While it may be tempting to assume that millennials are the only group of consumers who can be reached through social media marketing, that idea would hardly be true. While millennials do represent a strong economic force and presence online, there is actually another demographic that is even more powerful:

BOOMERS.

Yes, you read that right.

Even though millennials represent $200 billion in consumer spending, accounting for 21% of all consumer purchases, older generations are actually the demographic that hold the strongest economic force. In fact, Generation X, aged 41-56 years old, represents 25% of the US population and earns 31% of US income dollars. Not bad, right? Well the strongest economic powerhouse remains baby boomers, aged 57-75 years old, with a whopping spending power of $15 trillion worldwide.

So then why are marketers not using this to their advantage and targeting older generations with their digital marketing strategies, you might ask? It is often because of outdated assumptions regarding their online aptitude and habits. While some may think older generations are not accessible online and therefore would not be receptive to influencer marketing, Clark Influence recognizes that silver surfers are actually quite digitally savvy and spend a lot of time online.

Here are a few numbers to back this up:

Within people aged 55-64s:

• 94% use a cell phone

• 58% have a social media profile

Within people aged 65-74s:

• 92% use a cell phone

• 34% have a social media profile

With 82.3% of silver surfers belonging to at least one social media platform, boomers spend on average 27 hours a week online, which is 2 hours more than 16-34 year olds. They are also 19% more likely to share content online than younger generations. More sharing, means more engagement, which also means better brand visibility.

Being online is one thing, but does this demographic consume online as well?

Surprisingly, more than one might think. In fact, 67.5% of Gen Z and boomers are purchasing products or services online. While this number might be a little behind millennial’s 77%, it’s still rather impressive and proves that an older demographic is worth exploring.

Keeping all that in mind, it is apparent that there is great untapped potential within the Gen X and boomer demographic for influencer marketing. While some may think this type of marketing is tailored to millennials, it can actually be well suited for boomers when approached properly. The key is knowing how to target them. Specialized in connecting brands with the most creative voices on social media, Clark Influence has gathered a few key points to consider when building a boomer influencer marketing strategy:

Target Where They Are

Unlike millennials who mostly do their social browsing on Instagram, older generations can be found clicking through Facebook. It is by far their favourite platform and they are highly engaged, posting and sharing content. It would therefore be much more relevant for brands to build an influencer strategy that will cater to Facebook. Other than Facebook, baby boomers are very present on YouTube as well with 70% of them using the platform, compared to only 23% for Instagram.

Know Your Target

When creating your influencer marketing strategy, do not forget indirect targets. While boomers are your direct targets, people in close proximity to that demographic should also be in your range of vision. This secondary target are the people who purchase items or services for silver surfers or who’s opinion they trust. This includes: family members, children, caregivers, etc. Social media amplification is also a great tool to ensure that both target audiences are reached, redirecting content to desired audiences.

Create Content That’s Relevant To Their Interests

With this demographic having a higher interest for informational content, brands can put forward reviews and unboxings for influencer marketing content on Facebook and YouTube. Unlike millennials who have a shorter attention span and tend to swipe to the next content quickly, boomers are looking to get as much information as possible about a product or service. Brands can therefore allow themselves to have content that goes in depth, showcasing each product feature, like a review. These longer format contents will help them justify their purchasing decisions.

Focus On Their Preferred Content Format

While pictures are often very popular amongst millennials, older adults tend to prefer videos. Online video streaming is also very popular amongst silver surfers as 50% of those aged between 50-59 watch a movie or video on YouTube at least once a day. Brands should create slower paced informative videos to target silver surfers. Boomers also prefer candid, less-produced content that comes across as more authentic.

Message Format is Key

While millennials and Gen Z have a proven shorter attention span online, boomers actually prefer in depth videos explaining a product or service. They are known for doing their research and looking up reviews, therefore the advertising content can go in detail. They also read more so they are less likely to be affected by audience fatigue. Slang that they may not understand or relate to should also be avoided.

Choose the Right Influencers

When selecting influencers with whom you would like to collaborate with on a campaign, do not let age fool you. Just because a profile fits your target demographic, it does not

necessarily mean their audience does too. They may in fact have a younger audience following them. Sometimes, it is better to have a face that is less known, but that will reach your precise target. Take @jdog on TikTok for example. She is an 89 year old grandmother from Alberta with 2 million followers, over 65% of which are aged between 18-24 and less than 2% are aged between 45-64. On the other hand, Deborah McDonald who is a lifestyle and interior decor influencer and entrepreneur, is far from being in the baby boomer demographic but is mostly followed by a 45+ audience.

As influencer marketing continues to grow, it is important for marketers to keep innovating and finding new opportunities within the market. To target the right audience or create the best influencer strategy for your brand, reach out to Clark Influence.

Do not miss the wave and hop onto influencer marketing for silver surfers. If you are interested in a campaign for this age group, please send us an email to info@clarkinfluence.com and we will be happy to assist you.