eMarketer’s new data on the US Internet population shows that the online world now resembles the offline: filled with active older consumers. Internet usage is shifting, as mature users have taken to the Web. Those marketing to Boomers and seniors will note that eMarketer predicts this trend will continue for the next five years: “More than one-half of new users will be ages 45 and up, as many of the remaining laggards come on board.”
Here is the eMarketer chart projecting the US Internet user penetration, by age, for the next 5 years:
For those curious, here are the US Census projections related to the US population as a whole, by age:
As we noted on this blog last week, long gone are the days of thinking mature consumers are not online. Any business marketing lifestyle services to Boomers and seniors must have a well-constructed Internet strategy and design their websites so they are friendly to mature consumers. Internet success is critical to overall success, and it will not happen overnight.