Happy Monday! Here is a recap of the top mature marketing news and reports that had people talking.
MOST SHARED
A study released in early April entitled Older Adults and Technology Use by the Pew Research Center that had many people sharing last week. The study, and associated article, focuses not just on general boomer and senior technology usage, but how it varies by age bracket within the overall 65 and better population. In general, seniors overall adaption of technology continues to increase, especially among the younger, more affluent boomers.
Key take-aways:
* 6 in 10 seniors are online: 59% of seniors are online and 77% have a cell phone, both increasing from similar studies conducted in 2012:
But despite these gains, seniors continue to lag behind younger Americans when it comes to tech adoption. And many seniors remain largely unattached from online and mobile life—41% do not use the internet at all, 53% do not have broadband access at home, and 23% do not use cell phones.
* Younger, more educated seniors use internet at rates exceeding general population usage: 82% of seniors with an annual income of $75,000 or more go online, while just 39% of seniors earning less than $30,000 go online.
* Hurdles to technology usage among older seniors includes physical challenges, difficulty in learning new technology and overall skepticism.
Around two in five seniors indicate that they have a “physical or health condition that makes reading difficult or challenging” or a “disability, handicap, or chronic disease that prevents them from fully participating in many common daily activities”. This group is significantly less likely than seniors who do not face these physical challenges to go online (49% vs. 66%), to have broadband at home (38% vs. 53%), and to own most major digital devices.
* Once seniors begin utilizing technology (and have a positive attitude about it) they make it a habit to use regularly.
The article goes on to detail social media usage among boomers and beyond, a topic that Creating Results has researched thoroughly within our Social, Silver Surfer research.
Click here for the full article.
RELATED: Pew Report Shows Gains in Technology Adoption by Older People & Older Adults and Technology: Two Groups of Seniors Emerge
MOST CLICKED
An article within the Star Tribune entitled Where the Boomers Are generated a lot of interest…and clicks. As they retire , boomers aren’t wooed just by maintenance-free living or one level floorplans and amenities – the location of the community plays a large part in driving the decision. And while for many urban living with all the trappings is the most appealing, many boomers are opting for a more suburban way of life.
But these newly-minted city folk have a country cousin counterpart — people who still want single-family homes and their own patch of green space, who may be sick of shoveling but aren’t ready to give up gardening.
Regardless of the locale, knowing what motivates your prospects is key to differentiating yourself and your community.