The over 50s have pulled ahead to emerge as the fastest growing age group of Internet users - but only the right approach from on-line marketers can tap its potential.

New research by mature marketing specialists, Millennium, has revealed that a quarter of Web users are now over 50 and 14 per cent are over 70. Four years ago they accounted for only a fifth.

As that age group controls 80 per cent of the country’s personal wealth, and accounts for 40 per cent of consumer spending, that makes ‘silver surfers’ one of the most powerful consumer forces in Internet shopping.

But the disturbing news for e-commerce is that the current generation of marketers and Web designers have not caught up. They are still targeting a younger audience - 90 per cent of marketing in Britain is directed at the under 50s. Marketers are missing out.

“The growth of the mature market as worldwide web-users is one of the most important shifts of recent years,” says Fiona Hought, Managing Director of Millennium, the over 50s specialist marketing agency. “They have bucked the stereotypical technophobe image and are snatching the web from the younger generation to emerge as a force to be reckoned with.

“Silver surfers are now big business and companies ignore the massive spending power at their peril - but they have to be handled correctly. They are the first mass media generation…and they have a healthy cynicism for advertising and marketing.

“Unlocking the market’s huge potential requires an applied combination of in-depth market knowledge and strategic planning. This enables the development of appropriate creativity and media planning.”

Another research paper by Millennium, titled ‘Mature Thinking’, found that a third of the UK’s over 50s were online, 86 per cent had their own home computer and Internet connection and nearly 60 per cent shopped online.

But the agency’s latest ‘Internet Usage’ e-survey, conducted in May 06, showed a surprise surge - with 95 per cent of over 50s surfing for at least two years, 27 per cent owning more than one computer and over 58 per cent using broadband. A staggering 80 per cent, mostly self-taught, use the Internet for more than four hours a week. And they are buying everything - from books and CDs to cars.

But many within this mature cohort are suspicious of sponsored links - a common online marketing practice - hate ‘pop-ups’ and frown on current advertising techniques because, says Hought, “they do not consider that Web site advertising is aimed at people like them - and that should worry marketers who are obviously missing out.

“An ongoing marketing industry issue concerns low audience understanding. That could be linked to the fact that only 10 per cent of marketing directors are themselves over 50 and, with over 80 per cent of advertising staff under the age of 40, it can add up to a potential lack of natural market empathy.

“Mature eyes, for instance, see things differently. Brash flashing or even animation can be a major turn-off. Choice of colour, sound and, of course, font size can make a big difference too. “Their psychological predisposition also shapes their Internet expectations and these too need to be factored in when considering targeting this market.

“On-line advertisers may appear to be getting it wrong at the moment but the right approach could unlock massive potential to capitalise on the Internet’s fastest growing audience.”

The research posed 32 e-questions to over 10000 50+ users. The research set out, amongst other things, to explore attitudes and ‘appropriateness’ of online advertising, use of search engines and navigation.

[Best Computer Pricing UK]
[Best Computer Pricing US]

BIOS, Jun 08, 06 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Internet