A recent survey conducted by JWTBoom and Third Age, of more than 1800 online Boomers (defined by the surveyors as users aged 40+) revealed some surprising insights about the online behaviors of Boomers with regard to social networking, online advertising, and Internet privacy.

Press Release from JWTBoom & Third Age

Boomers by the numbers:

• 40% - the percentage of the US population that is over 45
• 50% - the percentage of market growth expected in the next 15 years.
• 78 million people - the number of Boomers in America today
• 84% of consumer spending - the percentage controlled by Boomers
• $800 billion - Boomer spending today
• $4.6 trillion - Estimated Boomer spending by 2015

(Data: JWTBoom & Third Age Survey)

Highlights From the Survey

Social Networking Sites Aren’t Big for Boomers

Boomers are interested in participating in trusted online communities and sharing opinions about brands - but they’re less interested in popular social networking sites.

Boomers Respond to Email Marketing
Boomers engage in online marketing - in particular email marketing.

Trust Must Be Built With Boomers

Boomers have concerns about privacy and they are very specific about what builds trust.

More Resources on Online Marketing To Boomers

With the online Boomer marketing booming, it’s no surprise that marketers are putting their budget and efforts into reaching this important audience. As a trusted online marketing expert, Web Ad.vantage President & CEO, Hollis Thomases, is often asked to comment on the latest trends, changes, and advancements in the industry. Here’s some recent articles and interviews where you’ll get tips on the best Boomer online advertising tactics and details on how this audience will change the way companies do business online.

• ClickZ column about Boomers - Hollis devoted her recent ClickZ column to understanding Boomer behavior online. She interviewed Boomertowne.com president and CEO Herschel Peddicord and BOOMj.com president Wendy Borow-Johnson to find out what Boomers respond to online, what kinds of sites they like, and what to avoid.
• Video interview about targeting Boomers - In May, Hollis was interviewed by SearchEngineOptimization.com on best practices and tips for reaching the Boomer audience online. The video interview covers how search engine optimization, pay per click advertising, and online media buying can be used to reach your audience but more importantly to convert them into customers.

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