Content Marketing for Boomers 101: how to create helpful content for boomers?

Are boomers a good target group for your next content marketing campaign?

And how should you approach creating content for boomers and not get some furious comments on social media afterwards?

It's not as hard as you might think.

Let's see how much good stuff can boomers bring to your SaaS!

Why should you target baby boomers in your marketing?

There are several good reasons for targeting boomers with your content. I’ve included here 3 most important from the business growth perspective:

1. It’s a big group of people

Although millennials outgrew boomers in numbers in 2019, there are still a vast population of potential customers for your product.

There’s still 1 thing, however, that makes boomers stand out from the crowd. 

2. They have a lot of money. And they love spending it!

Let’s get straight to the numbers. As the research suggests, boomers hold more buying power than any other generation.

And we’re not talking about some slight differences here. Just look:

As you can see – boomers are really standing out when it comes to the amount of money available to spend. According to Assets by Generation study, in Q1 2022 boomers were in possession of assets worth 71 TRILLION $US! 🤯

Baby boomers don’t need to look carefully at each dollar they spend. As their careers are slowing down and their values are redefining, they can invest more time into expanding their hobbies and interests.

3. They spend A LOT of time online.

Don’t be fooled by the mainstream perception of boomers: they love social media as much as we all do. 86% of boomers spend around 6 hours online daily!

The COVID-19 pandemic also had a significant impact on boomers’ habits, especially when it comes to online shopping. During lockdowns, boomers went crazy on online shopping, increasing the number of purchases made online by almost 6 times!

Another interesting thing (and a myth buster IMHO) is the average number of devices boomers use on a daily basis.

How much would you say they use?

Most people would probably say something around 2 – a PC and a smartphone, right?

Well, think again – boomers are technical savvy, using 5(!) different devices on average to stay online.

Okay – we’re now sure that boomers are online and they are a great part of the whole online community.

But do we know if they’re going to resonate with the kind of product a SaaS is? Are they interested in buying non-physical products or services to improve their life quality?

Are baby boomers using SaaS products?

The short answer is: yes – boomers are actively using technological solutions to assist them in their daily life.

The study I’ve encountered found that 77% of boomers are concerned about managing their health and fitness. In most aspects, more than half of boomers would like to use technology to help them with their concerns. Moreover, almost half of boomers would like to also manage their retirement savings using technology. 

A few companies developing mobile apps noticed the high demand among boomers for apps that could help boomers deal with everyday tasks. From apps helping to find a parked car to apps increasing brain health – there are a few really useful tools that took the needs of baby boomers into consideration while creating their marketing strategy.

And if you want to increase the MRR of your product – you should do the same.

Answer these 3 questions before creating content for boomers

To understand boomers better, I’ve prepared a set of 3 questions you should always keep in mind when creating any marketing materials for boomers, but especially – when it’s time to create content marketing for them. Of course, I have to keep them as broad as possible, because – as with any other generation – boomers consist of thousands of smaller customer groups that will be more or less suitable for your business.

However, those 3 questions are like a guide for you to create content that will be engaging and considered valuable by your own boomer target audience.

How much time will I get back?

Boomers are looking for ways and solutions to get more time to spend on what they love doing. In order for a boomer to fall in love with your product, you have to tell them how much time they’ll save by using your product. 

How will it influence my well-being?

Buying stuff for boomers means making their life easier and more pleasurable. You have to show them using your product can make boomers feel better. The best way to achieve it is to amplify the struggle in your content marketing story.

Is it profitable?

Don’t be blind-sighted by boomers having a good amount of money to spend. They achieved their position by knowing how to treat their wealth well. Boomers are very reasonable spenders – that’s why you have to pinpoint the cost-effectiveness of your solution if you want boomers to believe in your product. 

Tips to create better content marketing for boomers:

I hope by now you’re convinced that boomers should not be underestimated when it comes to including them in your content marketing strategy.

But on what factors should you focus creating content marketing for boomers? I’ve gathered the 5 most important factors to take into consideration next time you’re producing content for boomers. Let’s dive right into it:

1. Create longer, more informational content:

Don’t be afraid to create long-form, in-depth content for boomers. They have a longer attention span than younger generations and they like to have all the information provided to them before they make up their mind about making a purchase from you.

Boomers like having easy access to any terms, conditions or other formal documents regarding your product. Feel free to link them inside your content to let boomers know you’re trustworthy and not afraid of tough questions.

Also, don’t try to be too humorous with your writing style. Keep things simple, clear and to the point. It builds better trust with boomers and positions you as an expert in your field.

2. Use language boomers understand

Speaking of language – stay away from any form of slang in your writing. Baby boomers will not understand most of the slang words – and that will annoy them. Stay empathetic of your target group and try to include only the language you’re fully sure they resonate with.

PROTIP: don’t you ever call a boomer “old”. They hate being perceived as old (and tbh – who could blame them?!). Instead, use phrases like:

• 55+, 60+, 70+
• Active adults
• Veterans

3. Create video content when possible

68% of boomers regularly watch YouTube for entertainment. 

Boomers LOVE video – they watch, share and talk about videos seen online. And that’s why you should make good use of video when marketing to baby boomers.

The other reason your brand should have good video materials is that they are easier to digest for all age groups, but especially for boomers. They might not be as proficient in understanding what your product is about and reaching the “aha-moment” can take them a tiny bit longer.

Video will help you minimise this time and turn their interest into action faster.

4. Make your content accessible

While you probably always think about accessibility when designing your app or website – people usually forget to take proper care of accessibility when it comes to content.

And it’s a vital thing to consider – especially considering the risk of your content not reaching the desired audience just because people are having a hard time reading what you wrote.

Thinking “mobile-first” – always make sure the font size on your blog is big enough to read your content easily from mobile devices. The good thing to consider here is the font weight as well – if the font is too thin, people wearing glasses will not be able to read it easily.

Make sure to include a good amount of white space in your content as well. Divide long paragraphs into smaller chunks to give the content some room to breathe. 

5. Don’t hide your prices

Boomers treat pricing really seriously – 62% of boomers consider it the deciding factor when it comes to brand loyalty. 

That’s why you should never rely on tricks to hide your pricing, like putting it below the fold or not mentioning it until the very end of the content. 

Don’t try to outsmart boomers in this matter – they know good things are worth paying money. Focus on showing them that your product is worth the investment. 

Conclusion: Content Marketing for boomers – is it worth it?

Content marketing for boomers is an art form in itself. 

However, when done right, it can bring massive ROI for your business. 

And it’s not that complicated. A few tweaks in your messaging, language you use and distribution techniques can go a long way! This guide can be a good start for your next content marketing campaign targeted at baby boomers.

And the last thing before I leave: when I was looking for examples of good content marketing campaigns for boomers, I noticed a great lack of brands that would do boomers marketing in a cool way that easily resonates with the target audience. It’s at the same time a great pity – and a great opportunity for your brand to make a bold move and create content that makes boomers fall in love with your product!

Take care 🤹‍♀️