Despite the perception—and data from just a few years ago—that has suggested that only younger online users have taken to Web 2.0 and new online media, a study undertaken by the AARP and the Center for the Digital Future has shown that older Americans have embraced online communities, blogs, and social networking as much, and in some cases more, than their younger peers.

New media forms where older Americans have caught up with younger, and in many cases surpassed, younger cohorts [graphs]:

• Daily checking of news: 42% over 50 vs. 18% under 20
• Daily online community participation: 58% over 50 vs. 47% under 20′
• Maintaining social relationships: 46% over 50 and 46% under 50 (identical)
• Browsing in retail stores, then buying online: 68% over 50 vs. 72% under 50
• Daily online game playing: 18% over 50 vs. 22% under 50

A few other notable results:

• Considering the Internet a reliable source of information: Over-50s still (at 76%) still trail under-50s (85%), but that 76% has grown from just 50% over just five years
• Instant messaging and Internet video: still the domain of the young; only 9% of over-50s think IMing is important for maintaining relationships, while 48% of those under 20 do.

What does this mean for publishers and advertisers? The older demographic shouldn’t be written off just yet. They might be on TeeBeeDee instead of MySpace, and Eons more than Facebook, but their level of engagement in today’s social media presents plenty of opportunities for the savvy publisher and advertiser.

One insight shared by VC Paul Kedrosky is that older social media users are less capricious than their children and grandchildren: “Teens are tire kickers—they hang around, cost you money and then leave. The older demographic has a bunch of interesting characteristics, not the least of which is that they hang around.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 at 12:17 pm and is filed under Online Advertising. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.