The Digital Boomer and Senior How digital are Boomers and Seniors? Do they really use the internet like other consumer groups? If so why do we (hearing aid/ medical industry) not see more digital conversions? Boomers and Seniors are the largest consumer of digital services and information. Boomers and Seniors use digital is their daily lives to gather information, help them make decision, and keep them connected to friends and family. KevinBekker.com

1. The Digital Boomer & Senior
How wired are Boomers and Seniors?
Created by Kevin Bekker Sr. Digital Consultant , January 2014

2. The Digital Boomer & Senior
How wired are Boomers and Seniors?
Agenda
Why digital marketing has become important
The Boomer & Senior consumer group
Perception “Boomers and Seniors do not use the Internet.”
The hearing aid market
The ROPO affect on Boomers & Seniors
Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)

3. Why Digital Marketing Has Become Important

4. The Traditional Consumer
Three Step Mental Model

5. The New Consumer Model

6. The New Consumer Model
88% of consumers research before they
purchase prior to purchase. On average
consumers absorb 10.4 sources of
information prior to purchase

7. The New Consumer Model

8. Traditional Media Drives Online Action(s)
Nearly 3 in 4 consumers exposed to traditional advertising (within a traditional media)
later look up the product or brand online.
Types of media and actions taken
following exposure to stimuli
Prompted to Search
(Google, Yahoo, & Bing)
Direct to
Advertisers website
Direct To
Storefront
67% 64% 78% 77%
26% 15% 21% 21%
7% 11% 1% 2%
Source: Based on 2012 Google/Compete Retail Furniture Study, U.S.

9. The Boomers & Senior
Consumer Group

10. By 2030, consumers 50+ are expected to grow by 34%.
Source: "Introducing Boomers. Marketing's Most Valuable Generation." Nielson.com. N.p., Aug. 2012. Web.

11. IN 5 YEARS:
50% of U.S. Adult population
will be aged 50+ by 2017.
Source: "Introducing Boomers. Marketing's Most Valuable Generation." Nielson.com. N.p., Aug. 2012. Web.

12. Boomers Control 70% of the US
Disposable Income
Source: "Introducing Boomers. Marketing's Most Valuable Generation." Nielson.com. N.p., Aug. 2012. Web.

13. Boomers outspend other generations by an
estimated $400 billion each year on
consumer goods and services
Source: US Government Consumer Expenditure Survey

14. “America’s senior population is
growing by 10,000 a day…”
Source: Lan, Bill. "Winning the 2013 Medicare Researcher |Think Insights “Google." Web blog post. Winning the 2013 Medicare
Researcher | Think Insights Google. Thing With Google, n.d. Web. Apr. 2013.

15. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”

16. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”
58% of America’s senior population
research or buy Medicare via the internet.
Source: Lan, Bill. "Winning the 2013 Medicare Researcher |Think Insights “Google." Web blog post. Winning the 2013
Medicare Researcher | Think Insights Google. Thing With Google, n.d. Web. Apr. 2013.

17. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”
71% of seniors use search engines to look for information about
healthcare (with mobile search a growing component), initially
concentrating on generic queries rather than brand terms
Source: "Introducing Boomers. Marketing's Most Valuable Generation." Nielson.com. N.p., Aug. 2012. Web.

18. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”
84% of seniors now access the internet.
Search Queries among the 65+
demographics have doubled since 2010
Source: Lan, Bill. "Winning the 2013 Medicare Researcher |Think Insights “Google." Web blog post. Winning the 2013
Medicare Researcher | Think Insights Google. Thing With Google, n.d. Web. Apr. 2013.

19. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”
Boomers/Seniors spend more time online then
watching TV in an average week.
TV = 16hrs
Online (NET) = 19hrs
Source: Google Reaching Today’s Boomers and Seniors Online, March 2013

20. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”
Internet keeps me up-to-date
on political and policy issues
60%
Internet allows me to
easily access information
on my personal interests
78%
Internet is my most
trusted source of
news & information
33%
Source: Google Reaching Today’s Boomers and Seniors Online, March 2013

21. Seniors and Boomers use
search engines more then
any other online medium.
Boomers
Seniors
Source: 2013 Boomers Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013
Source: 2013 Seniors Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013

22. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”
“Older Boomers” (age 56-66) spend the most online of all
generations, having spent an average $367 online in the
prior months, more than double the amount spent online
($136) by “Gen Z” adults (age 18-22)
Source: “Baby Boomers control 70% of US Disposable Income “ Marketing Charts August 7, 2012

23. Perception: “Boomers and Seniors
Don’t Use the Internet.”
Seniors
Boomers
Boomers and Seniors use a social media daily.
Seniors
Boomers
Majority of Boomers and Seniors watch online video:
YouTube is the most used online video website
6 in 10
4 in 10
Source: 2013 Boomers Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013
Source: 2013 Seniors Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013

24. Online Video Viewing Prompts
action among boomers
75%
Source: 2013 Boomers Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013
Source: 2013 Seniors Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013

25. Online Video Viewing Prompts
action among seniors
Source: 2013 Boomers Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013
Source: 2013 Seniors Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013

26. Online Video Viewing Prompts
action among seniors
How Old are your ears?
(Hearing Test)
Posted on YouTube
October 2013
7,219,875 plays
in 4 months
Boomers/Seniors Google the term “YouTube” an average of 3,621 times every minute
Source: 2013 Seniors Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013

27. The Hearing Aid Market

28. Google Search Engine Traffic
Trend line 2009-2013

29. Google Search Engine Traffic
Index by City 2013

30. Google Search Engine Traffic
Breakout Keywords 2013

31. So if Boomers and Seniors are using the
internet as much as they say… Why do we
not see more results?

33. What is ROPO?
Research Online Purchase Offline
Why is it important?

34. ROPO and Boomers/Seniors
Despite the growing popularity of online shopping
8 out of 10 consumers research online and purchase offline
Purchased Online
Purchased Offline
Source: Google Reaching Today’s Boomers and Seniors Online, March 2013

35. ROPO Vs. Ecommerce
Ecommerce Represents Only
5.4% of Retail Sales
Q1 & Q2, 2013 United States
Source: US Census Bauru News , August 2013

36. ROPO and Boomers/Seniors
The Consumer Path to Purchase is complex
and may lead to false attribution
Source: Google Reaching Today’s Boomers and Seniors Online, March 2013

37. ROPO and Boomers/Seniors
What do we know about Boomers/
Senior Shopping hobbits?
“Boomers are more likely to compare
prices or use coupons then other
consumers.”
-Nielson

38. ROPO and
Boomers/Seniors
John is reading a book he
recently bought on Amazon.
He took advantage of free
shipping using a AAA discount
John bought his
Active Man sweater
and khakis in Men’s
Warehouse after
seeing a buy- oneget one promotion
on Facebook
Meet John. John, is reading quietly on a
dockside bench in the Florida Keys. He
recently purchase a vacation using Groupon
and Saved $800
John was gifted this watch by his
Granddaughter. He accidentally hinted
that he liked the watch because it had
adjustable font sizes. After attempting
to read the manual he found a How-To
Video on YouTube.
John purchased a new pair of
shoes (dockside) after finding
a local shoe shop using his
Smart Phone and his free
internet wireless

39. “80% of success is showing up.”
Woody Allen 1989 August 13, New York Times

40. Making Your Website Senior Friendly
Source: http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/making-your-website-senior-friendly
Key Tips for Making Your Website Senior
Friendly
• Break information into short sections.
• Give instructions clearly and number
each step.
• Minimize the use of jargon and technical
terms.
• Use single mouse clicks.
• Allow additional space around clickable
targets.
• Use 12- or 14-point type size, and make it
easy for users to enlarge text.
• Use high-contrast color combinations,
such as black type against a white
background.
• Provide a speech function to hear text
read aloud.
• Provide text-only versions of multimedia
content.
• Minimize scrolling.
• Choose a search engine that uses
keywords and doesn't require special
characters or knowledge of Boolean
terms.

41. Making Your Website Senior Friendly
50+ Mobile device intent continues to grow
On Average consumers 50+ spend
at least 5hrs a week on their smart
phones
42% plan to spend more time
on their Mobile phone over
the next year
36% plan to purchase in the
next 12 months
Source: Google Reaching Today’s Boomers and Seniors Online, March 2013

42. ROPO and Boomers/Seniors
Boomers and Seniors multi-task with multiple devices,
engaging simultaneously & sequentially
Boomers
Source: 2013 Boomers Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013
Source: 2013 Seniors Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013
Seniors

43. ROPO and Boomers/Seniors
Why search visibility is important
Boomers and Seniors use search engines
more then any other medium
82%
91%
Of Boomers Use a
Search Engines
Of Boomers take action
as a result of Search
75%
85%
Of Senior Use a Search
Engines
Of Seniors take action
as a result of Search
Source: 2013 Boomers Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013
Source: 2013 Seniors Research Summary. Google/Ipsos Media Ct U.S., March 2013

44. ROPO and Boomers/Seniors
Why search visibility is important
Above the Fold Positioning
Organic & Search Engine Marketing
69%
58%
Of Boomers click on
sponsored links
Vs.
Of Gen Y Click on
sponsored Links
91%
The Top 5
Of consumers will not travel
beyond page 1 of a search
engine.
Organic search positions
represent 81.8% of all
Organic Clicks
Source: http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2276184/No.-1-Position-in-Google-Gets-33-of-Search-Traffic-Study

45. Using Key Performance indicators
or KPI’s to track the success of your digital footprint
Engagement Metrics
Time- on- site/ page- depth/ bounce rate
Conversion Goals
Create click stream goals tracking
consumers who end their journey by
looking for directions or directly
responding though a phone call/email
Adword Integration
Track the consumer click stream
generated by your Adwords campaign
Tracking Pixel Implementation
Using pixels to track on-page conversion by
aligning pixels with display advertising
targeting online consumers and content
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src=“http://ib.adnxs.com
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46. Thank you..
Kevin Bekker MBA
Sr. Digital Consultant / Specialist
The Oregonian Media Group
KevinBekker.com