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AWC PRESENTS: Host Judy Asman, Member, AWC Professional Development Committee Speaker Angela Williamson, Scholar, Social Media Marketing to Older Generations

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This presentation to communicators and marketers discusses the role of older adult’s use of social media and how technical anxiety may be a factor in older adults using social media, which still are underrepresented in the overall computer use. Much of the presentation discusses Angela's current research on older adults and computer competency, which highlights the growth of older adults using this medium to decrease loneliness and enhance a sense of community; however, social media is still an under researched area focusing on older adults.

TRANSCRIPT

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AWC PRESENTS:Host

Judy Asman, Member, AWC Professional Development Committee

Speaker

Angela Williamson, Scholar, Social Media Marketing to Older Generations

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Why this webinar?• The topic of generational

communications came up in one of our committee meetings.

• We agreed that this is an extremely important topic. As marketers who are responsible for messaging, our first task is always to look at our audience.

• My original intent was to host a webinar focusing on multiple generations.

• My mind was ablaze with ideas. Judy Asman

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Enter Angela…

• Judy met Angela at an Orange Chamber of Commerce Lunch n’ Learn, where Angela offered best practices for marketing through social media.

• I learned about her work. As a doctoral candidate in Human Services, specializing in Management of Nonprofit Agencies, at Capella University, Angela is researching how seniors engage with social media and the medium’s impact on their buying decisions.

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About Angela…• She is a Southern California native with

more than 15 years’ experience in TV and marketing.

• A former producer for the Orange County NewsChannel, communications specialist at Experian Information Systems and a sales marketing producer at Fox 11 Television.

• A multiple Telly awards recipient, Angela currently teaches courses in social media, public relations, public speaking and intercultural communication as an adjunct communications professor at Concordia University in Irvine.

Angela Williamson

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Welcome Angela…

Angela Williamson

Today, we’ll talk about:

•Where do older adults “hang out” online?•What is the buying power of these audiences?•The burgeoning influence of digital marketing among this group. •How to reach them through social media.

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Angela’s Research• As companies utilize social media as a

platform, one specific audience may be abandoned during this organizational shift, older adults.

• Older adults still face challenges in understanding how to effectively use social media.

• Older adults are slowest generation to integrate social media networking into their daily lives.

• Face-to-face surveys explore if there is a correlational relationship between technological anxiety and efficacy in learning social media.

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REALITY BYTESDo older adults really hang out online?

Yes. Without question.

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Online Dating

Recently, Discovery Fitness & Health published the Top 5 Dating Sites for Active Older Adults.

•It reported SeniorMatch.com as the second highest on the list. It is one of the top-ranked sites for boomers and older adults, according to SeniorDating.org, with 500,000 members.•The article also notes that OurTime.com has more than 1 million members. Launched in May 2011, this website is the world's largest dating community for older adults.

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Health and Nutrition

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How Digital Improves Lifestyle• The physical and mental health status scores of

SilverSneakers members are consistently higher than those reported for this age group nationally on the Medicare Health Outcomes survey.

• Sixty-nine percent of members report that their overall health has improved since joining SilverSneakers, 48% say their diet is healthier, and 39% say they participate in social activities more often.

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THE TECHNOLOGYWhat devices do seniors use to receive information and engage with others online?

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Tablets Rule• Tablet computers are most popular

among older adults and are gaining on laptops.

• Tablets are cheaper than most desktops and laptops.

• Tablet ownership is growing among seniors, Pew reports.

• In 2012 alone, the proportion of the 65-plus population with a tablet climbed to 15 percent from 8 percent.

• Among those older than 77, tablet ownership jumped to 12 percent from 3 percent.

wow!

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SENIORS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Why should we care?

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Buying power!• Older adults and social media is an

untapped billion dollar market. • This generation is the most likely

group to frequent social media websites specializing in healthcare and wellness.

• My current research suggests that this generation will follow blogs and participate in online health discussions.

• Many older adults use social media to learn about chronic diseases, medication, etc. They also want to form relationships that will decrease their loneliness.

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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

5 Tips + 2 Bonuses

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#5 Know your audience.

There are four levels of older adults according to the Pew Institute and it’s important to know how these groups differ from one another. 1.Younger boomers are born between 1955-1964.2.Older boomers are born between 1946-1954.3.The silent generation was born between 1937-1945.4.The GI generation was born before 1936.

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#4 Hire the Right Talent

• Choose a social media community manager that is strong in “building relationships” on your social media platform.

• 20% of Americans will be over the age of 65 by the year 2020 and understanding how to build relationships with older adults may strengthen “stickiness” with this particular group.

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#3 Provide Easy Navigation

• Understand that although more older adults are using social media, there are still major challenges for older adults is learning a new technical platform due to technological anxiety, psychological barriers, and cognitive learning abilities.

• Your social media marketing should include simple content and easy navigation.

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#2 Focus on Active Users

• For organizations to successfully integrate social media as a tool to reach older adults, it must have an audience of active users.

• Understand that there are generational differences in social media usage and if you write content that do not address “senior” issues, older adults will not participate.

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#1 Have Patience

Social media strategy targeting older adults requires creativity and patience, especially when exploring how to provide products and services to older adults through social media.

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Bonus Tips• Older adults use social media for

two main reasons: To decrease loneliness and to enhance a sense of community.

• All content targeting older adults should have a call to action to answer these two basic needs.

• The biggest frustration with older adults using social media is the inability to reach out to a “live” person if they have questions/issues about the social media website.

• Social media activities targeting older adults should include some type of personal interaction.

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WHAT CAN WE DO TODAY?

Start now…

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Two Things

1. Choose at least 2-3 social media channels targeting older adults (suggestions are blogs, YouTube and Facebook included in an email campaign).

2. Create a content plan that will generate discussion and engagement (remember research shows that engagement drives this audience).

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QUESTIONS?

Don’t be shy.

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CONNECT WITH ANGELA @ProfAngelaSW

/angela.s.williamson

/in/williamsonangela

/aswilliamson21

Angela Williamson

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THANK YOU!