by: Wendy Maynard
If you are marketing to an older audience, don't discount the value of a website. People over 50 account for more than 50% of discretionary spending in the United States, and they are going online to buy. They have money to spend.
According to recent Pew surveys, the number of online seniors jumped by 47% between 2000 and 2004. There are about 8 million "silver surfers" (22% of Americans) who are age 65 or older using the Internet. About 58% of Americans ages 50 to 64 say they surf the Net.
Of wired seniors, 69% go online on a typical day, compared with only 56% of all Internet users. Silver surfers report using the Internet to stay in touch with family and friends, using e-mail or sending online greeting cards. Seniors report several other key reasons for using the Internet, including:
"Wired seniors are often as enthusiastic as younger users in the major activities that define online life such as email and the use of search engines to answer a specific question," says Susannah Fox, director of research for Pew/Internet. "They are as likely as younger users to go online on a typical day. Communication and information searches attract wired seniors and there has been sharp growth in the number doing key Internet activities such as health searches, e-shopping and online banking."
As people age, they are more likely to have usability issues. For example, more seniors have myopia, cataracts, fine motor disabilities, and short-term memory decreases. Therefore, if your company is targeting this demographic, it is important to take specific steps to modify your website appropriately. Don’t make it difficult for your senior visitors to find what they need on your website. Here are few guidelines to make your website more older-user friendly:
More and more seniors are surfing the online world. The spending habits and income of this demographic makes them a desirable target audience. If your company wants to catch this wave, offer a website that makes it easy for your users. Create a comfortable online environment for your online senior visitors, and your business will reap the rewards.
Copyright 2005 Kinesis, Inc.