Social media is a young person’s game, right? It often feels like the audience on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are college and high school student, and people in their early to mid-twenties. Chances are, you know how to market to them, and you spent a great deal of time courting their attention. Traditional marketing like televisions commercials and print ads still work well with the Baby Boomer generation. But what about those pesky Generation X’ers? In the world of social media, there is a “lost” generation that is online savvy, heavy social media users, but almost entirely ignored by marketers. While it might seem like you need to be “hip” with today’s youth, it’s important to remember that your best audience just might be Generation X.
The “Middle” Generation
Born between 1965-1980, Generation X is far smaller than Baby Boomers and Millennials, but there are still around 66 million of them. Not only are there tens of millions of them, but they also have incredible purchasing power. Their income is higher than the national average and higher than any other generation.
It’s clear that Generation X is a vital audience to tap into, but who are they, and how do they use the internet and social media?
Generation X Loves To Research
Roughly 72% of the people belonging to Gen X research businesses online. Whether you’re a restaurant, a clothing store, or an online retailer, Gen X’ers are going to be looking into your company digitally. Even when they see a business on TV or in a local paper, they will jump online for more information.
This means you need to make sure that your site is active on social media, has an up-to-date and information heavy website, and that you are ranked well on Google and other search engines. A bad experience with your website or a handful of negative reviews can eliminate them as a customer before you even know they’ve looked you up.
Social Media Is Just As Important
While they are not as heavy of users as millennials, Generation X still spends around an hour and a half a day on their phones. It’s important to know that 95% of Generation X uses Facebook. Look at that number again. That is nearly 63 million people. In comparison, only around 25% of Generation X uses Twitter regularly. Leveraging that audience on Facebook can give you a rapid return, provided you know how to interact with them. That includes making sure your age range targets firmly include people in their 40’s and 50’s.
Brand Loyalty Can’t Be Underestimated
One fact about Generation X that might come as a surprise is that they have the highest brand loyalty of any generation. Typically, return customers are worth around 10 times their initial purchase, tending to spend 67% or more as repeat customers.
In order to keep their loyalty, you need to make a remarkable first impression. If your business is a physical location, make sure staff members live up to your expectations in terms of customer service and presentation. If you are online only, make sure your website is informative, has clear landing pages for every category you have, and that ordering is easy and painless. If you make sure the process is easy and safe, chances are you’ve made a repeat customer.
Generation X Feels Ignored
Over half of Gen X feels ignored by marketers and brands. In the scramble to get the mercurial millennial demographic, older customers tend to get looked over. You need to make sure you’re creating ads that speak to a generation that has vastly different life goals than millennials, invests heavily in nostalgia, and have more purchasing power, and are more likely to go for bigger ticket items.
It’s easy to get caught up in trending topics and the more prolific millennial market, but paying attention to the previous generation could make a significant impact on your business. Knowing the hidden audiences, and what they don’t tell you about social media, can give you a leg up on the competition!
