In a recent chat with a client of ours at World Wide Creative, we got into an interesting discussion around ’seniors’ (that is those people +-60 years and older) and their level of activity on the web and their value to marketers.

So, I did a bit of digging around and found some interesting learnings…. in fact over the last 3 years or so this market, dubbed the “Silver Surfers“*, has become quite a hot topic of discussion…

1. Silver surfers are becoming the fastest growing Internet demographic group in SA (via Online Publishers Association)
   In the UK – Pensioners average 42 hours a month on the Internet (18 – 24-year-olds average 38 hours)
   In the USA – The overall number of Facebook users between 18 and 24 years of
   age had grown 4,8% + the number of users older than 55 years had grown a tremendous
   513,7% in 2009
2. In the UK – Pensioners average 42 hours a month on the Internet (18-24 year-olds average 38 hours)
3. In the USA – The overall number of Facebook users between 18 and 24 years of age had grown 4,8% + the number of users older than 55 years had grown a tremendous 513% in 2009 (via istrategylabs)
4. Another study revealed that this market is spending online – particularly where there are discount vouchers involved! (via Millenium)
5. There’s even a Silver Surfers Day to celebrate these beautiful people!

Fact is, we know in order to market and generate business successfully online these days, segmentation and targeting is essential.

I’d recommend you start building relationships with this group, they’ll thank you for being a friend…

*An adult, generally 50 years of age or older, who frequently surfs the Web and spends time online (”silver” refers to the color of their hair)

Louis is the Johannesburg manager of web marketing firm World Wide Creative. Louis is also known as the ‘Case Study Guy’ with an encyclopaedic knowledge of research resources to support the strategic initiatives he is involved in. In between organising Heavy Chef Sessions in the Gauteng region, Louis happens to have a mean sidestep on the rugby field. With his silky skills, dashing good looks, Colgate smile and cunning wit, Louis is the high school quarterback of the World Wide Creative marketing team.