You might have long considered Millennials to be the demographic cohort most preoccupied with social media. However, a Nielsen study published in January has revealed that members of Generation X – in other words, adults in the 35-49 age bracket – actually outdo them in this area. This begins to hint at why social media should be a big priority as you market to Gen Xers.
An eye-opening revelation about social media users
The study found that, while Millennials spent a weekly average of 6 hours and 19 minutes on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, it was 6 hours and 58 minutes for Gen Xers. Even Sean Casey, head of Nielsen’s social division, admitted to surprise at this finding, acknowledging that “the going thought is that social is vastly owned by the younger generation.”
Generation X generally refers to individuals born between the early-to-mid 1960s and late 1970s to early 1980s; they succeeded Baby Boomers and were followed by Millennials. You have an especially good reason to focus your promotional efforts on Gen Xers: they are currently close to peaking in their professional careers and, therefore, are in a position to spend big. In 2014, it was reported that their spending on luxury items was 18% higher than that of their parents.
Which social media site is most popular with Gen X?
While members of this generation have a strong presence on several popular social media sites, Facebook by far attracts their interest the most, having recruited 178.2 million Gen X users. Instagram is second-placed with 91.5 million users, followed closely by Twitter with 82.2 million users and Pinterest, where 69.6 million Gen Xers have signed up.
So, while you probably shouldn’t completely disregard Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest, it’s clear that, in your pursuit of business from Generation X, Facebook is where the bulk of your attention needs to be. However, once you’re there, you should be careful what you say…
There’s no BSing when it comes to Generation X
Perhaps one big reason why this generation is so attracted to social media is the opportunity it provides to see a more genuine picture, so to speak. Facebook isn’t the place to adopt overly salesperson-like language! In 1996, Darryl M. Roberts declared that, “unlike the Boomers before us, we have a BS meter more sensitive than any seismograph.”
He added: “During the years we were watching Saturday-morning cartoons, we were assaulted by a barrage of advertising so intense it had to be addressed by federal legislation.” Karen Ritchie, author of Marketing to Generation X, has similarly remarked: “We created a whole generation that believes advertising is lies and hype.”
Fruitfully connecting with Gen Xers will not be immediately straightforward for your business. However, it can be easier with help from our digital marketing experts at JAK Inc. They can assist you in crafting promotional campaigns for effective delivery on social media. Give us a call on 0191 3882 698 or drop us an email via sales@jakinc.uk to learn more.