Carolyn's Nonprofit Blog

This article was one of the first to appear on Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog. But at that time – 2011 – few people thought Baby Boomers and older adults were making use of social media. Social media was just for younger generations, I heard often.

Target Internet notes in, “How Different Age Groups Are Using Social Media 2024”:

” … boomers have become a highly sought-after social media audience.

The average member of this generation tends to have highly positive attitudes towards social media, relative to other age groups. According to a security.org survey, 83.9% of boomers say that social media is improving their lives, whereas only 71.6% of Gen X and 66.4% of millennials say the same.

So, while some younger people’s relationship with social has soured over the years, many baby boomers are using social platforms with gusto, forming what AdWeek called a ‘silver tsunami’ of optimistic, tech-savvy social users.”

Irfan Jafrey of the Forbes Technology Council has also noted:

“A common misconception among marketers is that baby boomers aren’t online. This, however, is far from the truth. More and more of them are discovering social media and its many benefits. As a matter of fact, according to a study by Google, boomers and seniors spend more time online than they do watching TV. 82% of boomers who use the internet have at least one social media account, and they have an average of 4.6 social media accounts, with Facebook and LinkedIn as the leading platforms.”

Back when I first started studying this trend, my nonprofit professional colleagues were adamant that older adults would certainly not be interested in the Internet. But older adults have increasingly adopted the use of new technologies. And those with more education (and those in higher income brackets), are more “online” than those with little or no education. How could this affect nonprofit organizations?

Many of our donors and prospective donors (major and planned gift), are increasingly using the Internet, which means nonprofits should be, too. Blackbaud produced a report a few years ago called, “The Next Generation of American Giving.” In it they noted, “Baby Boomers remain the most generous generation, and the number of Boomers saying they give is increasing.” Smart nonprofits should make sure they have a solid, consistent presence online.

Entrepreneurs who predicted the Boomer+ age group trend toward being more active online, are now actively developing “gadgets” for older adults to support all aspects of their lives. They are smart to do so!

For those of us involved in the philanthropic sector, why should we care?

People in the “Boomer” age group are entering a time of life when many commonly consider making significant charitable donations. Boomers are also more charitably inclined than some other age groups. And, because more than 60% of all charitable donations are made by individuals, those of us involved in nonprofit fundraising need to keep this in mind and plan accordingly.

Looking back to 2010 when I gave a presentation at the annual conference hosted by NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network called the “NTC,” that year held at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, I smile when I think about those who scoffed when I suggested there was a connection between older adults, major gifts and digital communications.

It is noteworthy that while most of my conference attendees were skeptical, the topic was clearly of interest. NTEN had given me a “sunrise” session in a room that held 50. I had a line of people wanting to get in to hear the presentation that ran out the door and down the hall, and my slide deck remained in the top ten on the conference slide page for well over a year. SlideShare emailed immediately following my talk to report my slide deck that morning was being downloaded faster and more often than any other on their platform. I think I could give that same presentation today, and many would still find the information “new.”

The message today then is that Baby Boomers and older generations are on social media. Nonprofits need to recognize this, and the fact that America (and the world) is “graying.” Taking the time to understand how to communicate with and harness the attention of older adults makes perfect sense.

More

• Businesswire, “2024 CES Age-Tech Revolution: Lisa M. Cini Unveils Game-Changing Trends for Aging in Place” (2024).

• Daisy Blog, “Baby Boomers: Reach Them on Top Social Media Platforms” (n.d.). This article is very helpful, and reviews each major social media platform and how to pitch your content to Baby Boomers and older adults. “Understanding which social media platforms Baby Boomers use and why they use them is the first step in figuring out which social media ads are best for Baby Boomers.”

• Forbes, “Older Adults Embracing Technology, AARP Reports” (2024).

• Forbes, “Survey: Older Workers Are Actually More Comfortable With Technology” (2016).

• Joe Frankel for Spotlight Feature, “21 Significant Contributions of the Baby Boomer Generation” (2024). I enjoyed this article! We hear quite a few criticisms of “boomers” from younger generations, but many good things occurred thanks to Baby Boomers, from civil rights and environmentalism to space exploration, consumer protect and improved health and wellness.

If you search on the Internet for, “technology for older adults,” you will find a great deal of information. When I first wrote this article, such was not the case. But the world seems to have recognized the usefulness of technology for older adults and that they genuinely like using it! Below are two more postings on Carolyn Nonprofit Blog that you might like to explore.