Effect of Online Marketing on Baby Boomers

Advanced technology has caused our world to go mobile, with most individuals carrying personal devices and having endless information right at their fingertips. As a result, the internet has become a primary mechanism for marketing. It has changed the way organizations communicate, network, and conduct marketing research; it has also changed consumers expectations and the way they shop for services and/or products (Kotler, Shalowitz, & Stevens, 2008). Healthcare organizations have had to adapt and modify their marketing strategies to accommodate these technological advances. In doing so, they have to analyze their target population, and determine the appropriate marketing strategy for each of the segments within that population. This paper will focus on the impact that online marketing has had on the baby boomer generation.

The baby boomer generation is classified by those born between 1946 and 1964 and therefore, currently includes consumers in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. There are more than 76 million baby boomers in the United States today, accounting for nearly 45 percent of the American population (Schiff, 2014). The baby boomers are considered a “unique marketing challenge and a very distinct demographic” (Olenski, 2015). While they are a distinct demographic, they are not all alike, so marketers should be careful to appropriately target those most likely to desire the product or service they’re promoting (Schiff, 2014). According to Lofton (2012), baby boomers are focused on living as long as they can and this can be used to the healthcare marketer’s advantage. Many of the baby boomers base their decisions on feelings and they appreciate emotional value and relatable experiences (Lofton, 2012).

It is known that baby boomers use social media, but in a different way than your typical 20- or 30-something. The baby boomers are not using social media avenues such as Instagram or Snapchat, but they are using Facebook to keep in touch...