Almost every one of us has been there…having a browse on Facebook, checking what our mates got up to at the weekend whilst we wait for the bus, when suddenly a friend request pops up. Upon opening the request, it dawns upon you that Great Aunt Dolly has got Facebook, and she wants to be your ‘friend’.
Putting aside the mental gymnastics we’ve all done to justify ignoring the friend request, one thing is clear – Facebook’s audience is getting older and is no longer limited to a younger market. According to Hootsuite, 56% of online users in the US aged 65+ are using Facebook, and a whopping 79% of 30-49 year olds are joining the ranks of the social savvy on that channel too.
Social media platforms have traditionally been seen as a space for young people to share their lives with friends, but now the parents and grandparents of this generation are getting in on the act. And now, in this technologically advanced age, YouTube channel subscribers can be easily bought. So, what does it mean for PR and social media activity?
Our insights suggest that women aged 40-65+ are 40% more likely to engage with posts on Facebook than the average user. They’re also 13% more likely to click on an ad or boosted post making them an active and lucrative audience for the right brands or content.
As this ever-growing audience begins to connect with friends and their favourite brands, it offers PR agencies the opportunity to engage them with exciting, creative and targeted content, sure to drive the conversation around brands and have them tagging friends and sharing in no time.
We’ll leave you with a few of our favourite social influencers that are showing the world that age is no barrier to being a social star!
Baddie Winkle
Baddie has a staggering three million Instagram followers and has worked with brands such as Misguided to help reach new audiences.
“Stealing yo man since 1928”… need we say anymore?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRs80brDfsQ/?taken-by=baddiewinkle&hl=en%20
Iris Apfel
This New York style icon has over 500,000 followers on Instagram and lives by the motto “More is more & less is bore”. Preach.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRJOBjWFbjf/