by Fred Harteis
The number of seniors online has risen nearly 50% in the last four years bringing that North American number to over 9 million. The person wearing these comfortable shoes may happen to be 65+years-old but we certainly wouldn’t know it by their internet interests.
The number one internet use by 18-64 year olds is email. The number one internet use by 65+ year olds is email.
The number two most popular internet activity is using search engines. Are you sensing a trend? I’m not saying the same search terms are being entered by both groups.
How about the third most popular internet activity? When its time to play games online, we’re still neck and neck. Playing games online is nearly equal in both groups.
Age is obviously a state of mind, not a stage in time for this growing segment of internet users. According to Seniornet, many are experience web warriors. Meaning they have been using the internet for two-to-five years.
Seniors shop online, too. The senior group is often more likely to have discretionary income than their 40 year-old children.
According to independent surveys, nearly half of these customers, report researching and buying products online. That equates to five out of ten senior internet users buying products online compared to seven out of ten internet users who are ages 18-64.
This is a customer segment, that any smart e-business owner, should keep in mind. The question: How easy are you making it for them to do business with you?
How Many? North American Senior Internet Audience has nearly 10 million active users.*
Why Visit? Group most uses internet for personal reasons.
18-64 65+
Email 91% 94%
Search 90% 82%
Play 44% 41%
Shop 67% 47%
Sources: MediaPort, NUA, NACS, Cyber Atlas, Jupiter, Seniornet, EMarkete
Columnist Information: Fred Harteis is president of Harteis International and Biznet Productions
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