Targeting online advertising is more important than ever. Image: Flickr / darksidex / CC-BY-SA
The popular image of an “average” Internet user is a relatively young person. Yet a new Pew Research study indicates that the age distribution of users is actually much wider. The biggest growth in usage between 2008 and 2010 occurred in the age 50-and-over demographic. Online marketers would be wise to target advertising accordingly.
The raw numbers of age and networks
The growth of social networking use in just the last two years has been huge; that growth is distributed mostly in older age groups, who seem to be putting Facebook and Twitter to especially heavy use.
What the numbers mean
The raw numbers above may seem overwhelming, but the takeaway is simple. Marketing online means marketing to all age groups. Assuming that most individuals online are computer savvy and Internet-literate, what you’re left with is the fact that marketing online is just like marketing offline. The processes do not differ. Choose your demographic and target them in the places that they visit. Each online age group visits different social networks and online destinations in different concentrations. Thus, targeting your marketing to those age groups is smart business.
The increasing international market
Just like targeting unique age groups, targeting unique social groups is also very important. Facebook and social networking use is increasing in many countries. Facebook use increased 72 percent in Germany, 26 percent in Italy, 18 percent in France and 7 percent in both Spain and the U.S. If your product or service is intended to appeal to an international market, keep that in mind. There is nothing wrong with having a United States-focused product or service, just keep in mind that targeting U.S. customers should be as purposeful and deliberate a choice as targeting any other demographic.
