Commentary
Blog Helps 50+ Adults Navigate Social Media
- by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, December 8, 2010
This is almost guaranteed to elicit howls of derision from some readers, especially Web-savvy older adults: a new blog, WebOver50 has launched with the mission of helping adults over the age of 50 navigate the rapidly-changing social media environment. Now, I can already hear the criticisms: plenty of people over 50 know all about social media, from Facebook to Twitter and beyond, and they don't need any help figuring out where, what, when, or how to share their personal lives online. But I would beg these readers for patience and tolerance -- after all, not everyone can be as hip as you, and there are still plenty of older adults who can barely turn on a computer (I happen to know some of them).
Of course, it's not clear how someone who needs help navigating the social web would know to consult a blog (or even what a blog is) but nevertheless I was interested to hear what WebOver50 has to say to its target audience.
The first part of the mission is convincing skeptical adults ages 50+ that social media is actually worthwhile. This is probably easier than we might think, as millions of older adults have already been converted by, say, social media making it easier to stay in touch with family members -- especially children and grandchildren. WebOver50 also points out that social media is a good way to stay informed about consumer products and health issues, find jobs, and save money.
After demonstrating social media's utility, WebOver50 moves to address some of the major obstacles -- for example, privacy concerns, especially among older women -- and strategies for dealing with these. One recent post conceded that Facebook may not be for everyone, and suggested that community groups use Ning to create their own 100% private networks.
In another recent post, WebOver50 noted that there were a number of positive responses from readers in the target audience -- but also described a cohort of entrenched older social media-haters, who take the position "I don't care what you say. I don't use social networks, and I don't want to" and respond to the merest mention of Facebook with a "visceral reaction I normally associate with words like Nazi" (I should add that the writing on WebOver50 is often witty and clever).
So the generational divide around social media will persist in the near term, it seems. However, habits will inevitably change over time as younger generations, who don't equate Facebook with war crimes, age and bring their social media habits with them.
Erik Sass is editor of Publishers Daily. You can reach Erik at eriksass@gmail.com.
This is a web site entirely devoted to helping adults over 50 negotiate social media? I can't believe there will be enough for them to write about. In the mean time, check out my posts at Tech and the Baby Boomer at techandboomers.blogspot.com.
50+ using social media today is as inevitable as their grandparents embracing the telephone. One is never to old to learn nor to keep up and move with the times.
You are guilty of ageism. Shame on you, do your homework, social media sites are heavily populated with the 55 demo who want to keep in touch with their grandchildren. Not that I'm one of them.
I know there are plenty over 50 who use social media. But as someone who works with clients I can be a witness that there are also plenty that think its a HUGE conspiracy and that if they ignore it long enough it will go away.
The only thing I do wonder is how are you going to get these people to the blog to even read it. Their marketing strategy is going to have to be sending people over 55 a letter in the mail to alert them to the site.
Great article, Erik. What I don't understand is the seemingly cosmetic efforts that these bloggers are making in order to reach boomers, touting themselves as experts and they've never even used a mobile app. What's the point of dedicating your time to the education of social media to boomers - "talk the talk"- if you're not going to "walk the walk"? Case in point, the WebOverFifty twitter account shows two mere tweets in it's entire existence (6 months ago, mind you). Perhaps if digital natives, as opposed to digital immigrants, took an interest in being social media shepherds for our Boomers, we'd actually get somewhere. Then again, there are members of the Boomer community that actually get it. Like Snabbo.com founder Barbara Crowley and her "Get Mom off Facebook" initiative. Now THAT'S a boomer with her heart AND her browser in the right place.
Well, it's my contention that people over 50 "power" social media and mainstream media and know far more about the subject than younger folks. When I recently went to Blog World, most there were in the 40-60+ age bracket. Beyond Facebook and text messaging, younger people just can't compete with us "older" folks.
Best, Len.