Boomers Crash Social Net Party
Here’s a fun account from MediaPost of the phenom of Boomers joining the world of online social networking. As the article begins:
"’Congratulations! Your parents just joined Facebook. Your life is officially over.’ Such is the greeting visitors receive upon entering the blog ‘Oh Crap. My Parents Joined Facebook,’ which – as the name implies – chronicles the well-intentioned but oft-hilarious wall posts, quiz results, group memberships and status updates of an older generation of social network converts."
The article notes that the number of Facebook members ages 55+ grew 194% in the last half of 2008 compared, for example, to only 21% growth for those ages 18-24.
"Boomers are not particularly cutting-edge – they just catch up later," confirms J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich MONITOR and coauthor of Generation Ageless, a book chronicling how Boomers live today.
Even I have started paying attention!
Here’s the tipping point to watch for: when Boomers start sending messages via their social nets versus plain old email.
Tom
One response to “Boomers Crash Social Net Party”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer
Tom,
re: “Here’s the tipping point to watch for: when Boomers start sending messages via their social nets versus plain old email.”
It’s already happening. I have one friend who organizes a group of us for lunch via FB, another with whom I send FB messages in lieu of email. Does the fact that these are all boomer signify anything?
Thanks for the daily post!
Maureen
PS: Go easy on our website, if you take time to visit. A replacement is under construction.