Marketing to Senior Audiences on Facebook
Senior citizens spend a lot more time on social media than most people think. Social media is a terrific way for seniors to stay connected to friends and family and keep informed about news, weather, and local events. If mature adults are part of your customer base, then Facebook advertising could be another tool to reach them.
Know Your Ideal Customers
In 2021, PEW Research Center data showed that 50% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older use Facebook and 73% of seniors aged 50–64 also use the platform. When you think of new marketing campaigns, do you limit yourself with thoughts that getting started on Facebook will be complicated? It doesn’t have to be.
However, you will find that marketing on social media platforms like Facebook requires perseverance, and it's essential to do some research first to learn about the key demographics of your mature audience. You’ll want to know who your ideal customers are, where they're located, and what interests them.
Senior-Friendly Presence and Content
After defining your senior audience, it's time to create different types of Facebook content they will connect with and find valuable. Post text, images, and video content considering their age and what they like. Understand history familiar to them and provide interesting and meaningful information to share with Facebook friends. Focus on the quality rather than the quantity of your content. Also, include important keywords for your business when creating your posts.
In addition, be transparent and work hard to gain the trust of your senior audience. Present your information in short, well-organized chunks that are logical and easy to follow. Above all, avoid trying to hard-sell them. Clearly, your audience would rather learn from you and delight in your information rather than receive salesy posts. This is how you build relationships.
Senior-Focused Facebook Advertising
Once you understand your target market, you may want to consider ads as part of your social media strategy. Facebook ads can help you reach a wider audience of seniors who are active users of the platform, even if you lack a huge marketing budget. While many factors affect the cost of Facebook ads, audience demographics are one of them. Digital marketing company WebFX explains that "...ads that target individuals 55–65 years or older tend to have substantially higher costs..." which is something you need to consider when calculating your ad budget.
The ad cost per click (CPC) depends on the target audience, industry, competition, time of day, day of the week, and other factors. Thankfully, Facebook allows you to assign limits of a few dollars per day to make sure you don't go over your budget in your advertising campaign.
While some Facebook advertising campaigns are less expensive than others, tools are available to help you track your ad results. You'll see what works and doesn't work for your mature audience and know where to focus your spending.
Regardless of the size of your business, Facebook can play a significant role in your social media marketing strategy. With a solid Facebook presence and a small advertising budget, you can expand your access to senior markets, reaching seniors with information that is valuable to them. Based on your ad analytics, you won't have to guess if they like your content. They'll let you know.