Questions

How would you promote this site to baby boomers & seniors in a cost-effective manner?

I'm trying to promote the website www.autobiographme.com, and while there are clearly some offline methods that can be used to reach this demographic, I'm having a little bit of a challenge finding methods to get in front of them online. Would love to hear your thoughts/suggestions!

4answers

That's definitely a tricky audience to get in front of online, since those generations aren't on social media nearly as much. Here are a few recommendations:

1) Target a younger audience (and/or baby boomers, who have a stronger online presence than seniors). Figure out how to market your service to younger folks by tailoring your messaging around them wanting to preserve memories of their grandparents/parents/etc. I'd also push hard on the gifting aspect here.

2) Run a test campaign with Facebook ads and use the age targeting setting to display your ads to baby boomers. (This is also a good segmentation technique for millennials if you choose to go with the "grandparents" messaging.)

3) Find other organizations with a similar audience and think of interesting ways to partner with them. What other sites do members of your target audience visit? Are there other apps or services that would complement your site nicely? Contact those folks and strike up conversation, learn more about their businesses, and suggest some potential ways you could help each other gain more customers.

4) Leverage your positive reviews and ask your happy customers to tell their friends about you! Given the demographic you're after, this will more than likely be via word of mouth (not social sharing or email forwarding), but WOM is the most enticing "referral channel" for this group anyway.

Best of luck, and feel free to let me know if you'd like to chat further & come up with some more ideas together.


Answered 9 years ago

Although it's clever, your brand name is kinda clunky to say. Even enunciating it requires some practice, which customers will find awkward and possibly offputting.

While you're still figuring out how to get your name out there, now is a good time to make sure you've got the right name.

I know you can do better, although you may not like my saying so.

As far as PPC advertising goes, here are a few ideas:

(1) Facebook can help you zero in on the right age group.

(2) Google AdWords can put you in front of people searching for ghost writers and self-publishing services. If they're looking for similar topics and nearly ready to check out, then you want them to see you alongside those other options.

(3) You may be able to think of other search verticals of particular interest to baby boomers & seniors. Perhaps as a group they're curious about genealogy, looking up social security or IRAs, or even (dare I say it) age-related health problems.

Additionally you might want to make a list of bloggers who cater to that demographic. Some well placed advertorials can get you noticed.


Answered 9 years ago

I ran direct marketing for a Medicare health plan and, before that, marketed long term care insurance so I have quite a bit of expertise in reaching an older audience.

One option is to craft a special offer for AARP or a to offer to its membership - http://discounts.aarp.org/category/supercategory/categoryId/727/subCategoryId/674/uSource/HCTN

Also, I would look broadly at what ancestry.com is doing, as its users tend to be older females. You'll note Ancestry offers a discount to AARP members, and maybe Ancestry.com itself would be interested in a partnership.

If you'd like to discuss these ideas, and others, in more detail, you can schedule a call with me.


Answered 9 years ago

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