Social Networking Doubles among Baby Boomers and Seniors!

November 21, 2010 Social media usage has nearly reached saturation among younger adults, and its highest growth rates are now coming from internet users ages 65 and up. Who, have doubled the usage of social networking sites in the past year. The mass appeal is causing ad dollars to flow and gaining momentum. There is an explosion with the amount of Boomersand Seniors joining social networks, and more than a quarter of web users 65 and up are coming aboard. Older web users are flocking to social networks according to May 2010 surveys. Usage among internet users ages 50 and older nearly doubled during the past year, from 22% to 42%. More specifically, 47% of 50 to 64 year old internet users, and 26% of seniors ages 65 and up indicate that they now use these type of sites, because of their growing popularity and that depending on the site, it's users are typically much more mature. These rates are fairly close to eMarketer predictions from April 2010, which estimated the largest jumps in social networking site usage would occur among the oldest users. Certainly, Over Fifty Is Now (OFIN) is a perfect example. It is just one such site that is catching on fire and is currently one of, if not the Fastest growing website for Baby Boomers and Seniors. With the amount of boomers and even seniors catching the wave of social networking, the phenomenon’s mass appeal is undeniable for marketers. Here are some reasons for social networking’s appeal to older adults: They want to reconnect with people from their past, like family and friends, and even make some new friends.rnIt's a good way to find out how your children and grandchildren are doing.rnIf you're single, divorced, or even a widower, it's a great way to possibly meet someone new in your life.rnAlso, people with chronic diseases and disabilities are more likely to reach out to others online, who can relate with having health issues being older. Young users may stop considering Social Networks cool when their parents join in on the fun, let alone their grandparents. This is just the beginning and who knows where it's heading. But, wherever it ends up it's going to be huge, cause a lot of attention, and certainly change social networking as we now know it. By, Vic Boxwell (CEO) Over Fifty Is Now, LLCrn10012 Vanderbilt Cir. #2rnRockville, MD 20850rnUnited Statesrn(240) 912-5489