There is a surprisingly large population of internet users who are over 50 and using social media, shopping and doing educational courses online. Well maybe not so surprising if you are one of them, but it certainly disproves the common misconception that older people aren't online. Figures below definitely challenge the stereotype of the not-so-tech-savvy baby boomer, (using US based statistics).
In order to do some further myth-busting, and better understand our audience and meet their needs, we are collecting our own statistics, and you can complete the (anonymous) survey in just two minutes by clicking on this survey link. We'd really appreciate you spending just a few minutes of your time!
Stats and Facts:
Almost 1 in 5
Percentage of Twitter users over 50
53%
Percentage of Americans 65+ who use the Internet
Of that 53%, 70% use it on a typical day.
27 hours per week
Average amount of time Baby Boomers 47-65 spent on the Internet in 2012
48%
Percentage of seniors (65+) who own a desktop computer
63%
Percentage of adults 50-64 who own a desktop computer
Senior Internet use (2000-2012)
The number of adults 50+ who use the Internet has grown significantly in the past 12 years.
A Closer Look: Social Media
Though the average age of the social media user is fairly young, a large percentage of social media profiles belong to adults 55 and over.
27.4 million
Adults 55+ who engage in social networking to communicate
1 in 3
Online seniors who use social media
This is a big difference from 2009, where only 13% of online seniors were using social media.
49%
Percentage of online seniors who have a Facebook account
18%
Percentage of Twitter users 50 and older
A Closer Look: Shopping
Maybe it’s because they have the most money of any age group, or maybe it’s because they like the convenience; whatever the reason, adults 50 and older constitute a majority of the online consumer population.
59%
Percentage of online seniors who have made an online purchase in the past three months
$7 billion
Average annual amount spent online by adults aged 50+
Adults 50+ account for 80% of all online luxury travel spending.
Source: Accredited-Online-College.org
