Making the Most of Your Online Presence
These days, is it not yet a fact that brands and businesses can benefit from being online? For businesses that exist as physical stores, having a website or selling in an online marketplace is key to surviving competition. Boosting your social media presence, for example, enables stronger engagement with your audience. However, this can only be truly effective if you are reaching the right audience for your business.
For new entrepreneurs and business owners, it is important to first know who your target market is, and how they can best be acquainted with your brand. Working with a digital marketing agency that provides SEO services in the Philippines is a good way to start strong in making the most of your online presence. While the buyer’s journey helps you narrow down how to approach your audience for your products or services, effective generational marketing helps target your online audience by demographic. This can be done by looking at and studying the online shopping behaviors of Baby Boomers, Gen X-ers, Millennials, and Zoomers.
First off, let us define the age groups:
| Generation | Age Range | Years Born |
| Baby Boomers | 54-72 | 1946-1964 |
| Gen X | 38-53 | 1965-1976 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) | 22-37 | 1977-1995 |
| Gen Z (Zoomers) | 18-21 | 1996- |
It is important for us to note that the data in the Age Range and Years Born columns do not exactly intersect, as the manner of delineation has been loose. The definitions for generationality are more of an overlap. Context, after all, is an important consideration in generational marketing. For example, stereotyping certain qualities for each generation can easily cause problems for any brand when done haphazardly, and the damage can be costly. The key is to stay relevant and be genuine.
A Data-driven World Created by Real People
A breakdown of online shopping in 2018, by age group, in the Philippines shows the following:
- 65+ yo – 1%
- 55-64 yo – 3%
- 45-54 yo – 5%
- 35-54 yo – 13%
- 25-34 yo – 52%
- 18-24 yo – 26%
The data above from Statista, a German database company, reveals that when it comes to online shopping, Filipino Millennials and Zoomers are the most active. Between these two, we already have nearly 80 percent of the population that shops online. However, we also have to note that this is data from a couple of years ago.
That being said, with the massive shift towards online shopping in recent years — further accelerated by the coronavirus — it’s possible for those in the older age brackets to take more of the share from Gen Z, with the former having more purchasing power. So, how can we implement generational marketing strategies utilizing this data?
In a nutshell, let’s take a quick look at the generations’ online shopping behaviors:
- Baby Boomers – While they come second to Millennials in volume, Boomers remain to be the most valuable when it comes to accumulated wealth. Compared to the other generations, they have a higher capacity for spending. That, however, does not transition so seamlessly when it comes to online spending.
Most people would probably assume that this is due to their age, growing up before the internet, thus being technologically challenged. But in reality, this is more in line with how Boomers shop. With a preference for one-on-one interaction, Boomers utilize online platforms the same way they would a telephone directory. Being on the more popular social media sites like Facebook to primarily reconnect with friends and relatives, Boomers would shop through other channels, such as phone, text, or email. They can also ask for their younger kids to make the purchases through websites and shopping apps. - Gen X – As the bridge between the Boomers and Millennials, the Gen X-er remains to believe in hard work. They are balancing multiple priorities all at once: having children, paying loans for the mortgage, schooling fees, and trying to live healthy. Having been the ones to lay the groundwork and develop the tech we now have, this generation grew up without it, thus making them a hybrid of experiences. They can manage banking apps and online transactions for shopping through a laptop or smartphone, but will still want to enjoy feeling the material and holding an item in a retail store’s shelves. Conclusively, this is a generation that is certain of its priorities in life.
- Millennials – With Millennials dominating the population for online shopping in the Philippines, this generation is clearly the demographic that most businesses will have to target. They are taking over the nation’s workforce and are digital natives. That said, they can see and understand when they are being targeted with ads online. Millennials also rely on reviews and referrals from friends, authority sites, and content creators before making a purchase. This is on top of Googling for prices and product comparisons.
4. Gen Z – As the youngest generation of consumers, Zoomers have held smartphones before they even learned how to read. They are tech-savvy and are known to be twice as more likely to purchase from an online seller. Gen Z’s preference for social media platforms, such as Snapchat and Instagram, as well as the shopping apps they choose to checkout from, are distinguished by the capacity for personal control and customization.
As a business owner, it is important that one understands how these shopping behaviors can influence a brand, and how it can augment business. And while data will always remain to be faceless, it helps to realize that at the core of it all is this — these numbers and percentages came from real people. Different generations have different needs, and each unique individual will have their own set of preferences.
Understanding the Impact of Search: Answer the Right Questions
At New Age Digital, we provide SEO services that are built for your brand and your business. Having the data and the tools to reach your target market is one thing, but knowing how to engage them effectively through the use of the right keywords is another. With a campaign that considers the online shoppers’ needs and wants, your audience will find their way to your business.
