Three Minds On Digital Marketing @ Organic

It sounds like the punchline of a joke or something catchy to put on a t-shirt, but there is no stopping it. The over 40 crowd is flocking to Facebook and you know what... I think we are all going to better off because of it!! Why? The new demographic is going to inspire:

1. Interfaces to become more intuitive
2. Social graphs to shrink
3. Social platforms to open and branch out

Over the holidays, the last of my parents finally joined the Facebook club. One thing that distinguishes the social media immigrants from the social media natives is their understanding of how to use the tools. It might horrify a parent to know that their kids snicker when they reply to our messages on their own wall. Or when they sign their name at the bottom of a comment. But why should it?

These social media interfaces need to be more intuitive. Why should someone be expected to know the difference between a wall post, a note, a message, and a comment the instant they sign up? And just think about how Twitter must seem to a generation that doesn't fully embrace text messaging. Platforms that are unintuitive are going to miss out, as boomers don't wait around for things to get easier.

One of Greg Verdino's 2009 predictions, one I very much agree with, was on social graph shrinkage:

"We'll start using online social platforms to stay connected with the people we actually know and care about. Suddenly, being Facebook friends with your mom will seem less ridiculous than following 4,000 strangers on Twitter."

Boomers tend to be more guarded with the information they distribute about themselves online. I have been politely asked to untag unflattering photos, and watched as my parents cautiously add select "friends" only after a few messages have passed between them. It's polite, it's pickier, and in a world of social noise, we could learn a thing or two from that behavior. Perhaps friendship should be earned. Perhaps I don't really care about the lifestreams of hundreds of people I've never met before.

Finally, I think with the influx of social media immigrants we are going to see projects like Facebook Connect picking up a lot of steam. Boomers are savvy shoppers. They love using online tools and consumer reviews to make smarter buying decisions. Social platforms that branch out into the online retail world are going to become seen as something of value in the Boomer's eyes. They will change from the casual messaging tool to an easy way to get electronic advice from my tech-savvy son or figure out what my daughter-in-law wants for Christmas.

So I welcome parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to come to the social media party. Because, while I may not like having to clean up my house because my parents are coming over, in the end I always realize that I like it that way better.

Marta Strickland