Seniors, Your Website and the Internet
May 25, 2006
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Surfing Senior Segment Is Surging
Whether they are writing email, sending digital photos, researching genealogy, finding recipes or sending digital photos across the country, seniors are the fastest growing segment on the internet. According to the US Census Bureau, the senior market will grow by 95 million people between 2006 and 2090. Seniors control 70% of all disposable income and currently spend more than $7 billion on line each year.
The incredible growth of the internet has made social, educational, financial and recreational activities available to anyone. Because the net has become easier to navigate, more and more seniors are spending time online.
“As younger Americans weave the internet into nearly aspect of their lives, their parents and grandparents are stating to follow suit, even when it comes to email and information searches,” said Susannah Fox, author of “Older Americans and the Internet” and director of research at the PEW Internet and American Life Project.
According to studies conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons, a senior’s interest in the internet usually begins with email. Their children have digital cameras and they’re posting pictures of their children. The grandparents then feel the need to get online to become a part of the “family loop.” Also, many aging Americans who are less mobile find the internet a source of community. According to AARP, seniors who are 65 years or older are more likely to spend time in chat rooms, on bulletin boards and with interactive experiences.
Once seniors log on and discover the web world, they are likely to become eager internet users. They are more likely than younger Americans to go online on a typical day and seniors are quite clear about the advantages they see in the internet. Wired seniors say the internet has helped them connect better to loved ones and makes it easier to get the information they seek.
Senior Websites Must Be User-Friendly
That being the case, many companies are offering websites that market specifically to seniors or they are devoting a portion of their existing websites to seniors. The goal is to make this segment of the market feel that you have singled them out for special treatment. Seniors have unique needs and concerns and sites should reflect that. Many companies’ sites fail to reflect older Americans’ penchant for the Internet. According to a study conducted last year by Nielsen Norman Group, web sites are twice as hard to use for Americans over 65 than for their younger counterparts.
To address the issue of web usability, AARP is holding a serious of conferences to study possible solutions. “A lot sites are designed for other designers and many are designed for kids,” said Mark Carpenter, AARP’s director of Web strategy. “You have to connect with these older Americans. You have to adjust the experience to service them better so they can interact with you.”
In order to maximize senior visits to your website, you need to take into consideration the special needs and preferences of our older generation. By focusing on improving usability for seniors, you will increase their satisfaction and maximize the odds of them revisiting your site.
Here are some tips:
- Use large font sizes that are easy to read. It is recommended that sites targeting seniors should use at least 12-point type as the default.
- Avoid tightly clustered links that are not separated by white space. Doing so will decrease erroneous clicks and increase the speed at which users hit the correct link
- Minimize the site’s pull-down menus and other moving interface elements. Seniors are not always steady with the mouse. This rule also applies to command buttons and other interaction objects, all of which should be large and easy to click.
One web designer tests her sites through her 90-year-old grandmother who is an active online user. “She has arthritis so it is hard for her to grip the mouse. Web sites need to have navigation that is not only easy to read, but also something that someone with a slightly shaky hand can navigate. Those tiny navigation menus are very difficult for seniors with limited dexterity. “
If you are not sure exactly how to design a senior friendly website, there are many outstanding web design companies on the net who can design one for you. Considering the amount of time and money seniors spend on the internet, it will be well worth your investment.
Seniors Search Web For Health Information
Two thirds of America's senior citizens connected to the internet search online for health information, a new survey reveals. Research conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 66 per cent of internet users over the age of 65 have searched for health or medical information online.
The study claims the number of senior citizens using online services for medical purposes has increased by more than 25 per cent since 2000. Health information seekers are generally pleased with the results of their searches, which often help them make decisions about when to consult doctors, which doctors to consult, what kind of treatments to pursue, and which medicines to take.
Fully 82% report getting the information they need all the time or most of the time. One third take the information to their doctors for validation. The research also found 53 percent of 'wired' seniors are frequent visitors to websites that provide information or support for a specific medical condition or personal situation.
Among Americans 65 and over, email remains the main activity; 93 percent of wired seniors use email, while 58 percent go online for hobby information, 55 percent read news online, 53 percent search for health and medical information, 53 percent browse for fun and 53 percent check the weather.
The bottom line is that senior surfers are going to spend their money somewhere. Smart marketers will design user-friendly websites that make this surging segment feel right at home.
Copyright 2006 © Website Source, Inc.
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