Marketing isn't about throwing as much as possible at a wall, crossing your fingers and hoping something sticks. In order for it to be successful, you need to carefully tailor and tweak to suit your different audiences and markets. One of the best ways to do this is to segment by age rather than location or gender. This is called generational marketing, and it can work wonders.
If you want to speak to them effectively, it's essential that you understand what makes them tick. There's no point using Facebook marketing exclusively only to realise that your target market prefers the likes of Instagram and Snapchat. Let's dive into the world of each generation.
Baby boomers When they were born: Mid 1940s to mid 1950s
Spending habits: As you may have expected, baby boomers tend to be the most careful and frugal with their money as they settle down into retirement. They will always prefer to spend time seeking out the best possible deals, and aren't as prone to impulse purchases without research. Baby boomers tend to stay loyal to their favourite shops and brands.
Marketing methods: Again, as you probably
expected, baby boomers are the generation that is
least likely to use social media. However, as the joke goes, they are becoming more active on Facebook so there's a potential to target them here. But they prefer traditional marketing methods and are much more likely to watch television than the younger generations. And we're not talking about Netflix, live TV with adverts and everything.
Social media: Baby boomers spent the majority of their life without the technology and internet-freedoms that we enjoy so easily today, so they're pretty content without it. However, more and more are starting to dip their toes into the online world by embracing the new opportunities of social media. No doubt introduced and schooled by the children and grandchildren, baby boomers are slowly joining Facebook and Twitter, but probably aren't ready for the likes of Instagram and Snapchat.
Generation X When they were born: Mid 1960s to early 1980s
Spending habits: When this generation was growing up, the world was deep in the midst of an economic recession. Money and jobs were harder to come by, so they've had to work a great deal harder than their parents in order to come close to their level of success. The amount of disposable income they have tends to be lower, and they prefer to save their money for a rainy day rather than splash out.
Marketing methods: Those from Generation X tend to have the loyalty of baby boomers but with increased scepticism. When it comes to making a decision, they rely heavily on informational content, third-party research and impartial reviews before deciding to purchase. When it comes to marketing to this generation, focus greatly on SEO and paid search results. This age group will pay attention to detailed buying guides, customer reviews and data-rich product comparisons that emphasise value and quality.
Social media: Generation X is made up of the
last group of people who grew up without phones and the internet,and while they have somewhat caught up with the tech, they're still not as savvy as millennials. They prefer to use Facebook, maybe a bit of Twitter every now and then, but it probably isn't a place they'd look to find new brands. Email marketing wouldn't go amiss when it comes to Generation X, but we'd steer clear of social media marketing for these guys and focus on SEO and PPC.
Millennials When they were born: Mid 1980s to mid 1990s
Spending habits: As you've probably guessed, millennials are incredibly confident with online shopping and much prefer it over any other method of shopping. They will share their opinions on products and experiences with companies online, and listen to recommendations of their friends and family, along with reviews, before buying anything.
When compared to generations before them, millennials will often come across as less careful with their money. They much prefer satisfaction and experiences as opposed to financial security.
Marketing methods: The older generations like to joke that millennials have short attention spans, but the truth is that they're just more used to consuming lots of snippets of information at once. The faster forms of social media will appeal to them most - more on this later.
Millennials hate being sold to, so your brand needs to focus on being honest, authentic and transparent. They will smell an advert masquerading as content a mile off, so your ultimate goal should be to help them, not sell to them.
Finally, millennials love a bit of personalisation and customisation as it helps with authenticity, and they also have a soft spot for user generated content.
Social media: You'll probably already know this, but millennials much prefer to consume content and browse potential purchases on the go with their mobile phones, as opposed to a laptop or desktop. So make sure your website and content is fast and completely mobile-optimised if millennials are your target market.
As the older generations join the likes of Facebook, millennials are tending to move away. They prefer quicker and more visual methods of social media like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and, more recently, TikTok.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
28 01 2026 - Media release Screen Australia refreshes Market & Audience approach...
28/01/2026
Boston Conservatory Orchestra Premieres a New Piano Concerto by Peter and Leonar...
27/01/2026
Click for Japanese version
Tokyo, Japan - January 27, 2026 - Akamai Technolo...
27/01/2026
L-R: Jonathan Cuchacovich, Sonia Kennebeck, Alan Fischer, Daeil Kim, Andrew Sta...
27/01/2026
Today, Spotify is proud to support our partner Backline, an industry-leading men...
27/01/2026
With nearly 29 million monthly listeners and clear momentum on Spotify, Net n Ve...
27/01/2026
January 14, 2026
We are proud to share that 25 Ontario, First Gulf's commercial project located just two minutes from our head office, has been recognized ...
27/01/2026
January 22, 2026
First Gulf is excited to share that a full-building lease has been secured at 625 Bronte Rd in Oakville, part of Bronte Station Business Park,...
27/01/2026
January 23, 2026
First Gulf continues to demonstrate its commitment to high-performance, sustainable real estate with 351 King Street East achieving BOMA BEST ...
27/01/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
27/01/2026
Nielsen will continue to drive growth and provide local audience measurement
in...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Amagi Media Labs Limited, the only cloud-native SaaS provider offering end-to-end solutions across live production, content preparation, distribution, and monet...
27/01/2026
Miri Technologies Inc. today unveiled its V410 live 4K video encoder/decoder for streaming, IP-based production workflows and AV-over-IP distribution. Designed ...
27/01/2026
The Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts has chosen Ikegami cameras for incorporation into its broadcast-quality television production facili...
27/01/2026
SipRadius, specialists in secure, low latency media transport, will show the pro AV community its end-to-end solution for high quality content distribution and ...
27/01/2026
Hiltron will highlight the fruits of its 45-plus years of experience in satellite communications system integration and product development at the annual GovSat...
27/01/2026
Klvr will demonstrate how its Charger Pro solution is delivering cost reduction and performance benefits for live entertainment and pro AV markets at ISE 2026 (...
27/01/2026
Amino, a global media technology leader in enterprise video and digital signage, today announced that its Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 booth (4N700) wil...
27/01/2026
ANI, India's leading news agency and a major content provider across the Asia Pacific region, today announced a significant expansion of its long standing p...
27/01/2026
Independent analysis confirms faster encoding, lower CPU usage, and improved perceptual quality compared to CBR and CRF
VisualOn, a leader in multimedia playba...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
New agreement for uninterrupted UHF connectivity for Australian Defence Force through 2033, With Options Extending to 2041
Luxembourg, January 13, 2026 - Satel...
27/01/2026
Tuesday 27 January 2026
SNL UK creative team expands as Pauli Lovejoy, Annie Ha...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
When It Feels Real, Is It Still a Lie? The Art of Sarah' ...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
That Night premiering on Netflix March 13
Entertainment
27 January 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
DOWNLOAD THE KEY ART
DOWNLO...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Revealed the Future of Mexican Stories Coming in 2026
Entertainment
27 January 2026
GlobalMexico
Link copied to clipboard
Among t...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
Four New Japan Titles Announced for 2026: Viral Hit', On...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
What's Next on Netflix from Japan: Expanding the Possibili...
27/01/2026
AI, graphics and virtual software power new production capabilities...
27/01/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to support a dynamic programme of cultural events taking place across Ireland this February. From visual art, film, music, ...
26/01/2026
Music videos play a huge part in how fans connect with their favorite songs, but...
26/01/2026
NAIDOC launches 2026 theme 50 Years of Deadly , marks major milestone
25 January, 2026
Media releases
The National NAIDOC Committee has today unveiled its...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
Marketing isn't about throwing as much as possible at a wall, crossing your fingers and hoping something sticks. In order for it to be successful, you need to carefully tailor and tweak to suit your different audiences and markets. One of the best ways to do this is to segment by age rather than location or gender. This is called generational marketing, and it can work wonders.
