The mobile and smartphone technology have taken everyone by awe and the number of users is constantly growing everyday. There are millions of mobile apps that are catering to the varied needs of billions of smartphone users round the clock, around the globe.
Everyone from businesses to entertainers, service providers, store owners, and more, are realizing the power of this revolution. They are opting to turn websites into apps with tools like AppMySite. Such tools are helping them in penetrating the mobile market and expanding their reach.
This has become easier as people of all age groups are now using mobile apps for some or the other purpose. Each have their own motives that the apps are helping them accomplish. While there are a huge number of factors that determine the purposes, age stands as the most crucial.
Therefore, if you are thinking about getting the right app for your business, you must know what appeals to which generation. It will help you utilize your time viably, reach the right audience and maximize your benefit.
In order to achieve 360-degree success, your efforts should be strong enough. Read further to discover the mobile app usage tendencies of all generations and know how you can set the most profitable marketing goals.
Understand how age determines app usage
Generational marketing is a term, commonly used in the market scenario by experts of the field. They clearly understand the different preferences of different age groups and hence cater accordingly.
The market moulds its sales strategies according to the generation it is targeting. Age shapes and influences certain habits in people that makes them different from other generations. Thus, the “one size does not fit all’ rule applies to mobile app marketing as well.
While categorizing people on the basis of other factors is a herculean task, generation sampling is an easier process and gives the maximum results. Besides, it is simpler to know the age of people than to classify them on the basis of their occupation, location, social class, and more.
There are a variety of factors that determine human behaviour, when it comes to identifying patterns of mobile app usage. The list can vary and be influential in a variety of ways depending upon your business & approach.
However, the most significant of them have been discussed below:
- Tech friendliness: Different age groups have different aptitude for technology. While older people are often less likely to grasp technological developments easily, younger ones get bonus points here for their tech-savviness.
- Device preferences: It is often seen that age impacts the choice of devices or appliances that people prefer. Unlike their conventional elders, the younger lot is quite open to varied experiences and ever-changing technology with new range smartphones being launched everyday.
- Content preferences: Different age groups have different preferences when it comes to consuming app content. While the older generation goes for informational stuff, the younger ones are more likely to go for shopping, entertainment & social connections.
- Session durations: The duration for which users scroll through or use your app, can greatly affect its success. For instance, millennials have a higher average session time than the boomers while the budding generation is almost always on its smart phone.
- Real-life application: Apps can have a huge, little or negligible real-life application for people, depending on their age group. For instance, apps roughly hold some significance in the lives of Gen X while millennials are almost running their lives on smartphones and use an app for supporting quite a lot of real-life functions.
- Response to branding: Different age groups respond differently to app-based branding activities. While the older ones are more likely to engage with brand promotions that seem trustworthy, youngsters highly driven by their adrenaline, take more impulsive buying decisions.
- Social media usage: Besides other kinds of content consumption, the usage of social media also varies and that in turn, considerably also influences the usage of other apps. While the ones born lately spend a great deal of time on all kinds of social media channels, their elders have a more traditional approach.
Cater to different generations differently
Now that you are aware of the factors that influence app usage behaviour, you should study it in detail and plan your marketing strategies accordingly. You should also do your primary research and gather statistical data to empower and strengthen your marketing game.
Different age groups should be approached differently when it comes to app marketing. Going through this analytical breakup of the preferences of different generations can help you take calculated decisions.
Let us dive in details and find out more about the different generations, as discussed below:
Baby boomers: The traditional lot
Born between: 1944 to 1964
Age range: 56 to 76 years
Approximate strength: 76 million
Introduction:
Born in the era of Post World War II optimism, this is the generation of the old and the experienced. They are called Baby boomers as they were born during the time when booth population and economy set on a boom.
Most of them are probably now living a life or retirement and are busy honing a hobby or dealing with old-age solitude. They are highly traditional in terms of market consumption and must be approached sensitively.
Standard usage pattern:
Most of the Baby Boomers hold inclination towards traditional tools, conventional methods and more traditional forms of media. They are not tech savvy and prefer television, newspaper, radio & magazines over mobile phones.
However, they have started adapting themselves to the technological revolution. They use apps mainly for information purposes to get help to deal with the old-age ailments and longings.
Key statistics & takeaways:
- The lot is less mobile-friendly so make the app easy on their senses
- Keep the interface & layout simple and include only viable features
- Provide detailed information in forms of easily accessible content
- They prefer spiritual & health related content, videos, e-books, etc.
- More likely to engage with things reflecting ethos of their generation
- Hardly active on Social Media, active ones are mostly on Facebook
How to reach Baby Boomers:
Go for television or radio marketing to promote your mobile apps. You can also design YouTube videos and Facebook campaigns (with text, images and videos) to reach them. Just keep the content and interface simple enough to grasp.
Popular Categories:
Health Monitoring Apps, Spiritual or Religious Apps and Informative Apps.
Gen X or Xennials: The amateurs
Born between: 1965 to 1979
Age range: 41 to 55 years
Approximate strength: 82 million
Introduction:
Gen X or Xennials aka ‘Latchkeys’ is the generation that is most crucial to address for marketers. They are still sceptical about a lot of things and mostly depend upon the youngsters to grasp rapidly changing technologies.
Most of them are nearing their retirement age and are learning the ropes to mingle with their kids and grandkids. They can be called amateurs as they are not alien to technological revolution but find it tough to get used to it.
Standard usage pattern:
Born in the age when personal computing was rising, technology still plays a secondary role in their lives and they trust the other sources more. But when harnessed smartly, they can still be hooked and attracted to mobile apps.
Newspaper and television still hold a huge significance in their lives, although they are using mobile phones for a variety of purposes. Their online time is driven by purpose rather than entertainment and personalized communication appeals them more than visualization.
Key statistics & takeaways:
- The generation is gradually progressing from desktops to mobile gadgets
- Take keen interest in informative & trending topics, global news, alerts etc.
- Mostly search for health & wellness assistance, recipes, e-books, news, etc.
- Enjoy content that can connect emotionally and trust reviews & testimonials
- App can be directed towards financial & social planning for life post retirement
- More active on Social Media than Boomers, on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube
How to reach Gen X:
Email marketing can be a great way to reach people of this generation. By heading with a personalized approach, you can also go for Facebook & Twitter platforms. A key tip is to emphasize on information more than entertainment.
Popular Categories:
Health & Wellness Apps, Music Apps, News Apps, Travel Apps and Blogging Apps.
Gen Y or Millennials: The largest consumers
Born between: 1980 to 1994
Age range: 26 to 40 years
Approximate strength: 95 million
Introduction:
Millennials account for the biggest consumer base for most of the market and are treated with utmost importance. Every other ad campaign seems to be centred around this generation as they are the easiest target for any brand.
This range consists of mature youngsters and adults who are corporate employees, entrepreneurs, or more, and constitute of the largest workforce. They act as a bridge between new & old generations and are open to rapid changes.
Standard usage pattern:
This is the most fascinating age group for marketeers as it includes people who are more awakened towards technology. They are present anywhere and everywhere and are the largest consumers in the global market.
Born in the time of internet explosion, they have witnessed the advent of mobile phone technology. They have seen the mobile world shaping and take calculated decisions when it comes to harnessing it. Mobile apps are their go-to source for a variety of things in daily life.
Key statistics & takeaways:
- This generation is highly mobile-friendly & tech-savvy and easy to reach
- They are ditching television, newspaper and other resources for apps
- Millennials spend the most online & are the largest potential consumers
- They use apps for a variety of purposes and desire speed & performance
- Sustaining their brand loyalty can be a concern as they always seek better
- Millennials use almost all Social Media platforms and are highly active
How to reach Gen Y:
Social Media platforms and in-app ad campaigns can be the best, followed by Email and SMS marketing.
Popular Categories:
Utility Apps, Office Apps, Parenting Apps, Networking Apps, Lifestyle & Shopping Apps, Entertainment Apps and Communication Apps.
iGen or Gen Z: The enthu users
Born between: 1995 to 2012
Age range: 8 to 25 years
Approximate strength: 25% of global population
Introduction:
This is the most impulsive generation as it mostly constitutes of adolescents, teenagers and young adults. Born in the age of mobile technology, they are more likely to have a better grasp of app usage right from the start.
It is tough for marketing experts to judge this always ‘high on energy’ generation. They are highly open to experimenting with gadgets and technologies and do not need much assistance to adapt to the changes. In this year 2020, Generation Z will account for 40% of all consumers.
Standard usage pattern:
This generation is probably the most glued to their smartphones and it is more like a daily need rather than a luxury for them. They also attain access to the internet at a very young age and are aware of the technological nuances.
Apps are more like a source of entertainment and leisure for them and hold a variety of significance in their life. Their impulsive buying nature makes them the jackpot for brands. They are the future of the technological market and hence cannot be taken lightly at all.
Key statistics & takeaways:
- This is the most tech-savvy and mobile friendly generation amongst all
- This detached generation stays in virtual world and relies highly on apps
- They use apps for education & fun and highly engage with brands
- They look for fast and responsive apps with latest ‘cool’ features
- Highly active on all Social Media channels for a huge part of the day
- iGen mobile app users also generate and highly share viral content
How to reach Gen Z:
Interactive Social Media channels like Instagram & TikTok are the best way to reach them. Make your campaigns challenging and entertaining to align it with the ‘meme’ loving generation.
Popular Categories:
Gaming Apps, Entertainment Apps, Fitness Apps, Educational Apps, Photo & Video Editing Apps and Networking Apps.
Because age is not just a number
When it comes to mobile app marketing, age certainly holds a huge significance and is a lot more than just a number. It is important that you consider age as a key element and process it before you determine your business goals or invest resources to achieve it.
By going through the factors discussed above, you are now aware about the different choices of different age groups. As you know about their likes, dislikes, behavioural pattern, and more, it’s time to act. But, if you still do not have an app, then contact AppMySite WooCommerce mobile app builder and get one built.
It is evident, that with a smart strategy, you can target people of all generations. Implement demographic targeting and carve out age-wise strategy to drive maximum visibility and conversions for your mobile app.
You can also put to use, your own creative ideas of generational marketing for mobile apps and also go for other marketing techniques.
Tap into the mobile market to woo people of all ages and claim your territory now! Get going!
