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As a result, a number of Net companies are learning that they need to target this older group and not worry so much about the often-prized 15- to 35-year-olds. A flood of new sites aimed specifically at seniors are washing over the Web. And they aren't lacking visitors. According to Credoc: "We're seeing in this age group a new state of mind -- less frail and more independent." Those in their 50s and 60s are getting turned on by the new technology, says Olivier Deletombe, head of multimedia services at Médiamétrie. "Satellite dishes, HDTV, PC, handhelds: The best-equipped are those from 50 to 59, not from 18 to 24." "TIME AND CURIOSITY." Clearly the seniors are getting into it. According a June study by Net Value, which measures Web audiences, those over 50 represent the strongest traffic growth on the Net in France in recent months, with a million senior surfers, or 18% of all Net users. "At first glance, we thought that the Net revolution was reserved for the very young. But seniors are becoming committed surfers. They have two real strengths: time and curiosity," notes Christian Collange, editorial director of Seniorplanet, which was launched last March with an advertising campaign of $2.5 million and had 300,000 page views at the end of June. Beyond the traditional categories of health, money, leisure, travel, and genealogy, most senior sites attract surfers with very specific interests. For example on Seniorplanet, one popular area on the site gives tips on how to get back into the job market. It has stories, forums, and interactive tests. All of it is in straightforward language with lots of service journalism. Trequer notes that "although the Internet often attracts the most educated, still a lot of seniors only have a high school education" and need some handholding. The senior sites are all trying to build a sense of community and are hoping to attract loyal seniors by playing on the notion of a club, explains Djilali Sahi, a consultant at research firm Novatris. "This older age segment that is discovering the Internet wants to be reassured. They give a lot of importance to the reputation of a site and the quality of its advice. Seniors are difficult to attract at the beginning, but they are also the most loyal group of surfers once you get them." Launched last April, Cmaintenant.com, which racks up some 140,000 page views each month, has bet heavily on its strong interactivity -- more than on its cyber articles. Seniors get to create their own stories and advice, and exchange living experiences on the site. Cyberpapy.com lets seniors interact in another way: reaching out to the younger generation by offering to help students with their homework. NO ENGLISH. While some senior sites have bet on a pure new-media approach and have tried to distinguish themselves from the traditional press that has attracted seniors, Robert Rochefort director general of Credoc is skeptical that they will succeed. "Only the senior sites that stress their links with existing publications or spring from well-known clubs and associations are really viable." In that vein, the Web site of the monthly magazine Full Life, launched by the Emap group in late summer, hopes to move steady readers of the magazine to its Web site. For Antoine Adam, president of Full Life (in French, Pleine Vie), the real value of the Internet is in helping those 55 to 70 inform themselves and better equip themselves for life. To appeal to the older set, Adam doesn't use English terms, and he offers tips to older surfers on how they can have a better Web experience by using bigger keyboards and other senior-friendly devices. One problem for senior sites is what tone to take and what kind of vocabulary to use since the age group comprises so many people. A senior of 50 doesn't really have a lot in common with one of 65 or 80. The real test of these sites is whether they can give solid advice and help older surfers without a one-size-fits-all approach. Of course, seniors do have at least one yearning in common: to remain young as long as possible. That has proved a successful formula for Full Life, which three years ago shed its less dynamic image and changed its name from Le Temps Retrouvé (Time Regained). It now has a million readers. The earlier version of the magazine covered the problems of aging , fatigue, and living on limited resources. "Today the senior set has changed," says Full Life President Adam. "The same principle applies to the Web. When they surf the Internet, seniors are making an effort to stay in the game. They won't go to a site that casts them in a certain category." To grab the attention of seniors without making them feel old is a real challenge. But the market of the 50-plus generation is a gold mine that's worth some extra marketing effort. By Anaïs Jouvancy |
