Recently I read an article that the majority of users on MySpace and FaceBook were over 35 years of age. Although surprising to many, I found the information to be accurate probably because I am one of the over 35 users. There are many reasons our generation, aka the Baby Boomers and GenX, are utilizing social networking sites.
The first reason that comes to mind is reconnecting with past friends and associates. Not long ago my husband added his name to his high school class web site. Less than 24 hours later he was reconnecting with friends he had not heard from in over 30 years. He
was able to share stories from high school, learn about their present lives and found a few friends lived within 15 miles of our home.
Another “why” the 35+ generation is using social media is for business. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter can aid a business in spreading the word about products and services. Some companies are creating videos and posting them on YouTube and other similar sites. These social networking sites cost very little and can have a huge impact on sales.
The final reason I’m discussing in this blog is an eight letter word where people can have one or more. This can be the cause of great pride, the cause of moment’s grief, and the cause of endless joy. Yes I am talking about
C H I L D R E N
Many of my friends have started their own pages on Facebook and MySpace so that they can stay current / in touch with their children. Now days our children all own iPhones and have social media network applications on their phones. They can Twitter on a moments notice sending out a message to all that they just found the perfect place to buy pizza. They can post photos on Facebook that we can see them acting silly and know who their friends are and where they like to hang-out.
Even more important to me is how your children, who may live across the country of for a time reside in Iraq, can stay in contact with their parents to let them know how they are doing and that they are safe.
The first reason that comes to mind is reconnecting with past friends and associates. Not long ago my husband added his name to his high school class web site. Less than 24 hours later he was reconnecting with friends he had not heard from in over 30 years. He
was able to share stories from high school, learn about their present lives and found a few friends lived within 15 miles of our home.Another “why” the 35+ generation is using social media is for business. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter can aid a business in spreading the word about products and services. Some companies are creating videos and posting them on YouTube and other similar sites. These social networking sites cost very little and can have a huge impact on sales.
The final reason I’m discussing in this blog is an eight letter word where people can have one or more. This can be the cause of great pride, the cause of moment’s grief, and the cause of endless joy. Yes I am talking about
C H I L D R E N
Many of my friends have started their own pages on Facebook and MySpace so that they can stay current / in touch with their children. Now days our children all own iPhones and have social media network applications on their phones. They can Twitter on a moments notice sending out a message to all that they just found the perfect place to buy pizza. They can post photos on Facebook that we can see them acting silly and know who their friends are and where they like to hang-out.
Even more important to me is how your children, who may live across the country of for a time reside in Iraq, can stay in contact with their parents to let them know how they are doing and that they are safe.
Interesting blog, Brenda. My mom recently got a Facebook account and her biggest reason was her kids. She would often complain that other people knew more about her children than she did. This increased when people her age began becoming "friends" with us. She hasn't figured out everything on Facebook yet, but she does feel more connected to us. I'm curious to see if younger people start feeling that their privacy is being infringed and begin using some other kind of social media that an older generation hasn't started using.
ReplyDeleteI was very surprised at first when I read that most users of social networking sites are 35 and over. Then I thought about it and remembered how many aunts, uncles, etc. are my friends on Facebook. My mother even got Facebook this summer, so that she could see pictures of her grandchildren. My sister-in-law doesn't send pictures out to people via e-mail anymore, she only posts them on Facebook now. It is just a great way to stay in contact with friends and family.
ReplyDeleteBrenda -
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting how everyone thinks that Facebook and other social media arenas are only used by teenagers and young adults. My aunts and uncles as well as my cousins that are significantly older than me use facebook. We are able to communicate since we don't see each other very often. My boyfriend's older sister and myself are quite close, and I only see her and her kids a few times a year. I love to be able to catch up and see new pictures when we use Facebook. I'm sure that many small businesses use social media to enhance their business and advertising. I'm just waiting for the day when my mother gets Facebook! That's kind of scary! It will be a good idea for her when I am off on my own and not around Valley City.
This is a great blog and so true! I was surprised to see that the majority of MySpace users was over 35 but not really the Facebook users. I think maybe I thought this because Facebook I think is much easier to use than MySpace. You don't get spam or any creepers just wanting to be friends for the same of their 'friend count' (for the most part anyway). Facebook is a great way to get your business out there and have avid follows reading your every tweet. It can attract a lot of traffic to your business and people can also go on your profile and tell others how great you are. My mom got Facebook as well to reconnect with old friends and stay connected to family and friends that lived miles and miles away. I am down here in Baton Rouge, LA and my sister is in Bozeman, MT both a ways from Valley City, ND. My mom is still able to see pictures from weekend trips or my status updates and feel as if we are a bit closer to home.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought too much of this topic until I read your blog. I knew that people over the age of 35 used social media, but I never knew so many did!
ReplyDeleteMy Mom has a Facebook account and it is definitely a very good way for us to stay connected. I get to see how my family is doing and my family gets to see how I am doing, especially now that my Mom moved and she's farther away from me than before. Some people find it wierd that my Mom writes on my Facebook wall, but we really do not talk on the phone as much as we used to so it is a good way to stay connected.
I really like that you used Twitter as an example for businesses to spread the word out to others. I have a Twitter account and I love getting updates as to what business has something going on. I even enjoy getting updates as to what events are going on in my hometown of Fargo!
Items such as these are now being enjoyed by all but they are items that are very helpful as well!