In Stephen Reily’s blog entry earlier this week, Reaching the Vibrant Woman online: Let 100 websites bloom, he cites his number one take-away from South by Southwest’s new media conference, Aging in America 2009 and the What’s Next Boomer Business Summit. In brief, he perceives an emerging reality about social media and Boomer websites, where we will see not just one dominant player but an explosion of opportunity targeting women 50+ where there can be as many successes as there are meaningful affinities.
Having also attended Aging in America 2009 and the Boomer Business Summit, I’m here to affirm that the spirit of abundance has, indeed, showed up in the hard data, with “niche” sites growing rapidly while one size fits all sites targeting Boomers are struggling to hang on. (VibrantNation.com, for instance, has grown ten-fold over the past several months.) Expect to see some spectacular high-profile failures amongst the Boomer megasites sites as we near year’s end–but don’t make the assumption that targeting women 50+ is therefore not a winning proposition.
In fact, the enthusiasm amongst leadership of the special interest sites targeting various special interests, needs, lifestages and sub-demographics within the Boomer demographic, including multiple facets of the complex and exciting women 50+ demographic, has definitively spilled off the electronic screen and into the non-virtual world of human interactions. As Stephen and I shared podiums and bottles of wine, one could feel that there is genuine affinity afoot, and a cooperative rather than competitive spirit amongst us.
The size and resilience of the Boomer demographic–with more than enough room for each of us to stake our claim and thrive side by side—has inspired creativity and generosity. Stay tuned for future developments, as an increasing number of co- and cross-promotions, the sharing of intelligence, mutual support and the like begin turning turning online ventures into mutual admiration societies.
I’ll bet that was a FANTASTIC conference. I love being with people who have diverse interests. Not ony does it make me rethink what I might want to do, but conversation never stalls since everyone is so different!