This Should Matter to Your Medical or Dental Practice: Senior Citizens Internet Use on the Rise

Most dental and medical practices know that social media and online marketing are effective for reaching young consumers, but today they are increasingly effective tools for reaching out to seniors (age 65 and older) as well.  

What the Research Shows

The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project tracking surveys have mapped internet usage since 2005, and in 2013 they showed a surprising trend of senior citizens getting online. Some of the report’s key findings include: 

• Usage of social network sites by seniors has tripled in the last four years from 13 to 43 percent. In 2005 just 1 percent of seniors were online.
• More than 7 in 10 American adults use social networking, which is up from 8 percent in 2005.
• Facebook and YouTube remain more popular among seniors than Twitter— Twitter usage for 65+ consumers has only increased 1 percent since 2010.
• Women use social media at a higher rate than men across all age groups.

Adjusting Your Online Strategy for Seniors 

With more seniors online than ever before, it’s important to make some adjustments to your medical or dental practice website to cater to accommodate the growing number of senior citizens going online. This trend will likely continue, so developing a senior-friendly website now is critical for future your success.

• Organize your website so it is clear and easy to read. 
• Use a bright background (preferably white) with dark text. 
• Use larger text or offer the option to increase font size on your website.
• Display your contact information clearly on all your website and social media pages. 
• Use videos and pictures to keep your website visually interesting and informative for people of all ages.
• Write blog posts and post information on social media sites that is catered specifically to the health concerns of senior citizens.
• Build a mobile-friendly site for seniors using the web on tablets and smartphones.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to market to a huge group of people that have significant health needs—develop a senior-friendly web and social media presence today.


We Can Help You Build a Senior-Friendly Website

Let Solution21 help you build a website that ! We can plan an organized and effective social media strategy to get potential clients interested in your services! Contact a Representative to learn more.  .