We are entering an unprecedented demographic shift: in just a few years, nearly 20% of the U.S. population will be 65 or older. Even more striking, while only 1.9% of Americans aged 65+ are currently in their 90s, that number is expected to increase tenfold over the next 25 years. This trend isn’t unique to the U.S. and it’s happening globally.
At the OnAging Conference, I attended the AgeTech For All session facilitated by Jeffrey Gray of AgeTech Atlanta, Lawrence Kosick Co-Founder of GetSetUp, and Sarah Thomas, Venture Partner, AgeTech Capital, which underscored a crucial message: investing in a deep understanding of the target user, though this is universally understood, it is seldom applied in this setting.
One compelling case study came from Lawrence Kosick from GetSetUp, an education platform that offers digital literacy, health, wellness, and general learning courses specifically for older adults.
Initially, GetSetUp marketed their offerings to older adults who saw themselves as “lifelong learners.” While this messaging resonated with older adult women, course enrollment from older adult men lagged significantly. Curious about the disparity, the founder invested in deeper user research and made several important discoveries:
- The phrase “lifelong learner” appealed to older women, but not men of the same age.
- Reframing content around “tips and tricks” helped engage older adult men.
- Hiring older adults to support the onboarding process built trust and boosted adoption.
- A human touch with an older adult during onboarding proved essential to business success and customer experience
These findings helped GetSetUp expand their reach to older adult men.
Older adults, of all genders, are eager to engage with new and emerging technologies, from mobile health apps and smart home devices to online learning and entertainment platforms. The barrier isn’t a lack of interest, it’s how we choose to elicit that interest.
Are you ready to define your target user in the 65+ demographic? It’s clear all 58 million of them are not all the same. We are here to help you identify, research, and successfully engage your user audience. Please reach out to discuss further.
