In a society that worships youth, Baby Boomers -- those of us born between 1946 and 1964 -- remain a significant and formidable demographic. The Boomer population is 78 million strong and its influence on business, lifestyle, and culture is indisputable. Boomers are even putting their inimitable stamp on social media and networking. We represent the fastest growing population of users on Facebook and Twitter. We are Linkedin, we Skype, we date on eHarmony. Boomers are texters, bloggers, and avid file sharers.
While it might be convenient to lump Boomers into a single group, it's important to remember that we're a cohort that incorporates wildly diverse lifestyles and attitudes. Really good Boomer-oriented websites must take into account the stages, not just the ages, of their Boomer users.
Following, in no particular order, are the five sites I've bookmarked as the best for Boomers.
www.boomergirl.com This site for Boomer women was founded in 2007 "to give women in mid-life a voice." Boomergirl compiles news, information, and advice in blogs and podcasts...there's even a daily Spanish lesson.
www.boomj.com This social networking and information site got its name by combining Baby Boomers and Generation Jones. The site describes Baby Boomers as born between 1946 and 1953, who "associate their youth with Howdy Doody, Davy Crocket hats, and later, Woodstock and Vietnam War demonstrations." Jonesers, born between 1954 and 1965 who are "the actual children of the sixties (more wide-eyed than tie-dyed); Jonesers were weaned on The Brady Bunch and Easy Bake Ovens and later were the teens of 70's heavy metal, disco, punk and soul."
www.cranky.com An off-shoot of Eons, cRANKy bills itself as the first age-relevant search engine, kind of a Google for Boomers. Here's how they explain it: "When you search, cRANKy shows the four highest-rated search results based on Eons editors' and members' ratings. After visiting a site, cRANKy will invite you to rate it. Added together, members' ratings raise or lower a site's ranking. The reactions and opinions of the community determine how Eons ranks sites, making cRANKy the world's first age-relevant search engine."
www.eons.com If you're 50+ and new to social networking, Eons might be just the site for you. You must be over 50 to join, but when you do you'll find an online community of your peers sharing everything from exercise advice to recipies to dating tips.
www.aginghipsters.com With its paisley infused logo, this site even looks like a product of the sixties. Aginghipsters is a clearing house for information on music, culture, and lifestyle for Baby Boomers. Its casual, straightforward format reflects the spirit of the generation.
And as a bonus, here's one more that all of you 50 and older have probably visited at least once.
www.aarp.org I know, I dreaded that card showing up on my doorstep hours after my 50th birthday, too. There's nothing that punctuates the actual aging process quite like an AARP card in your wallet. Still there's no disputing that AARP.org is one of the most comprehensive news and information sites for Baby Boomers. Trust me. I'm over 50!