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How does age affect online ad serving?

It is no secret that advertisers use different techniques to deliver strategic content to their target audience, with age being just one of the factors they take into account. An advertiser would not put together the same marketing material for a younger audience that they would for an older one, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the world of online ad serving. Let us take a quick look at the considerations one should have when advertising to different age groups online:

Ad Viewing

It is important to know the type of devices the target audience will use for their online experience. These days young people do not invest in desktops or even laptops as they would much rather use their smartphones or tablets. Hence, advertisers should be sure to tailor their ads to smaller screens to enhance the viewing pleasure of the younger generations. On the other hand, older folk struggle with newer technology and the small screens they come in and rather surf the web on desktops or large monitors.

Ad Click

Ad dimension is not the only relevant factor to consider when targeting a younger audience. This is a group that goes online while on the move, and they use their mobile devices to shop and make purchases at any given time. That makes them a whole lot more likely to click on ads and buy when they view content on their smartphones. This is a world where instant gratification is king, and making ads that are easy to click on certainly helps.

Ad Copy

Younger people are a lot less inclined to read page after page of text, no matter how relevant it may be to what they want. They are keen on instant gratification where time is key so advertisers should be sure to get straight to the point. It is quite the opposite for the older crowd which in most cases is more conservative and might spend time to get more information before they make a purchase. Also relevant is that older generations are turned off by jargon and it should hence be completely avoided when targeting that market.

Ad Format

Younger internet users have become more ad-blind than the older generation, and as such, may totally miss banner or video ads. Native ad formats are more likely to provide better results in such cases. For the opposite side of the spectrum, traditional ad formats like banner ads, video ads or text ads provide better results.

Ad Channel

Where ads are placed is absolutely crucial, as they can be totally missed if delivered via the wrong channel. Younger audiences are all about social media these days, which is why they tend to respond better to ads on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Older audiences are not quite as active in the world of social media, largely because they like content that is a little more in-depth. They will respond more positively to ads placed in newsletters and online magazines as opposed to something landing on a Twitter feed.

If you are interested in making money via online advertising, take some time to learn about your target audience. This will give your ads the best chance of being seen and clicked.

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