comScore analyzes the online behavior of this lucrative group of internet users.

This week’s edition of The Score analyzes the online behavior of affluent empty nesters. For the purposes of this analysis, affluent empty nesters were defined as internet users age 55 or older without children living in their household and with an annual household income of $75,000 or more. In February 2005, this segment encompassed 5.2 million internet users. But as Baby Boomers, who are currently between the ages of 41 and 59, continue to enter this segment, its importance to marketers will continue to grow.

Affluent empty nesters use the web to manage and spend their money

It comes as no surprise that affluent empty nesters, who are either retired or nearing retirement, are keenly interested in managing their money online. Three of the top ten indexing categories are Business/Finance subcategories. Affluent empty nesters are more than twice as likely to visit the top indexing category, Online Trading, as is the average internet user (as represented by an index of greater than 200). 

Affluent empty nesters aren’t just interested in watching their money grow, they also enjoy spending it -- and travel is clearly an attractive way to do it. Airline sites are 61 percent more likely to reach affluent empty nesters than they are to reach the average user and the Hotel/Resort, Car Rental and Ground/Cruise categories are also disproportionately popular. Travel marketers who consider online buying to be an activity limited to younger early adopters would be wise to expand their targeting to include affluent empty nesters. With excess time and disposable income in their hands -- and a strong willingness to research and buy online -- these consumers clearly represent a lucrative opportunity.

Healthcare properties, including both online pharmacies and informational sites, are also of obvious interest to affluent empty nesters. Sites such as WebMD and AOL Health are disproportionately popular with this segment and may represent an appealing opportunity for advertisers looking to reach affluent empty nesters.

More than one-third of affluent empty nesters visit News/Research sites in order to stay on top of the market and their retirement investments. Both the financial channels of the major portals (Yahoo! Finance and MSN Money) as well as the online channels of traditional financial news outlets such as Forbes Property, Dow Jones & Company and Business Week show a very high composition of affluent empty nesters. Marketers from all industries attempting to reach this demographic segment would clearly benefit from considering such properties as advertising vehicles.

About comScore Networks
comScore Networks provides unparalleled insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore explicit permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its patent-pending technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Nestlé, Bank of America, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, GlaxoSmithKline and Orbitz.