As the Baby Boomer generation ages, the over-50 population online increases in size and importance.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) recognizes its members as those aged 50 and older. As the Baby Boomer generation meets its mid-50s and approaches its 60s, this segment of the population is growing rapidly. Advertisers continue to view aging boomers as a vital demographic because of its increasing size and spending potential. 

This growth within the senior segment is reflected on the web. In September 2005, 43.1 million persons aged 50 or older were online, up 21 percent from 35.8 million in September 2004. And as an increasingly connected generation, seniors are also embracing high-speed connections. In September, 55 percent of senior internet users used a broadband connection at home, up 11 percentage points from September 2004.

Key measures of the senior internet audience include:

• Seniors are 48 percent more likely to visit News/Information - Politics sites and 36 percent more likely to visit Health - Pharmacy sites than the average internet user (see Table 1). Health-related sites have traditionally been popular online destinations for seniors.
  
  
• Many of today’s seniors enjoy active lifestyles, as exhibited by their higher than average likelihood to visit travel sites. They are 26 percent more likely to visit sites in the Travel - Airlines category, and 25 percent more likely to visit Travel - Ground/Cruise sites. Additionally, online seniors’ are more prone to engage in online trading (32 percent more likely to visit Business/Finance - Online Trading sites) and are 23 percent more likely than the norm to visit Hobbies/Lifestyles - Genealogy sites.
  
  
• In keeping with seniors’ higher-than-average interest in travel content online, this group is also apt to spend more money than the norm when purchasing travel products and services on the web. Importantly, seniors are 52 percent more likely to have spent $10,000 or more online in the past six months for travel services. They are also 36 percent more likely than the average internet user to have spent $7,500 to $9,000 online for travel services.