While most of the food truck owners we speak with target social media users in their marketing strategies, the age range they target come from the users in the 18-34 year age bracket. Some interesting information has recently come out about why only targeting the young crowd may be causing mobile food vendors to be miss a great opportunity to increase their customer base.

Why Food Truck Vendors Shouldn’t Forget The 55-64 Year Age Bracket

The fastest growing demographic on Twitter is the 55–64 year age bracket.

  • This demographic has grown 79% since 2012.
  • The 45–54 year age bracket is the fastest growing demographic on both Facebook and Google+.
  • For Facebook, this group has jumped 46%.
  • For Google+, 56%.

Those are impressive numbers against the prevailing idea that social media is ‘just for teenagers.’ It certainly points to the importance of having a solid social media strategy if these age brackets fit into your target demographic.

6 Tips For Targeting The 55-64 Year Age Bracket

  • Be direct and detailed. This crowd tends to see though the baloney.
  • Utilize customer testimonials. This demographic loves to hear how other consumers enjoy your product. The key is that they must sound sincere and real.
  • Make it clear what you offer them specifically. Mature audiences are not susceptible to peer pressure.
  • Keep it positive. This is not the generation of cynicism and irony.
  • Leverage coupons and offers. This age bracket really responds to discounting.
  • Make yourself accessible. Give lots of different ways for customers to reach you and visit your truck. Phone numbers, directions, hours, emails, etc.

RELATED: How To Determine Your Food Truck Target Market

The Bottom Line

Food truck owners need to keep older users in mind when using social media, particularly on these three platforms. Our age makes a difference to our taste and interests, so if you’re focusing on younger consumers you could be missing an important demographic.

Have you seen any changes in your customer demographics in the last year or two on social media? Share your experience in the comment section or on social media. Facebook | Twitter