Those of us from the Gen X period were born roughly from 1961 to 1981 (or even 1964 to 1985). We know how to work hard and how to play hard but we also seem to get overlooked by brands and agencies. Maybe it's the emphasis on the 'smartphone' generation' that companies spend billions on but what about us Gen X'ers?
We thought we were going to get killed by rabies, or quicksand or nuclear war. We used Sony Walkmans, recorded our music on tape, were the first to own a video recorder, but we were also there from the beginning of the World Wide Web and grew up with the Internet. We transformed the 80's and owned the 90's. We are pushing back the rules on ageing by being kids at heart but we are still mature enough to get on with life. We use Facebook, a lot, Instagram and Twitter. We are social media savvy. So how does this translate to us Gen X bloggers?
"Most of us want a little luxury and can afford to pay for it"
Now don't get me wrong I'm not bashing any group of people here I'm just trying to fly the flag for us Gen X bloggers. It's a silly term really as it covers people born over a 20 year period, but one thing we do have in common as we get older is most of us want a little luxury and can afford to pay for it. Often we are independent travellers, used to the Internet to book holidays. We use YouTube, Tripadvisor and blogs to look for reviews. Our children are growing up, leaving home, and we are likely to have lower mortgage costs. We often have more disposable income than those younger than us. Our readers do too. That is why we need to be taken seriously.
"We often have more disposable income than those younger than us."
We want to see countries, cities, local life in faraway places on our own terms. We want luxury but value for money too. I know I don't like to waste money and our generation was often told that you need to work hard for every penny.
Many of us are happy to spend our money on well-made quality items - a great coat, a well-made bag, jewellery that is unique and reflects our personality.
Our kids are getting older, or maybe we don't have kids and often we are ready to explore. In fact, as we get older, our readers are getting older too. We are maturing without losing a sense of fun and more importantly, we have lived a life. A life that gives our writing an edge.
So don't overlook us PR companies, brands, destinations, use us to promote your quality brands, your luxury destinations, your boutique hotels. As our readers have the money to buy your products, to explore your countries and to live a lifestyle with a touch of luxury. That is why you should choose a Gen X blogger to promote your brand.
I asked some blogger's to comment on why you should choose a Gen X blogger to promote your brand and this is what they said.
Emma Tustian
Why should you choose a Gen X blogger to promote your brand? You should because we've been through life good and bad, have a more laid-back attitude to bringing up kids (or have already done so), there's fewer of us around than younger bloggers, so can reach out to slightly older demographics as well as younger ones. https://bubbablueandme.com
Monika Mumonthebrink
Gen X are the linchpin between the non-connected 9-5 society and the 24/7 always connected society. We've grown up being allowed to be bored and learned the new world as it came about. We are raising and equipping the first generation of people who have an indelible digital footprint. Our audience is mature and tends to be well-considered, more disposable income.
http://mumonthebrink.com
Victoria Welton
We have seen the before and after effects of social media. As an older mum, I'm making sure that my children - daughter of 10 and a son of 5 months - understand that there is more to life than computer games and selfies. I believe that I can be more rounded in my opinions and more honest with my audience which all comes down to life experience. http://www.vevivos.com
Emma Bradley
Generation X bloggers have a little bit of life experience that they bring to their blogs and to those reading it. We have witnessed the digital explosion and embraced it using this new technology to change careers. We use our space on the internet to inspire and challenge others. We often review products and work on exciting campaigns because we influence others with our words and images. We might not be the new young thing but we are grounded and have worked out our values and our place in society. www.emmaand3.com
Clare Nicholas
We've seen life without social media and boy was it easier but we are also embracing it to the full and many like myself have managed to turn it into a full-time job. We've seen it evolve from the start and are easily adaptable to new streams of social media and being online. We are more aware that there is life away from a computer screen and can help younger generations to find a happy medium...hopefully. www.emmysmummy.com
Sally Akins
1975 Xennial here, and I think that sometimes those of us born in the 1970s are thought of as not being as comfortable with technology as Millennials and Centennials. But we're just as eager to adopt new technology as the generations who follow us, plus we have the extra life experience to bring to our content. And our readers also tend to have more disposable income and more free time than those from younger generations, making them a great target audience for brands. www.sallyakins.com
Mel Knibb
As we grew up without social media, we are all too conscious of the dangers of the Internet, as well as how attractive it is (information at the ready, never get lost with GPS, friends always connected). I also feel like I really understand both 'worlds' and can relate to older generations who cannot get their heads around a touch screen, and younger ones who learn to code pretty much before they learn to read. http://www.lecoindemel.com
Kaz Dee
I’m a 1971 baby and think we bring so much - we are old enough to remember pre-internet days but young enough to embrace all the technology and its rapid developments. I want my children (21,17,15,5) to know about the values and importance of what I grew up with, to value and understand what they have today. http://icklepickleslife.co.uk/
Claire Toplis
As a blogger of that age Golden age, I’d say I think we are well placed.We have a nod to the past with two eyes firmly on the future. We are wise with our words and can impart our knowledge with conviction. http://www.ninjakillercat.co.uk/
Kavita Favelle
Travelling in your forties or fifties is a wholly different game than the wide-eyed but inexperienced wonder of your twenties or even thirties. With age comes a much wider knowledge of the world... of global cultures and cuisines, of the sheer variety of natural landscapes and manmade urban ones, of history, politics and ways of life. With age comes (if you are fortunate) a higher disposable income, much of which can be put aside for travel. With age comes a much deeper well of experience; this applies to travel and to life in general. And for me personally, it's the point in life where I've achieved a great life-work balance and can dedicate a lot more time to travelling, and to sharing my experiences and recommendations with others. Generation X bloggers have so much experience, what we write and share is often more detailed, and able to put a place into context, to really pinpoint why a reader might choose this place or activity above any other. And of course, many of our readers are in the same demographic and are eagerly looking for recommendations from people they trust! https://www.kaveyeats.com
Great post Melissa. Nice to see someone giving us a good voice, and showing what we can and do offer. Thanks for including my comment.
ReplyDeleteNo problem at all!
DeleteFantastic post, Mel - it was really interesting to read the comments from my fellow GenX'ers!
ReplyDeleteI had a great response to my request for comments!
DeleteBrilliant post Mellissa.
ReplyDeleteGosh though it's hard to remember life before Facebook, Twitter, IG etc ..the list has certainly more than doubled over the years
I know! It wasn't that long ago but social media is firmly ingrained into our every day lives now.
DeleteGreat post . Thank you for including me in your round up. I loved reading this.
ReplyDeleteWe have the power
We do!
DeleteBrilliant post! I think brands are gradually realising the power of our generation but there's still a long way to go.
ReplyDeleteEmma xxx
www.style-splash.com
There is still a long way to go but hopefully posts like this will raise our profile.
DeleteLove this post, so lovely to read everyone else's thoughts, GO US!
ReplyDeleteYay!
DeleteThat's a brilliant post, and absolutely on point. I agree with absolutely everything above! Thanks for the feature. x
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support Mel.
DeleteGreat post! As a post 40 blogger and YouTube (and full time head of school) it’s baffling to think that brands use our younger counterparts to promote products which we also use, have used for years and could probably to a great job of shouting about it. Let’s hope that the more we talk about the imbalance the more we start to get a look in!
ReplyDelete