By Shelly Lipton

It is a known fact that the Baby Boom Generation is not as involved with texting and mobile technology as the younger demographics are.

However, the numbers of boomers using text messaging and mobile shopping is slowly but consistently growing, and those figures more than doubled between 2007 and 2009, according to U.S. Census figures cited by CTIA.

While the average age of those using text messaging is still only 35, consumers in the Baby Boom Generation?those ages 46-64?are accessible, approachable and represent a huge market segment that can easily be tapped by mobile using the right strategies. They are more financially secure, and in many cases, they have paid off their homes and have disposable income.

Most current studies show that while most boomers have mobile phones, only 55 percent consider it a "necessity," compared to the younger generation that cannot imagine life without one.

At first glance, the reason for this is glaringly obvious?boomers remember life before mobile phones, and know that it is possible to survive without one.

This is not the case for younger people who were born into the technology. But there are surprising contradictions within these statistics.

More than 70 percent of baby boomers use smartphones for work-related communications, versus 59 percent for Millennials.

Studies have shown that boomers are not generally early-adopters of new technologies, and also feel that most of the content on the mobile Web is not targeted to them.

According to research by Burst Media, young people are looking for entertainment, games, news and social media, while boomers care more about news, shopping and health information.

Both represent increased opportunities for consumers to use the mobile Web.

Tips of the trade
So how do we reach this demographic? Here are a few general tips:

? Be aware that pricing matters for boomers.

For a generation that coined the phrase "disposable income," things may be far less rosy today.
Millions of boomers lost significant portions of their savings and retirement incomes due to the financial crash, so it is vital for carriers to adapt their pricing plans to draw this market, and for brands to offer attractive discounts and incentives.

? Search outside the box for products and services of interest to people over 50.

Savvy marketers would do well to consider mobile campaigns for libraries, medical centers, pharmacies, banking services, dining, non-profit organizations, financial news and shopping services.

For example, mobile coupons offering two-for-one meals at local restaurants, reminder alerts from pharmacies or medical practitioners and mobile banking are likely to be good choices.

? Produce tech-friendly mobile devices with larger displays and larger keys or touchpads.

Boomers are not big users of smartphones?yet. It is predicted that by 2014 smartphones will make up 60 percent of all handset sales in the U.S., but boomers are not a big part of that equation.

As of August 2009, they represented 30.6 percent of all mobile phone users, but only 19 percent for touch screens and 21.1 percent for smartphones.

? Learn the texting habits of the boomer consumer.

How much do they text? And under what circumstances?

We know that boomers text to keep in touch with their kids and grandkids, but take the time to really study your audience.

Are they interesting in day trading? Prescription reminders? Shopping bargains?

Study your market before creating a mobile program. The more tightly targeted to their needs, the better. 

Boomers are definitely getting on the bandwagon in many areas of interactive technology, so there is plenty of hope on the horizon for bringing them into the mobile fold.

Social networking use among those ages 50 and older nearly doubled since 2009, and an August 2010 study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project reports, "While social media use has grown dramatically across all age groups, older users have been especially enthusiastic over the past year about embracing new networking tools."

This will fuel interest in smartphones that enable a mobile connection to their social networks, shopping channels and more.

In March of 2009, the FCC?s National Broadband Plan announced plans for "digital literacy training" for older Americans.

The plan brings tech-savvy younger people in to teach digital skills to the over-50 crowd.

Not only would this introduce more boomers to mobile marketing, it just might help to close the generation gap.

The convergence of these trends, especially the proliferation of smartphones, the growth of social networking and the need to stay connected to kids, friends and associates will continue to drive growth and opportunity for mobile marketing to the baby boomers.

Shelly Lipton is vice president of marketing of Ping Mobile. Reach him at .