Secrets to Success Deborah Cole Micek and John-Paul Micek

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How to reach mature audiences

Contrary to popular opinion, "new media" isn't just for the under-25 crowd. Ignoring this could be costing you a lot of free new business.

Early in the new media revolution, the most efficient way to use new media to reach a more "mature" audience was by blogging for business. Now, as this new online world of interactivity and communication matures -- so is its demographic mix.

A very recent study by comScore Media Metrix shows that more than half the visitors to MySpace are now 35 or older -- up from less than 40 percent last year. The comScore research compared audience demographics among top social sites, aiming to dispel the notion that they are the exclusive domain of teens.

With this and other studies begin released, expanding your new media marketing beyond business blogs is something that you need to seriously consider taking action on.

The social network landscape can be very confusing for business owners. Where do you start?

MySpace and Friendster skew older. People 25 and older account for roughly 70 percent of their user bases, while more than one-third of Facebook visitors are 18 to 24. (The comScore figures encompass all visitors to the sites, not just registered members.)

"While the top social networking sites are typically viewed as directly competing with one another, our analysis demonstrates that each site occupies a slightly different niche," said Jack Flanagan, executive vice president of comScore Media Metrix, in a statement that accompanied the company's report.

We've been seeing tremendous marketing results using narrow niches within larger social networks (like MySpace). With the right strategies, you can dig to find treasure troves of segmented audiences in massive social networks like MySpace or FaceBook. But, these sprawling communities can often be intimidating for business people who may be just beginning to step beyond their business blog.

One thing to remember - the big players are not the only social networks in the new media marketplace. As a matter of fact, it's often easier for business owners and marketers to enter the social networking arena using more focused communities. Social networks focused on business or a narrow niche can provide a more comfortable starting point for gaining experience marketing with social networks.

Next week, we'll provide you with a few examples of these social networks that reach your specific niche, such as real estate or the travel industry, or that focus primarily on business.