X Marks the Spot: Dos and Don’ts of Engaging with Gen Xers on Social Media

The aesthetics marketing and communications space tends to focus on youth and the consumer trends associated with the up-and-coming young millennial and Gen Z crowds, but the typical cosmetic patient is a 40- to 54-year-old woman. It may be time to refocus your marketing efforts to better capture and serve this important demographic as they hold powerful purse strings.

For the purposes of this analysis, let us define Gen X as individuals born between 1965 and 1980. They fall right in the aforementioned sweet spot at ages 43 to 58 years.

Do resist the urge to assume “I have built it. They will come.”

They won’t. You need to entice this educated population with savvy marketing geared toward their age bracket and aesthetic goals.

Don’t conflate social media with youth

Research shows that people aged 50 to 64 years and 65-plus made greater gains in the use of social media than their younger counterparts.¹ It is important to choose the right platforms to engage with this crew. The most often-used platforms for this demographic are LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube.

Do remember that this group is engaged in offline and online worlds

Leverage opportunities to educate and engage these individuals at community and regional health, wellness, and fitness expos or secure partnerships with other like-minded, local, and synergistic businesses. For example, consider hosting events with gyms and fitness facilities. Explore topics for these collaborations such as how patients can maintain the results from body contouring and other procedures with a healthy, active lifestyle.

Do ensure content does not fall prey to unconscious biases and negative stereotypes about the elderly

Images of older people tend to feature a single person, alone or with a doctor in a clinical setting. Instead, show a smiling couple or family or opt for a group of happy-looking seniors (or soon-to-be-seniors). If you take this approach to image selection with 30-somethings, you should do the same with middle-aged and older people, too.

Do develop sufficient, dynamic, and quality content on the most sought-after procedures and products for Generation Xers

This list includes minimally invasive procedures such as neuromodulator injections, soft tissue fillers, skin resurfacing, and lip augmentation plus such surgical procedures as liposuction, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, mastopexy, and eyelid surgery, according to the most recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.²

1. Faverio M. Share of those 65 and older who are tech users has grown in the past decade. Pew Research Center. Published January 13, 2022. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/01/13/share-of-those-65-and-older-who-are-tech-users-has-grown-in-the-past-decade/

2. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2022 Plastic Surgery Statistics. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/plastic-surgery-statistics