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One-Size Fits All
Web Sites for Generations

Pamela Cox-Otto, Ph.D.

 Who’s Who in
The Generations

Traditional Boomers Gen X Gen Y

1925-1945 1946-1964 1965-1980 1980-2002
 Critical Issues

First Leadership Group Marketing to Three

Generations (Boom/X/Y)
Preferences are as different as clothing

Violations of comfort have different

impacts

Expectations of immediacy speeding up

 What They
Experienced
Boomer Gen X Millennial
Rock and Roll Disappointed Integration
Television Children of Understand
Protests/Riots Divorce Multi-layered
Space Driven to information
Exploration Independence Brought up in the
Vietnam AIDS Era Maturity era of Brands
War/Hippies Crack/Gangs/ Unity
Racial Divides Violence Optimistic
Sexual Revolution Downsized Reared in the era
Yuppies Parents of Psychology
New Definition of Pop Culture Birth of the
50 Information Future
Explosion Recycling
 What They
Respond To
Boomer Gen X Gen Y
Cues of Cynical Messages New Ideas
Achievement/ Fierce sarcasm Companies with a
Status/Heroes Imagination Philosophy
Iconic Authority Creativity Multi-sensory
Heroes Stupid/Smart experiences
The things that Messages Messages that
are earned Deconstructed acknowledge they
Comfort Paradigms are smart
“I’ve earned Style Fun/Learning
luxury” Luxury Goods Parents as Heroes
Perks Sense of
Anti-Aging Community
 Public Message Points
Traditionals Boomers X Y
Defining Duty Individuality Unique Diverse
Idea

Style Team Player Self Entrepreneur Team

Absorbed Projects

Rewards You’ve You Deserve You Need It You Want It

Earned it it

Work is Obligation A Chance to A Challenge An

Excel Opportunity

Money Save Spend Invest Hedge/Spend

 Internal Impact
Trads. Boomers X Y
College Keep me Make Myself Let me Give me
Recruiting interested Better Move on Choices

Environment Comfortable Payoffs Business- Fun &

like Relaxed

Classroom Relaxed Competitive Individual Group

Experience Projects

Employees Manageable A Challenge Flexibility Opportunity

How Should the Alumni Organization Communicate ?
Nearly Half Will/Won’t Apply Based On Your Website
30

20

10 Gen X-Y-Boomers
Gen Y

Gen X

0 Boomer

Decide to Apply/Not Based On the College Site

Judge Quality of School Based on Quality of Site?
Nearly 60% Say Yes
30

20

10 Gen X-Y-Boomers

Gen Y

Gen X

0 Boomer

Judge quality of school:view site

 X &Y
Generations

Gen Y

Gen X

Because Most Colleges have Boomer Websites

 Gen Y
(Ages 5 to 28)

• They Like and Trust Brands

• They like authenticity over style

• They want instant Feedback

• Speak to them and their

parents
 Gen Y
(Ages 5 to 28)

• 2 of 5 have iPods

• 4 of 5 have cell phones w/ IM

• They use Email for grownups

and IM for friends
• 83% are online / 68% Daily
 They have
“issues”
• Insufficient reading skills

• Less sophisticated research

strategies

• Dramatically lower patience

level.
 Navigation

• Multiple Routes to the Same

Location is Good
• Dive deep, fast
• Everything but the kitchen sink,
searchable by Google (Not yahoo)
• 45% of Gen Y get lost on your site
 Design

• They don’t like small fonts either

• They respond to graphic/photo priming
• They don’t like to scroll
• They like to see themselves and stuff by
their peers (show them the herd)
• They like icons
• Live chat and blogs
 Interactivity

• Online quizzes
• Forms for providing feedback or asking
questions
• Online voting
• Games
• Features for sharing pictures or stories
• Message boards
• Forums for offering and receiving advice
• Features for creating a website or
otherwise adding content
• IM
• Search - Google and Grokker
 Content

• Don’t make them read a lot

• Bullet points for content
• Content associated with images
or graphics
• Don’t use adult jargon
• Do use youth jargon
 The Big Dangers

One Trip Pony

Boring

Bad Design

Slow Response (IM is the standard)

 The Big
Opportunity
Podcasting

Flash Games

IM and Community
Favorite Sites
Favorites
Favorites
Favorites
 Gen X
(Ages 28 to 40)

• They Like and Trust …… well, no

one
• They like Style

• They want functionality & Speed

• It’s all about them

 Gen X

• 51% of Parents are Gen X

• Don’t make conclusions…give them

facts

• 85% have cell phones

• 88% are online / 60% Daily

 They too have
“issues”

• Strong Distrust for institutions

• Including marriage and work.

• Helicopter Parents
 Navigation

• Clean, single-focus core navigation

• Dive deep, fast
• Google and MSN
• 35% of Gen X get lost on your site
• Do Cluster Analysis :-) for all
 Design

• They don’t like small fonts either

• They respond to Color priming
• They are OK with scrolling
• They don’t like multiple clicks
through one article
• Flashing stuff ------Bad
 Interactivity

• Maps
• Searchable/Downloadable Form
Databases
• Printable Information
• Instant Messaging increasing
• Visual Chat increasing
 Content

• Don’t use Hyperbole

• Bullet points for content
• Contact Information
• Don’t use college jargon
• Give them a person to talk to
 The Big Dangers

Hyperbole

No Instant Gratification

Not enough real content

 The Big
Opportunity
Joint Student / Parent Information

Less Printing of Stuff

More Digital Delivery

Favorite Sites
Favorites
Favorites
Favorites
 Generational
Facts
• Even with usage the generational
preferences are staying unique
• Geographical Differences as Well
• POD’s (Audience Focused Select
Sites)
 Generational Opposites

Boomers X Y
Animation
and Sound

Video
(Select only)

Ads

Scrolling

Reading
The Web is not As Easy as
It looks….For Anyone.
 ’ t
sn
e
< Do
One-Size Fits All
Web Sites for Generations

Pamela Cox-Otto, Ph.D.