The generation known as Generation X (aka Gen X) are the group of people born between 1965 and the early 1980s. They are also sometimes referred to as the Baby Boom Echo or Generation Jones, as they fall between the boomers and millennials in age. This generation has come to define many of today’s trends and traits, including being thrifty, family-oriented, flexible workers and more! If you want to make your website appeal to this vast market, here are five ways to do it.
Have prominent phone call CTAs
Gen X like speaking to people on the phone much more than Millennials and Gen Z, likely because this was their main method of communication growing up and one that they trust above other newer methods such as chatbots. This means that you need to ensure your website has prominent telephone call-to-action buttons that can be clicked or tapped, and ensure it is clear on every page of your website. You should also make sure your telephone number is clearly visible in any videos you create.Â
Clear and simple UX
Gen X are not native internet users like younger generations and had to develop these skills as teens/adults – so clear and simple UX and straightforward user journeys are vital so they don’t get lost on pages. Every link should be a meaningful one (and not just for SEO) and nothing should be off-topic or distracting them from their task in hand. If you’re making an app or platform then make sure everything works in isolation, i.e., you don’t require more than one click to complete any task. Keep it clean and uncluttered with only what’s needed, again because Gen X has no patience for unnecessary things getting in their way!Â
Provide some nostalgia
With Gen X having been heavily influenced by brands of their childhoods, it’s important your website is both up-to-date but still has familiarity of icons/styles that appealed to them as young people. This means they’ll likely feel more comfortable using your website if it’s consistent with what they knew growing up. Gen X don’t take themselves too seriously so have some fun with your website too – maybe (if you can find a relevant link) you could include a movie trailer from back in their youth. This will help further evoke nostalgia and might make them bond better with your brand.
Offer a well-organised FAQ section
If your offering is complex, a well-organised FAQ section can really help Gen X through the customer journey and make it easier for them to make a purchase. If you don’t offer an easy way for people to get their questions answered, then you may end up losing potential customers. If users have their own questions that aren’t answered on the page, tell them how they can contact you directly so that you can get back to them with further information. A call or email function would work great in this instance – and remember to add the question and answer to your FAQ page afterwards so that it’s a continually evolving content asset.Â
Use visualsÂ
Visuals are also super helpful, so use things like explainer videos and animated sections for complex instructions. Include infographics that break the content down even further; they do a great job at making a complicated concept easier to understand by breaking it up visually. Generation X pride themselves on their ability to learn new skills and quickly adopt new ways of working (they’re the only generation who started work in an analogue world, and had to make the change to fully digital during their careers) so they’ll find value in complex ideas being explained to them in ways they can easily understand and quickly begin to use.Â
