Old people at the #/SocialShakeUp

 I made an interesting observance at the recent Social Media Today Shakeup in Atlanta, there were a lot of older attendees. I don’t mean there were a lot of geriatric patients attending the sessions alongside the Millenials, but there were more Baby Boomers and older Gen X’ers than I thought there would be.

Another conference attendee tweeted the question of whether this was a trend. It is an interesting question to ponder. Did the presence of so many people of older generations indicate Millenials are leaving the profession, moving on to different roles within companies?

I believe there is another explanation.  The comment was made during an introduction that the shakeup comprised of many business founders, CEOs and other C-suite and management people. I think the presence of the older attendees indicates that companies are starting to take social media more seriously. They now have designated positions, managers, and departments, or at least a more involved role in marketing and public relations departments.

There is greater buy-in to the idea that social cannot be ignored. It is a great place to market ideas, products, and services, but it is also a necessary tool for managing customer experiences and brands. The people in charge have been sold on the idea of a social marketplace and the opportunity to reach more people, including Millenials and the creative class. These are two groups of people who are very comfortable with using technology and digital for almost everything they need to get done.

So, there are not fewer Millenials in these positions, but more managers and upper levels who are interested in learning the lessons the industry is so hungry for.