Many people laugh and poke fun at Gen-Z for spending time on apps like TikTok and other social media platforms.
Some say that the younger generation wastes their time on these apps. However, it seems that the apps are becoming more popular amongst all generations , not just the young ones, as people in the older “Boomer” generation (and even older than that) are taking over.
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All across social media, the term “grandfluencers” is taking over.
A “grandfluencer” is an influencer who happens to be 70-years-old or older. They are essentially grandparents that are taking over social media and doing it well.
Think of today’s influencers with such crazy reach, but it’s really your grandma making her homemade apple pie.
Many grandfluencers build a following around a specific niche.
While many young influencers show off their clothing or their bodies for followers, grandfluencers all seem to have a specific audience they cater to. Some of them cook, some of them garden, and even some of them are fitness inspirations.
Joan MacDonald was 71 when she was told by her daughter that he health was deteriorating.
Her daughter, a fitness coach, helped her understand that if she wanted to live long, she needed to take care of herself and her body. So, at 71, she began to work out hard and go to the gym. Now, her Instagram page has 1.4 million followers.
Not only does Joan’s Instagram make her an influencer, it also makes her money.
With such a huge following, Joan has partnered with big companies to gain sponsorship deals for posts on her social media account. She also launched her own fitness app recently, too, catered to people who want to get their health in order as she did.
Lagetta Wayne is another “grandfluencer” who has racked up a ton of followers, but on TikTok.
Lagetta was in her garden one day when her granddaughter thought it would be great to do a “garden tour” and post it on her TikTok page.
From there, Lagetta began to showcase parts of her garden regularly and became a household name on the app.
She had no idea what TikTok was prior.
“One day my garden was very pretty and I got all excited about that and I asked her if she would take some pictures of me. She said she was going to put me on TikTok and I said, well, what is TikTok? I had never heard of it,” the grandmother said.
Seeing other grandparents on TikTok has become something Millennials and Gen-Z users love.
Barbara Costello of the profile @brunchwithbabs has become a household name, too, for cooking tips, recipes, and even life hacks. Many people online follow her and learn a thing or two from her that they can use themselves in their own home.
People enjoy watching them because it reminds them of their own grandparents, too.
“Her content brings me joy! She’s got all of these life hacks and tips that remind me of things my grandma shared with me before she passed. She also doesn’t take herself too seriously and just seems like the kind of person who would welcome you into her home,” said mom Grace Maier.
It just goes to show you, social media is for everyone.
Even though we all joke that kids these days spend all their time on social media, it turns out that our grandparents do, too. Even though social media targets a younger audience, these grandfluencers prove that it’s really for everyone!
