Gen X and Boomer research: Why conversational isn’t just for Gen Z

Since joining Rival Technologies and Reach3 Insights in 2018, I’ve been hearing a persistent myth about conversational research—and honestly, it drives me absolutely nuts.

The misconception? That conversational research is only a “Gen Z thing.”

Sure, reaching and engaging young consumers via mobile makes perfect sense. Gen Z (and Gen Alpha) grew up with phones glued to their hands. If you want any chance of reaching them, email surveys just won’t cut it.

But what if your brand wants to talk to older consumers? Is a traditional, desktop-heavy approach better? Let’s look at the facts. 

Gen X and Boomer mobile habits: What insights pros need to know

If you want to reach modern consumers—regardless of age—mobile is the way to go. Pew Research Center’s recent tech adoption study shows that 98% of U.S. adults own a cellphone and 91% own a smartphone.

Even among older consumers, the numbers are sky-high:

• 91% of people ages 50–64 have smartphones
• 79% of those 65 and older do, too

And 15% of U.S. adults are smartphone-only internet users.

Other studies even suggest that Boomers are just as online—if not more—than younger generations. One report found that half of Baby Boomers spend more than three hours on their phones daily.

Now, conversational research doesn’t just mean sending surveys via SMS. In many developed markets, text remains one of the best ways to reach people in the moment—but it’s not the only way. Knowing that we need to meet consumers where they are, we’ve designed the Rival platform to engage via multiple channels, including email and WhatsApp.

Bottom line: A mobile-first approach isn’t about chasing Gen Z or Millennials—it’s about meeting all generations where they already are.

What about the conversational tone?

Another concern we often hear from insight leaders is that a more conversational tone might turn off older consumers. Some worry that emojis or memes might feel out of place with Gen X or Boomers.

People of all ages prefer being talked to like humans. 

To be honest, the idea of anyone being “turned off” by a friendlier tone makes me chuckle. People of all ages prefer being talked to like humans—a fact backed by research.

In a research-on-research study by Rival Technologies and Reach3 Insights, older consumers actually showed a strong preference for a conversational approach to research. 63% of participants aged 55+ said conversational surveys were much more enjoyable than traditional ones—pretty close to the 68% of 18–24-year-olds who said the same.

The misunderstanding usually comes from thinking “conversational” means you have to sound like a TikTok influencer. Not true. Conversational research isn’t about using Gen Z lingo or slang—it’s about human language. It’s about dropping the stiff, formal tone and remembering that your respondents are people, not data points.

Conversational research is about dropping the stiff, formal tone and remembering that your respondents are people, not data points.

And as for emojis and memes? Boomers use emojis a lot (sometimes to the horror of their Gen Z kids). Using a few can make your surveys more enjoyable, and the best market research platforms let you control how much or how little to use.

The point of conversational research is to keep the experience human and engaging—never cringey.

Case study: Carnival Cruise Line engages “cruisers of all ages”

A growing number of Rival customers are proving that conversational research works beautifully with older audiences.

Take Carnival Corporation, one of the biggest names in cruising. When they approached us about building an insight community, they wanted to complement their “Voice of Player” program with richer, more contextual feedback. Their customer base skews older—but when they launched their 4,000+ member community, the results were incredible: 83% response rates from cruisers of all ages.

One surprise? Just how many participants were willing to share video feedback. Turns out, Boomers aren’t camera-shy at all when it comes to sharing opinions that matter.

Best practices for engaging Boomers & Gen X in your market research

While Boomers and Gen Xers are clearly game for mobile-first, conversational research, you’ll still get the best results if you play by their rules:

1. Write surveys for humans. Use plain language and natural phrasing. Ditch the corporate jargon.
2. Go where your consumers are. Don’t assume email is the only channel—let people respond how and where they prefer.
3. Respect their time. Keep surveys short and cognitively light. Length of interview (LOI) is important, but so is how mentally taxing your questions are. If you have more questions, consider sending follow-up surveys — the best customer insight platforms will make it easy to recontact your participants.
4. Provide options. Not everyone likes typing. Offer choices like text, quick taps, or video responses so participants can express themselves their way.
5. Close the loop. Engagement is a two-way street. Share back what you’ve learned and how their feedback made an impact. Brands that do this in their insights communities see far higher re-engagement over time.

How to look for a market research firm for Gen X and Boomer research 

If you’re looking to get customer insights about Gen X (roughly born 1965-1980) and Baby Boomer / senior segments, you have a few options when it comes to partners:

Option 1: Work with a leading full-service market research firm like Reach3 Insights, which specialize in engaging modern consumers using AI-accelerated, conversational approaches. There are other options like Ipsos or Kantar as well, but they tend to be expensive and (IMO) too traditional in their approach.

Option 2: Use a DIY market research tools like Rival Technologies, which prioritizes the participant experience without compromising on data quality or security. 

Option 3: Somewhere in between! Many top market research firms like Rival Technologies offer customer success support in addition to a robust customer insights platform. This can be a great option if you have a tech-savvy research team but may need additional support once in a while. 

The bottom line: Conversational research works for Gen Xers and Boomers because they value real engagement, too

In the end, a mobile-first, conversational approach to research isn’t just for Gen Z—it’s for anyone who appreciates being treated like a person, not a random respondent ID. That’s why conversational research works for older consumers—it’s built on the basics of good human interaction: be engaging, be respectful, and make it meaningful.

So if you’re looking to engage these important segments of your market, work with market research platforms and insight consulting firms that can help you use this way of doing research. 

Want to dig deeper? Check out The Research on Conversational Research or connect with the Rival team for more case studies.