With more than 810,000 American older adults residing in assisted living communities, senior living has become a crucial component of senior health and is not going away any time soon. There are many different types of senior care communities and there is not a “one size fits all” for older adults looking for their next home. In fact, there are over 28,900 active assisted living communities in the United States alone, providing a variety of options and amenities. In this competitive landscape, senior living operators need to set themselves apart for differentiation and catch the attention of potential residents and their families.
Known as the “Best Kept Secret in Senior Health Marketing,” LBIngenuity helps senior living communities attract new residents through smart marketing planning. Below we have identified some of the top ways senior living operators can increase visibility and add an extra layer of differentiation to their marketing tactics.
Make Website Optimization A Top-Tier Priority
When a senior or their family are looking for care communities, they’ll likely spend a lot of time online researching, reading reviews, and finding what facility will work best for their loved one. Studies show that around 73 percent of people search a general term for “senior housing,” and only 15 percent look directly for the community online. It’s important to build your strategies around frequently asked questions such as:
- What types and levels of care are offered?
- How accessible is the community’s location?
- What do the rooms and common areas look like?
- What type of community programming and engagement is offered?
- What does everyday living look like for residents?
When optimizing a senior living community website, it’s important to include content that is relevant to your audience. Website language should be clear, concise, and informational. Including applicable keywords will help ensure your senior assisted living community is found easily in search results. As far as user experience goes, the website design should be personalized and give the prospect and family a feel for what it would be like to live in the community.
Get Social and Engage Online
Social media has become a popular marketing strategy and it’s important to realize that your target audiences are now active on social platforms more than ever…including seniors. Having consistent activity and larger visibility across social media channels allows families to easily find your community, verify your reputation, and is the entry point for building trust. Living in an on-demand society, social media offers timely information where communities can demonstrate their differentiators and value to prospects.
Content Is King, Start Creating
Creating compelling content is a great way to get senior living brands noticed across the internet. Users have a shorter attention span these days, and it’s easier to capture their attention and get your points across with visually appealing posts, clever content, or even short videos. Being able to communicate value, in a very concise way, is the link that differentiates the top-performing communities from the underperforming ones. When putting together a marketing strategy, don’t try to recreate the wheel. Think about using already-created content or resources to increase awareness. Resident and team spotlights, community tours, infographics, and partner marketing can help grow your brand and gain trust among potential residents.
Gain Visibility from Senior Living Listing Directories
Finally, directories are a great way to gain visibility and credibility. Even though older adults and their loved ones aren’t necessarily going to a directory right away to learn more about their care and living options, they may come across these valuable resources throughout the course of the searches. Directories are also another point of access for not only senior living prospects but also referring partners. Being affiliated with directories, affiliates, and organizations helps build brand presence, awareness, and reputation for senior living communities.
Leverage Partnerships to Eliminate Some Legwork
While it is important to market directly to prospective senior living residents and their families, the most overlooked component in gaining real momentum in the market is the ability to create strategic partnerships for growth. Referral partners are not a new concept in senior living. Historically, however, the disconnect has been in the application of those partnerships to reach substantial goals. Direct-to-consumer marketing can only provide a small portion of a community’s overall occupancy goals therefore innovative communities must embrace a new way of utilizing their partnerships for not only new referrals but also as a tool for retention, reputation, and visibility.
Start Each Year Strong with an Annual Strategic Marketing Plan
Marketing your senior living community is important, and it’s crucial to optimize your marketing plans each year. Whether it’s creating new content for your website and social media platforms, advertising on social media platforms, or creating partner strategies, annual marketing planning sits at the center of overall success.
Ready to get started? Contact LBIngenuity’s team of senior care strategists and begin your marketing journey to gain more visibility and capture more residents.