Senior living marketing must evolve. Traditional methods still hold value, but digital marketing is becoming more critical. According to a Pew survey, 75% of seniors are internet users, and that number will only increase with time. With digital marketing, communities have various tools to reach this growing online audience. This post explores how communities can use digital marketing to increase senior living occupancy.
Increase Senior Living Occupancy With Online Marketing
Start With a Great Website
Successful digital marketing starts with having a good website. Your website is the digital face of your community. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to build one. Even if you have a website, updating it may be a good idea.
Your website should look modern, be user-friendly, load quickly, and be mobile-friendly. Ensure it includes clear information about your services, amenities, community life, and more. Also, use high-quality photos to showcase the community. Video tours are also valuable website assets.
Research Your Target Audiences
Effective digital marketing requires knowledge of the audiences you’re trying to reach. In senior living, the key audiences are seniors and their adult children. However, these groups may have different online behaviors and concerns. Seniors might focus more on community and comfort, while their children may be concerned about safety and care quality. Each group might also use different online platforms or respond to different kinds of messaging.
Use Search Engine Marketing
Search engines are often the first destination when people need to find senior living. With search engine marketing, you can ensure your community reaches the broadest audience. Start with search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure your community appears for relevant search terms. Claim your Google Business Profile to ensure that your community appears on Google Maps and that Google knows your location. You can also pair SEO with PPC ads to ensure maximum visibility.
Develop a Content Strategy
Online content is a crucial component of digital marketing. Good content builds trust and positions your community as a valuable resource. It also provides more opportunities to support your SEO efforts. Writing regular blogs is often the foundation of a content marketing strategy. You might also create guides, online brochures, or videos. Generally, the goal is to create content that will inform and interest seniors or other decision-makers. Beyond helping SEO, blogs and other content support other digital marketing efforts like email marketing.
Build a Social Media Presence
An increasing number of older people and their children use social media, making these platforms valuable for reaching key audiences. Facebook is often a good choice for reaching older people and their children. You then need to develop a posting strategy to engage with your audience. Beyond simply posting, responding to comments can also help. Additionally, paid social media ads can expand your reach. With their targeting tools and other features, they can be very effective.
Digital marketing is vital for increasing occupancy in the modern senior living industry. However, resident retention is also critical. If your community has high turnover, your marketing efforts will always be playing catch-up. That will make it difficult to maintain occupancy even with the best digital marketing campaigns.
Does your community need senior living management services? Canopy Senior Living can help with everything from staffing to marketing. Reach out now to learn more about how we can take your community to the next level.