The senior care industry is positioned for serious growth over the coming decades. In fact, about 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day, and that trend is expected to continue until the early 2030’s according to Smartlinx 2021 report on the state of the senior care industry.
This increased demand for quality senior care services is driving significant innovation and improvement within care delivery, facilities, services and amenities, and programming provided by senior living communities. But to compete in this increasingly competitive market senior care marketing teams need to focus on improving brand awareness, amplifying facility voices, and making communities more discoverable.
Elder Care Marketing: The Importance of Empathy and Patience
Transitioning into an assisted living or senior care community isn’t easy. The journey that seniors and their loved ones go on to select a new home is complicated and emotional. Families are balancing the importance of a variety of financial, lifestyle, and care related variables.
If you’re a marketer for the senior care industry, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. Imagine what factors will influence their choice in a home and what research they’ll do along the way. What emotions will likely emerge during this big life decision?
Digital Marketing Tactics and Tips for Senior Care Companies
There are several tactics and strategies that are crucial for your success:
1. Know Your Audience
In 2014 Google surveyed 2000 older baby boomers, age 50-68 (at the time) about their use of Google Search to research healthcare and senior care related information. Data suggests that when seniors are looking for services for themselves they search for different criteria than a loved one might when searching for the same services for the same person.
When baby boomers are searching for services themselves they tend to focus on aspects of independence, freedom, and activity in their new community. In contrast, when a loved one is doing research for a senior in their life, they are more likely to focus on quality of care and safety. It’s important to differentiate between these two large audience groups within your marketing strategy, and tailor your messages accordingly.
2. Focus on Facebook
Facebook is the most heavily used social network by Baby Boomers. In fact, according to a poll run by Statista, 68% of Baby Boomers use Facebook to stay connected with friends and loved ones. This makes it an excellent channel for engaging with seniors to drive brand awareness for your senior living community.
Facebook’s primary role in your marketing strategy is to generate top-of-funnel awareness and brand recognition in the geographic and demographic markets you serve. Acknowledge that most of the audience you’re reaching on Facebook doesn’t have an immediate and pressing need for your senior care services. Use these touchpoints to create a lasting positive brand association.
3. Drive Organic Traffic with SEO & Content
Search marketing for senior care companies is just as important as Facebook advertising when it comes to connecting with Baby Boomers. Approximately 75% of Baby Boomers use Google to find information on senior living.
That’s why you want to have a solid SEO and content strategy integrated into your digital marketing strategy. When loved ones or seniors are researching senior living facilities, you want yours to show up on the first results page.
Creating content that answers the frequently asked questions (FAQs) of seniors who are considering a transition to an assisted living community positions your brand as an authoritative industry leader.
4. Reach High Intent Audiences with Google Ads
Google search advertising is an effective channel for identifying and capturing high intent audiences with an expressed interest in your services. With a well designed paid search campaign, the audience you’re reaching has an imminent need for the service you provide and is actively pursuing answers to their questions.
However, this high intent comes at a cost. Advertising on Google can be expensive and unless you have a tight keyword strategy and smart geo-targeting in place, you can quickly run through your budget paying for useless site visits.
This is why it’s important to have a team of experts on your side. At Gemini, we can combine a cohesive keyword strategy with specific geo-targeting to put your money where it will make the biggest impact.
5. Go Local
Most seniors and their families are looking for a community within a specific area. You want your community’s location to get noticed when prospects are searching in your area.
A great place to start with your local search strategy is building out a Google My Business (GMB) profile. GMB populates the local search snippet with a map location, phone number, hours, and reviews.
6. Make Reputation and Review Management a Priority
Diligent reputation management is key when it comes to digital marketing for senior living facilities. Testimonials, reviews, and ratings are key contributors to conversion rates. Reviews can show up on your GMB listing or be posted on your website to reassure your audience that you’re dependable, trustworthy, and caring.
For corporate marketing teams, soliciting and responding to reviews across locations can be a daunting task. Leveraging review management software can significantly lighten the burden on your marketing team when it comes to managing all aspects of reputation management.
HIPAA Compliance in Marketing for Senior Care Companies
Senior care digital marketing can be complex due to the need to be HIPAA compliant. HIPAA compliance dictates much you can say in your messaging, what you can track for performance, and how you can target your audience. For example, to remain HIPAA compliant, when retargeting ad creative, the marketer cannot assume the audience has an interest in a particular diagnosis or condition. There are limitations like these sprinkled throughout the entire digital marketing for senior care funnel. It’s crucial you stay up to speed on HIPAA compliant digital marketing practices.
Digital Marketing for Senior Care Companies: Complicated yet Crucial
Digital marketing strategies for senior living companies require careful planning and execution. An experienced marketing team can navigate the legal limitations as well as the personal considerations that go into promoting your senior living and care communities. Let us simplify the process in a way that generates measurable results.
If you have questions or are looking to create a marketing strategy for your senior living facility, get in touch with Gemini! We have experience and proven success in the complexities and intricacies of senior health services marketing.
