5 Great Marketing Ideas for Assisted Living Homes
Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on June 13, 2016
5 Great Marketing Ideas for Assisted Living Homes
Discover ways to effectively promote your residential care home.
Assisted living homes provide excellent care to seniors who want to remain independent while still receiving some form of assistance with daily activities. A whopping 76 million Baby Boomers are going to be retiring over the next two decades, which will fuel industry growth.
Marketing senior residential care homes have become challenging in our current economic climate. Adult children are keeping their parents at home longer to save money. Many assisted living homes are experiencing higher levels of vacancy. That’s often because prospective customers are simply unaware of their existence, and on top of that, there is increased competition in many markets.
One problem is that facilities are still using traditional marketing methods instead of leveraging the Internet to build brand recognition and generate leads. Having a strong digital marketing program is a must for any assisted living facility today. The following are some effective marketing ideas that will help you market your assisted living facility in the digital era.
1.Establish a strong online presence
Print advertising is no longer the only option for advertising your independent living facility. Instead of investing in print advertising, focus on creating a strong online marketing program that incorporates a professionally designed website, social media presence, and well-written content focused on providing helpful information to prospective clients.
2.Post-professional-quality videos online
Videos are an important component of your short-term and long-term marketing efforts because they are eye-catching and allow people to see your facility more closely. People love watching videos online and gladly share and bookmark them.
Videos also cause people to spend more time on your website, and this is great for your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) because “time on site” is a ranking factor that search engines evaluate. Some video ideas for marketing your independent living facility include testimonial videos of your current residents or video tours of your facility.
3.Use pay-per-click advertising
If you’re looking for a quick way to create search engine visibility and drive traffic to your website, don’t rule out using pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Google AdWords is a highly effective advertising tool that you can use to get your residential care home immediate attention and traffic. Set an affordable budget for PPC advertising each month and you will instantly notice increased phone calls and inquiries through your website.
4.Become a valuable resource
Make your website a valuable resource that people want to keep returning to. Publish a lot of helpful, informative content that assists customers throughout the entire process of researching, finding, and sending loved ones to an assisted living facility. For example, some topics you could focus on in your blog posts, articles, videos, e-books, email newsletters, social media updates, and other resources include the following:
- Warning signs that it’s time for a parent to enter an assisted living facility
- How to talk to your parent about entering a residential care home
- Dealing with siblings and other family members
- Help to find and choose the right community
- Getting moving assistance
- Help to transition to a new community
- Handling issues at an assisted living facility
Content should be straightforward, educational, and focused on solving people’s problems. Demonstrate that you understand what they are going through and help them reduce stress and overcome challenges. Prospective customers are searching the web for answers to their questions and need advice. If you can help them by providing them with tips and solutions, they are more likely to turn to your facility for their care needs as well.
5.Join an online assisted living directory
Assisted living directories are online directory websites that list-assisted living facilities around the country. Having your residential care home listed in a directory can enhance your website’s search engine presence by providing a valuable link back to your website, generating direct traffic from people who search the directory, and building brand awareness. Your directory page will be a web page where you can describe the valuable services you provide, explain what sets you apart from your competitors, and encourage prospective clients to get in touch with a strong call-to-action.
When marketing your assisted living facility online, focus on what makes your facility unique. Think about the programs and services you have that few or no other facilities offer. Prospects need to understand why they should choose you versus another community in the area. Digital marketing is also about relationship building. People only buy from those they trust, which is why it’s essential to build credibility through your marketing. There are many different assisted living communities vying for your prospects’ attention, so creating a memorable online presence that communicates how professional and reliable your facility is will set your community apart and make prospects feel good about the thought of sending their loved ones there.
Join Senior Living Link’s Online Assisted Living Directory Today!
Senior Living Link is an online directory that was founded with the mission to help people find the perfect residential care home free from third-party advisors. We give assisted living facilities the opportunity to market themselves online, wiping out the middleman and providing them with direct access to interested prospects. Memberships are just $97 per month and can be canceled at any time. Join us today to make it easier for seniors and their loved ones to find your facility!
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