Animation of physic with crystal ball predicting the future

Senior Living Marketing Predictions for 2024

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It’s that time of year when we ask our team members to gaze into their crystal balls and make senior living marketing predictions for 2024.

Here’s what everyone had to say…

Deborah Howard, CEO


“I think we’re going to see more movement towards emotionally resonant messaging. We’ve got to get away from “just the facts” messages of ’here’s another blog,’ ‘here’s another guide,’ or ‘here’s another ten reasons you should move into senior living.’

People buy emotionally, and then they support that decision intellectually. If all we’re doing is feeding prospects intellectual stuff, they’ll get stuck.

If senior living communities want to compete successfully in 2024 and beyond, they must include emotional messages in their content—and not just words, but in visuals, too.”

Andréa Catizone, President & COO


“Here are my 2024 marketing predictions for senior living:

  • Increased Emphasis on Personalization: Tailoring content and advertising to individual preferences and behaviors can enhance user experiences and drive better engagement. By the way, that’s something AI doesn’t always do well.
  • Rise of Video Content: Video continues to be an engaging channel. We hope to see more senior living communities do more to capture video reviews, “A Day in the Life,” etc.
  • Voice Search Optimization: My 93-year-old mother’s best friend is her Amazon Echo. Seniors are using their virtual assistants more than ever. Senior living providers, especially larger organizations with established web presences, should start thinking about optimizing for voice search in 2024 to stay ahead of the curve.
  • Privacy Concerns and Regulatory Compliance: Privacy policies and adherence to website regulatory requirements will be a top priority for website owners.
  • Personalized and Targeted Campaigns: Long gone are the days of “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to marketing campaigns. But too many communities still have that mindset. I think we’ll see a (mostly) complete shift away from that thinking. If we want to engage prospects, especially younger Boomers, we must engage them through highly personal content tailor-made for them.
  • Online Reviews and Reputation Management: Not only do good reviews improve your trust rating for the Google bots, but more and more prospects are looking at reviews as part of their research. Communities that understand this and spend time (and budget) maintaining their reputation will compete well in 2024.”

Paul Trusik, Director of Operational Technology


“Gazing into 2024, I expect to see more marketing integrations using AI features, whether it’s to aid in content generation for email marketing or landing page copy or to help sales teams quickly formulate replies to prospects from their respective CRMs. Many of our chat partners are also harnessing AI features to help arm their chatbots with enhanced sentiment alongside informational community scripts.

Also, I expect a rise in SMS (text) campaigns to complement what we’re already doing with email campaigns in our marketing automation platforms.

Some ten years ago, we patiently waited for adult children to start researching online as the senior living industry started ramping up digital marketing efforts. Now, we expect that same demographic will start getting just as comfortable communicating via text vs. email and phone.”

Doug Demaio, Director of Client Success


“My prediction is that senior living marketing becomes more integrated with each aspect of the community experience—and that the marketing itself becomes more experiential.

As the Me generation ages into senior living, they’re wanting more choices, more amenities, and more activities. Senior living providers who lean into this by making things like health, wellness, workout spaces, dining, and outdoor activities part of their marketing materials (making them marketing assets rather than liabilities) will be able to connect with more of these folks.

Marketing overall will also lean into digital tools that allow for a more experiential effect: Being there virtually for tours, chatting with leads in real-time on your website, hosting digital and in-person events — really bringing the lead into the community for an authentic experience, in person, or virtually.”

Jim Podewitz, Director of Content Strategy


“Generative AI burst onto the marketing scene in 2023. I see 2024 as a year of taking a closer look at the quality and accuracy of AI-generated content and reassessing AI’s place in content creation. Ultimately, I think we’ll see AI as a tool for creating better content more efficiently vs. a machine that generates greater volumes of vanilla content.

Another prediction: Prospects want to be contacted by senior living communities the way they contacted the community in the first place. The next generation of marketing automation will embrace a broader spectrum of channels to reach and nurture prospects and use the ones preferred by the prospect.”

Kerri-Anne Pendergast, Director of Social Marketing


“Here are a few things I predict for 2024: Both X and Threads will continue to decline while Instagram (Meta) increases. We’ve continuously seen users take part in image- or video-based scrolling versus something like Threads/X, which are text-based.

More social media platforms will hop on the AI train. Snapchat was an early adapter. Now, Meta is using celebs to help with their AI movement. X, LinkedIn, and Threads will likely follow suit, allowing you to write AI-generated posts.

Another prediction: Think more click-to-buys. TikTok Shop makes it easy for creators to make money on the platform by selling their products directly on their profiles, and users don’t have to leave the app to complete their purchases. Augmented reality also plays a role in this. You can see what something looks like on you, or in your house (furniture), or a 3D version of that item without being in person to make your purchase. (Editor’s note: Read Kerri-Anne’s take on TikTok for senior living.)

Senior living communities will use more video! At least, that’s my hope! 😊”

Christopher Zook, Director of Paid Media & Strategy


“By far the biggest event of the year will be the near-universal deprecation of cookie tracking. All major browsers, including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, will prohibit cookie tracking to protect user privacy.

Because of this, the most significant transition next year—and probably the largest source of chaos in senior living digital marketing—will be the confusion that arises from not updating conversion tracking correctly. Incorrect installation means sudden drop-offs in reporting numbers, which will make marketing teams think an emergency is happening while sales teams continue to earn the same volume of leads.

Adapting to cookieless tracking is easy, particularly with Google Ads, and massively important as this giant shift takes place across the whole Internet.” (Editor’s note: If you’re a Senior Living SMART client, don’t worry: Our team is WAY ahead of the curve.)

Got questions? Need help with your senior living marketing next year? Get in touch.

We love helping communities increase occupancy through strategic and proven-to-work marketing initiatives. Reach out and let’s talk.

Senior Living Traditional Marketing in 2023 – My Favorite Things

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Even in 2023, traditional marketing plays an important role in senior living sales by building brand awareness, nurturing prospects, educating to overcome objections and reducing friction during the move-in process. At Senior Living SMART, we deal with a lot of third-party vendors of traditional marketing services, and we have our favorites! Find out below who my favorites are, and why!

Here are some of my favorite things for senior living traditional marketing in 2023:

Printing

Fischer Group. Why? They build custom marketing portals to organize all your brand content including stationery, collaterals, signage, direct mail and branded templates to create event flyers, floor plans, price lists and dining programs – it’s your own company store. Plus, they offer personalized URL-based direct mail that tracks offline marketing to online engagement and takes qualified prospects to their own micro-sites to increase conversions.

Overcoming financial barriers

Second Act Financial. Why? You can’t rely on your sales teams to be proficient in explaining bridge loans, the VA Aid & Attendance benefit, long-term care insurance reimbursements, and life insurance conversions. You can offer financial concierge services at reasonable rates for prospects and at no cost to your communities. Shorten sales cycles by helping families access financial solutions.

Quicker move-ins and raving fans!

LivNow Relocation. Why? Waiting for a home to sell before moving into a senior living community delays the transition, and that is not good for the prospect, their family or the operator. Livnow takes care of everything to accelerate the timeline. Their nation-wide network of fully vetted real estate agents, moving companies, downsizing services, discard/donate services and cleanout services take the stress out of moving to your community. They deliver happy residents and families to your doorstep!

Digitize the move-In process

August Health. Why? Because they go way beyond offering a digital lease agreements. They create a collaborative family portal, creating a modern move-in experience where families can complete all necessary paperwork in just a few clicks. Sales teams spend more time selling and less time chasing signatures and making copies. Reduce move-in delays through a frictionless digital workflow, with clear steps for families and simple e-signatures. Delightful move-ins are the first step to positive reviews, testimonials and referrals.

Third party leads

Seniorly. Why? I know, I know – you don’t like lead aggregators like “you know who”. But families do like them so they will continue to play a role in lead generation. Seniorly offers greater transparency to prospects and does not force them into a conversion before providing information such as pricing. Prospects can choose to engage with an advisor when they are ready and can explore communities anonymously for as long as they want.

Call center

LeadGenie. Why? It’s so much more than a call center! Of course, they do inbound and outbound calls, and manage third-party and website leads. They also do pipeline work to reach out to older/ colder leads sitting in your CRM (any CRM), and they can fill in for vacant sales positions. Join the waiting list for February of 2024!

Mystery shopping

Primo Solutions. Why? They have completed over 150,000 mystery shops for senior living operators, making them the largest mystery shopping company in the industry. Services include phone and in-person shops, competitor and website shops. Sales training and coaching is available to improve sales skills – and there is a 100% satisfaction guarantee. I love guarantees!

Need help implementing any of the above?

Get in touch and let’s discuss your senior living traditional marketing needs for 2024—and beyond!

Senior Living Digital Marketing: Our Favorite Tech

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One of the most interesting things about owning a senior living digital marketing agency is that we get to play with all the marketing technology our clients use to increase lead generation and conversions.

As a holiday gift to you, here are some of our favorites—and there are some lumps of coal at the end!

Senior Living Digital Marketing: Here Are a Few of Our Favorite Things

Website: WordPress. Why? Because your website is your most important marketing asset, you must own it, not rent it. You should be able to access simple updates without getting in line and taking a number. WordPress is affordable, accessible, and intuitive. Plus, integrations are a breeze.

CRM: WelcomeHome. Why? Oh, where do I start? WelcomeHome is a senior living CRM designed to help sales teams succeed thanks to intuitive navigation aligned with the prospect journey, straightforward customization, amazing customer service and training, stress-free data migration, robust reporting, and every integration you could possibly want. WelcomeHome wants to be the best CRM; it doesn’t force you to buy other proprietary add-ons. Instead, it allows for integration of choice.

Marketing Automation: HubSpot. Why? This all-in-one marketing suite is the simplest solution for measuring the ROI of every marketing channel. You can consolidate all your marketing channels in one place, including website performance, local search, organic search, Google Analytics, social media, content marketing, paid ads, email marketing, live chat, and prospect engagement tools. The reporting dashboards are elegant and allow users to create custom views by region or portfolio/ownership group.

  • PRO TIP: The technology solutions described above are your best foundation for successful senior living digital marketing. Combining these three tools will eliminate blind spots between marketing and sales.

Prospect Engagement Tool: Roobrik. Why? This is the best tool to help operators find early-stage prospects to fill the sales pipeline with future opportunities. Remember, your website has a significant audience of “not yet ready” prospects. They won’t click to call or schedule a tour, but they will engage in Roobrik’s educational surveys to help with their independent research. You’ll learn so much about who is visiting your website, including their motivation, objections, and qualifications, all of which is valuable marketing intelligence.

Chat: SiteStaff Chat. Why? Their recent updates combine what all our clients need: AI capabilities when acting as a self-serve chatbot combined with live human chat for more in-depth conversations. It’s HIPAA compliant, and all chat hosts are US-based and hired for empathy. Use the bot function on mobile and for after-hours inquiries. Offer the live human chat on desktops where typing is more intuitive.

Local Search Tool: BrightLocal. Why? This platform manages Google Business Profile updates, directory listings, and reviews. They also offer an extremely helpful local search grid that shows how every community ranks for local search results by keyword. You will know in five-mile increments which competitors are beating you in local search.

Senior Living Digital Marketing: Lumps of Coal to Avoid!

Any website content management system (CMS) that is proprietary. Don’t get fooled by the “easy button” of templated rental websites. If you don’t own your hosting license (as low as $250 a year), your website development vendor owns your content. They also own your analytics and your reporting (and they decide what to report on!). And good luck trying to move your website elsewhere.

Integrated CRMs that don’t allow integration of choice. Guess what? You should be able to choose your best-in-class suite of integrations, not be forced into a bundle. You should be able to choose your CRM, marketing automation platform, call tracking solution, EHR/clinical suite, and financial/billing system. If a CRM company only supports its own products, that means it’s more interested in generating revenue than helping you find the best solutions.

Need help implementing any of the above?

Get in touch and let’s discuss your senior living digital marketing needs for 2024—and beyond!

Senior couple sitting on sofa reviewing a websiteon computer

Senior Living Website Design: Does Yours Build Trust?

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Your senior living website is your most important marketing asset, one that must build trust with prospects no matter where they are in their journey.

What’s the number one reason most people mistrust a website? Poor site design.

Luckily, your senior living website design is something within your control. A good design does cost money, but it’s a worthy investment.

Here’s the secret sauce to a senior living website that builds trust:

  • Designed with the user in mind: Think simple navigation, highly intuitive feel, and accessible.
  • Worthwhile content: Think engaging stories through words, visuals, and overall design and layout.
  • Technically sound: Think mobile-friendly, fast, and secure.

Below, we take a deeper dive into each bullet point.

Senior living websites that build trust are designed with the user in mind.

Think accessible.

You want to create a senior living website that’s aesthetically pleasing and accessible. Making a website accessible isn’t simply the right thing to do. For some businesses, it’s also required.

Private businesses and nonprofits with 15 or more employees are subject to the website compliance guidelines defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This act likely covers most—if not all—senior living communities.

At a minimum, you must consider things like . . .

  • Font size and color contrasts (e.g., can people distinguish what’s a link vs. regular text?)
  • Whether all photos have appropriate alt text
  • Whether the site is easy to navigate with adaptive technologies (like screen readers)

And that’s just the beginning.

Learn how we help our clients make accessible websites with UserWay.

Think custom.

We always urge our clients to avoid stock images. We can’t tell you how often we see the same images of older adults across different community websites.

You’ll have difficulty differentiating your site if you’re using the same canned images. Someone might even think they’re on your site because they recognize an image when, in reality, they’re on a competitor’s site that uses the same photos. Custom photography allows you to differentiate, enhance your brand, and better tell your community’s story.

You’ll also want to avoid website templates for various reasons, but the main one is it’s hard to create a custom experience from a template. (Here’s a longer list of why you should avoid templated websites.)

Think fresh.

Websites can grow stale and stagnant, especially in the senior living space. You’ll want to refresh your senior living website every two to three years (or even redesign it).

Senior living websites that build trust offer worthwhile content.

Content and design go hand-in-hand. You could have the best content in the world, but a poorly designed site will cause people to bounce before they fully experience it. On the flip side, a beautiful site will be nothing more than an empty shell if the content doesn’t pass muster.

So, let’s talk about content. The content on your senior living website should provide facts and connect with your audience’s emotions. The best way to accomplish the latter is through storytelling. Stories can attract, engage, and persuade your audience by showing them through words and visuals how your community can solve their problems and improve their lives.

To create compelling stories, you should follow some best practices. Use real photos and videos, a clear and conversational tone, emotional words and sensory details, and a simple, logical structure.

You can also use storytelling techniques to craft riveting narratives that resonate with your audience. Examples include the hero’s journey, the before-and-after, or the problem-solution.

With storytelling, you can create great content for your senior living website that sets it apart from the competition and helps convert anonymous traffic into tours.

Senior living websites that build trust are technically sound.

Your senior living website design must also consider technical aspects in addition to the overall look and feel. If you have one without the other, you won’t be able to deliver a great user experience.

Stuck on how to evaluate your site from a technical perspective? Begin by asking the following questions:

How speedy is your site?

Site speed is a crucial factor for user experience and SEO. A slow-loading site can frustrate your visitors and make them bounce. It can also affect your Google ranking, especially on mobile devices.

According to Think with Google, the probability of bounce increases by 32% as page load time goes from one second to three seconds. Get in the habit of checking your site speed and performance regularly. Optimize it by using tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.

Here are some other ways to improve site speed:

  • Compressing and resizing your images
  • Minifying and combining your CSS and JavaScript files
  • Enabling caching and GZIP compression
  • Using a content delivery network (CDN)
  • Removing unnecessary plugins or scripts

How does your site render across mobile devices?

You must optimize your senior living website for mobile devices. A mobile-friendly site is important to Google and to prospects, many of whom will be viewing your site on something other than a desktop.

Note: An independent website audit will give you and your team an overview of what’s working and what’s not, especially from a technical standpoint, including how well the site renders across mobile devices.

How’s your site’s security and privacy?

Site security and privacy are essential for building trust and credibility with visitors, residents, and their families. A secure site can protect your data and users’ data from hackers, malware, and phishing.

Some of the ways to improve your site security and privacy are:

Some items are invisible to site visitors or aren’t front and center (for example, privacy policies are usually linked in the footer). Although subtle, all are essential trust signals. Consider the privacy policy. When someone wants to read your privacy policy, your site will build trust when it’s super easy to find it.

We can help you develop a senior living website design that builds trust.

Your website is your community’s online hub. You can’t successfully compete if it’s not in top shape. Let us help. Start with our Total Online Presence Audit. Or get in touch and let’s chat about your website’s specific needs.

Image of SEO for search engine optimization

Senior Living Search Engine Optimization: What to Expect in 2024

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Much has happened in the last 12 months thanks to AI and its impact on search. Below, we’re offering a reality check regarding senior living search engine optimization (SEO) for 2024, including what to expect and why you don’t need to panic.

Search Generative Experience (SGE) isn’t likely to disrupt your organic search results any time soon.

Google unveiled its Search Generative Experience (SGE) back in May to much fanfare and speculation that the end of search (as we know it) was near. But to say things have fizzled since then would be an understatement.

Search Engine Journal reports the reduced frequency of SGE components in search results. It also cites possible reasons, including the problem with accuracy. So far, AI isn’t hugely reliable and is famous for its “hallucinations.” Another reason could be the public’s hesitation to trust AI.

Marketers would be remiss, however, to dismiss SGE altogether. SGE is still in its infancy, and Google has invested significantly in its development. (In November, Google announced it would roll out SGE worldwide.) Besides, the spirit of what SGE is trying to accomplish—providing robust conversational results on the search engine results page (SERP)—is something to embrace, not shy away from.

Search Engine Land says the best way to prepare for SGE is to continue using SEO best practices. This means producing compelling, authoritative content people can trust: “Generic answers and traditional search tactics aren’t enough anymore,” Search Engine Land reports. “The focus has moved towards creating content that offers a unique experience and reflects real human perspectives. Your content should also be personality-driven and thought-provoking to set it apart from the generic content most publishers are churning out, thanks to the proliferation of AI tools.”

You should also continue to optimize your site for long-tail keywords with the goal that SGE could link to your blog post or website page about that particular long-tail topic, which would help boost your site’s visibility.

Bottom line: Stay aware, but don’t panic.

Large-language models like ChatGPT shouldn’t disrupt your SEO or replace your content marketing strategy.

In the spring of 2023, people were braced for large-language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to take over content marketing. Many writers were worried about losing their jobs.

But the death of content writers has been greatly exaggerated.

So, what happened?

Well, people got taken in by how fast ChatGPT was. However, upon closer inspection of ChatGPT’s output, it quickly became apparent that the content was merely adequate (at best).

Remember, the most effective content is authentic, reflects the brand voice, and has personality. So far, AI tools like ChatGPT (yes, even the paid version), Bing, and Bard can’t produce brand-rich content that doesn’t sound wooden and generic. At some point, AI will improve in these areas. But we’re not there yet.

This doesn’t mean you should ignore ChatGPT. Large-language models are suitable for many tasks, such as the following:

  • Brainstorming. Give the AI tool a headline and ask it to brainstorm five alternatives. Choose the one you like best and tweak it. Do the same for email subject lines, CTAs, and other short-form content.
  • Outlining. Need a 1,500-word blog post written on a specific topic? Share the details with the AI tool and ask it to create an outline. For some tools (like Bing), you can ask it to develop some copy points and sources. (But you must remember to triple-check any sources it provides. You’ll likely need to find your own.)
  • Reviewing. Give your blog post (or other content) to the AI tool and ask it to give you feedback. You’ll have your own on-demand editor.

Bottom line: Use AI to support your content marketing strategy, not replace it.

Local SEO will continue to play a pivotal role in 2024. (This shouldn’t be a surprise.)

Local SEO involves optimizing your website and online presence for a specific geographic area, such as a city, state, or region. Local SEO can help you improve your site’s ranking, visibility, and trustworthiness on search engines like Google, especially for users searching for senior living options near them.

Optimizing for local search is something you should already be doing, but if you haven’t focused on it, now is the time to step it up. Here’s how.

  • Create a robust Google Business Profile. Ensure you have the correct info (address, phone number, website URL, hours of operation) and use all the features (like photos).
  • Use location-based keywords on your site. Weave location-based keywords into your content and meta data, like title tags and meta descriptions.
  • Monitor and manage conversations about your brand, especially at the local level. In addition to paying attention to review sites, follow conversations in local online groups. For example, join your area’s local Facebook community group and participate in conversations around senior care, aging in place, and senior living.

Want to dive deeper into this topic? Check out our podcast where we discuss local search marketing.

What works for senior living SEO in 2024 will look a lot like what has always worked.

SEO best practices rarely change dramatically. We might need to tweak our approach whenever Google tweaks its algorithm or introduces initiatives like SGE, but the overall best practices will likely remain the same since the goal is to provide quality content that helps satisfy a person’s search query.

We’re talking about content that . . .

  • Speaks to people on a real, human level
  • Answers questions and solves problems
  • Is honest and authentic
  • Demonstrates expertise and authority
  • Uses keywords in a thoughtful way
  • Always considers humans first, search engines second

If you do the above regularly, you’re “doing” senior living SEO right.

Of course, if you need help overhauling your senior living search engine optimization, give us a shout.

We have a team of SEO specialists who can help your team navigate the ins and outs of search engine optimization for senior living. Get in touch and let’s chat.

Senior woman on couch with headphones creating a TikTok

Senior Living Social Media Marketing: Is It Time for TikTok?

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Last month, we talked with Kerri-Anne Pendergast, our Director of Social Media Marketing, to discuss her approach when she works with our clients here at Senior Living SMART.

Today, we invited her back to address a burning question so many senior living communities have: Is it time to get on the TikTok bandwagon?

It’s an understandable question given how the platform exploded onto the scene in the U.S. in 2018 and rose to the be the most downloaded app in 2022, according to Statista. Further, TikTok boasted 755 million users in 2022 worldwide, 6.4% of which are 55 and older.

So, is TikTok worth all the hype? Like so many things in life, it depends. In this case, it depends on the audience you’re trying to reach. TikTok has made everything from beauty brands to authors “TikTok famous.” But what about senior living?

Let’s get Kerri-Anne’s take.

If you had to describe TikTok in a nutshell, what would you say?

TikTok is a fun social media platform that’s all about short-form videos. The audience is huge, but there are many niches, like BookTok, GamerTok, BusinessTok, etc.

What are some reasons why communities should consider TikTok?

It’s engaging, fun, and easy to go viral, thanks to TikTok’s algorithm (you don’t necessarily need to have a ton of followers or be a big brand to have a video take off).

Even better? This article from Insider discusses how participating in social media trends on TikTok might be good for seniors’ mental health. The same article points out that the reaction to TikToks featuring seniors has been overwhelmingly positive, too.

Over the last year or so, we’ve seen more senior living communities dipping their toes into TikTok. Here are some examples of popular TikToks featuring senior living residents.

 

@arcadiasrlivingbg

Our halftime show > Rihanna’s halftime show 💃🪩🏈🤍🎶🎤 #seniorlivingcommunity #halftimeshow #SuperBowl #rihanna #fyp

♬ original sound – Brian Esperon

@rivergroveresidents

Pew Pew 😂😂❤️ #seniors #seniorliving #seniorcommunity #foryou #fypシ #nerf #rivergrove #nursinghome #residentsoftiktok #rehabfacility #activitiesdepartment #activitydirector #lovemyjob

♬ Mission Impossible Theme (Movie Trailer Mix) – Dominik Hauser

@nathanjoneslife

Our visit with @ourseniormoments was so much fun. What is your favorite age so far? | #age #aging #seniorliving #grandmasoftiktok #interview

♬ See You Again (Piano Arrangement) – Alexandre Pachabezian

Why should communities hold off on TikTok, at least for now?

The two main reasons to hold off on TikTok:

  • Your residents don’t want to participate. (Remember, you should always get explicit consent from the people appearing in your videos.)
  • You don’t have someone in the community to create the videos. (There’s not much your marketing company can do to help with this. You need boots on the ground.)

In your opinion, what needs to happen for a community to develop a successful TikTok presence?

The recipe for success isn’t much different than it is for other social media platforms, with one exception—as we mentioned, TikTok is all about video, particularly short-form video. Only recently has TikTok allowed videos up to 10 minutes in length. Before, it was all about quick, entertaining vids in under 60 seconds (and these short videos are still hugely popular).

But getting back to best practices. If you want to create a successful TikTok presence for your senior living community, you must:

  • Get consent and buy-in from residents appearing in your videos.
  • Post regularly.
  • Let the audience get to know your residents.
  • Engage with the audience, answer their questions, and respond to their comments.
  • Use trending music.
  • Keep up with other popular trends.
  • Have fun with it. (Because this WILL show in the final product.)

Do you think TikTok will become a must-have platform for senior living communities in the next five years?

In the near future, TikTok will continue to skew young. But that doesn’t mean you can’t maintain a presence for your senior living community, provided you have the interest and bandwidth.

TikTok will continue to be a great place for showing off your community’s lifestyle. But it won’t be the platform that helps you promote content or converts people into tours and move-ins. At least, not yet.

Facebook will likely remain the key social media platform for most senior living communities. Facebook is currently the number one social media platform in the U.S. and by a comfortable margin (74.2% of adults use it; the next platform after that is Instagram at 60.5%)

Of course, things will likely evolve over the next five to ten years, especially as younger Baby Boomers and Gen X near retirement age. So, like everything else, stay tuned.

If a senior living community had to focus on one or two social media platforms (TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook), which ones do you recommend?

Focus on Facebook. It’s very well-rounded and fits the demographics better.

And here’s what you need to remember: TikTok isn’t the only place to consume short-form content. When TikTok took off, the other platforms took note. So today, Facebook and Instagram have Reels, and YouTube recently launched YouTube Shorts (videos that are sixty seconds or less).

In other words, people now have more options for consuming short-form content—they don’t need to go to TikTok. If you’ve already built a strong presence on Facebook and YouTube, try adding short videos to those platforms before starting a TikTok account.

Pro tip: If you create one short video, you can republish it in multiple places for expanded reach.

Is there anything else you want to ensure we convey about TikTok for senior living?

If you use it, post fun videos regularly and let the audience get to know your residents. Engage with the audience. If they have questions, do a TikTok that answers those questions. Respond to comments. And most importantly, have fun with it.

Go in with reasonable expectations. Remember, you won’t use it to promote content or schedule tours. Instead, you’ll use it to capture your community’s unique vibe. Keep it fun, light, and engaging.

Need fresh eyes on your social media marketing strategy?

We can help! Get in touch, and let’s discuss social media.

 

PODCAST | How the Duct Tape Marketing System Helped Senior Living SMART Differentiate and Scale

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Senior Living SMART CEO Debbie Howard was recently the guest of John Jantsch, Founder of Duct Tape Marketing, on the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast.  

In the podcast episode titled, “Effective Ways To Differentiate And Scale Your Business”, Howard and Jantsch talked about one of the major challenges marketing agencies face: trying to find ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and how to successfully scale as they grow. 

As a major player in the senior living marketing and sales industry, Senior Living SMART has been able to achieve both differentiation and scaling with the help of the Duct Tape Marketing system, of which Senior Living SMART is a licensee.  

In an industry that is often considered to be “old school” in marketing itself – still relying on direct mail and print ads to promote senior living communities – Senior Living SMART has taken a hybrid approach of integrating the old ways with digital marketing. Explained Howard: “The fact that (senior living) is so relational and it’s so emotional means that you have to be on all channels all the time, but with different messages.” Over the past several years, Senior Living SMART has looked to Duct Tape Marketing to provide the digital marketing expertise it needed to build that hybrid approach to marketing.  

“The Duct Tape Marketing system has given us the runway and framework to grow, scale, and thrive in the senior living industry,” Howard shared with Jantsch. 

Listen to the full podcast here, or watch the episode on YouTube. 

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6 Fresh Senior Living Marketing Ideas to Try in 2024

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When it comes to digital marketing, it’s easy to fall into a rhythm when things are working well. The key is making sure this routine doesn’t turn into complacency. Below, we share six fresh senior living marketing ideas to help you avoid this fate.

6 fresh senior living marketing ideas to try in 2024

1. Focus on voice search optimization

Voice search is exactly as it sounds. You use your voice to interact with a device (like Siri or Alexa) rather than typing your search query.

According to Semrush, in 2022, 50% of U.S. consumers reported that they use voice seach every day. Statista states, “(f)orecasts suggest that by 2024, the number of digital voice assistants will reach 8.4 billion units – a number higher than the world’s population.”

Semrush also reports that 62% of Americans use voice assistant and 36% are smart speaker owners—and that half of US consumers use voice search daily. Semrush notes: “If you don’t optimize your content for voice search devices, you could miss out on a chunk of the market.”

So, what steps should you take to optimize your digital assets (like your website) for voice search?

2. Use augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create more engagement and increase time spent on your site

AR and VR can create more engaging and memorable experiences. Exploding Topics cites research that shows 55% of consumers think AR shopping is more fun. The more immersive, engaging, and “fun” you can make your site, the more time they’ll spend on it—and the easier it will be for people to remember your brand.

You can use AR and VR to create immersive experiences for prospective residents and their families. For example, you could add a plug-in to your site that allows people to see and experience how their furniture would look in their new apartment in your community. You could use VR to create a truly immersive virtual tour experience. (That would be a big step up from the shaky video the sales rep took on their phone, right?)

3. Experiment with native advertising

Native advertising is a type of paid advertising that blends in with the surrounding content. For example, a native ad on Facebook might look like a regular post on that platform. When done right, native advertising can be extremely effective because it feels less intrusive and “ad-like.” Use native ads to promote high-quality content or special events at your community.

Need some inspiration? HubSpot has a great article with 10 native advertising examples people actually enjoyed.

4. Keep up with Google’s generative AI capabilities in Search

In May 2023, Google unveiled its Search Generative Experience (SGE), which will likely change how every marketer and business approaches SEO. While SGE hasn’t been rolled out wide just yet, it’s coming—and fast.

Don’t panic. SEO has evolved dramatically over the last couple of decades, and SGE is another evolution everyone needs to adjust to. The best way to prepare (right now) is to familiarize yourself with how SGE works. Go to Google Search Labs, request access, and turn SGE on. See how it changes and influences the way YOU search.

5. Create more videos

OK, this marketing idea isn’t as revolutionary as other items on this list. But video marketing is the #1 strategy we wish ALL of our clients did more of.

Video is HUGE. According to ahrefs, YouTube is the most visited site in the world, and for good reason: people love watching videos—to learn, to discover, to be entertained. According to Wyzowl, 88% of consumers say they were convinced to buy a product or service after watching a brand’s video, and 73% say they’d rather watch a short video when learning about a product or service.

Video is also a wise investment with excellent ROI because you can repurpose and reuse one video across multiple channels for broader reach. You can use your video on YouTube, Facebook, the community’s website, digital ad campaigns, and email marketing. And videos on YouTube also perform well in organic Google searches.

6. Wild card idea: boost brand awareness and level up your mobile marketing efforts with geofencing

Geofencing is a location-based marketing strategy that allows you to target people’s phones within a specific geographic radius. For example, you could:

  • Create a geofence around a local retirement planning center and target people with ads for your independent living community.
  • Create a geofence around the offices of local referral sources (social workers, case managers, etc.) and serve up brand awareness-type ads.
  • Create a geofence around a local park and target people with ads for your community’s upcoming outdoor concert. Additionally, you could create a geofence around a local library and target people with ads for your community’s upcoming book club meeting.

Geofencing isn’t necessarily the right fit for all senior living communities. Still, geofencing might be something to consider for forward-thinking communities looking to try out-of-the-box ideas.

Curious to know more?

Need guidance implementing any of these senior living marketing ideas?

We’ve helped communities of all sizes improve their digital marketing efforts and increase occupancy. Let’s chat about the marketing challenges facing your community—and how to overcome them.

 

Senior man on couch checking his phone for email

Email Marketing Strategies for Senior Living in 2024

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The death of email has been greatly exaggerated. In fact, the opposite is true: email has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years thanks to the tremendous growth of smartphone and tablet ownership, as noted by this 2021 Pew Research fact sheet. Armed with a mobile device, everyone from kids to seniors can easily access their email accounts.

For marketers, email is an excellent way to reach prospects and customers. And get this: according to Constant Contact, email marketing offers the highest and most measurable return on investment (ROI) than other types of marketing.

So, as you prep for next year, don’t forget about the power of email. Below, we’re sharing seven email marketing strategies for senior living that will level up your efforts in 2024—and beyond.

Email marketing strategy #1: revisit how you personalize and segment your email campaigns

Personalized and segmented email campaigns can increase opens, click-throughs, and conversion rates.

  • Emails with personalized subject lines see an increased open rate of 26% [Source: Campaign Monitor]
  • Segmented email campaigns produce a dramatically higher click-through rate than non-segmented emails—over 100% higher, according to some studies. [Source: Kinsta]
  • Segmented campaigns have produced a 760% increase in revenue. [Source: Campaign Monitor]

Email marketing tips for 2024:

  • Segment your email list based on demographics, interests, and behavior.
  • Use personalization tokens to include the recipient’s name, location, or other relevant information in your emails.
  • Create targeted content that is relevant to each segment of your audience.

Email marketing strategy #2: include interactive content to increase engagement

Adding interactive elements to your email content, like things that invite people to swipe, click, or watch, can increase engagement and lead to more opens and click-throughs. Campaign Monitor notes interactive content in email increases the open rate by 73%.

Email marketing tips for 2024:

  • Include polls, quizzes, surveys, or other interactive elements.
  • Use video content to capture your audience’s attention. (More on this below.)
  • Create animated GIFs or other engaging visuals.

Email marketing strategy #3: send more video-based emails

Video is an interactive element worthy of its own section. Campaign Monitor shares several compelling stats about the benefits of using videos in your emails:

  • Including a video (or a link to a video) in your email can improve click through rates (CTR) by 65% (for context, the average CTR is about 2.69%).
  • Including a video in your initial email campaign can boost click rates by 96%.
  • Including a video in a welcome email can boost open rates by 96%.

You might think YouTube is the best place to house your videos, but Campaign Monitor says it’s Vimeo (average of 8.13 CTR), with YouTube coming in second (at 6.62% CTR).

We’re always encouraging our clients to do more video content. (Our social media director, Kerri-Anne Pendergast, discussed this very point in a recent article.) The beauty of shooting just one video is that you can share it across multiple channels—YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, website, paid ads, and email.

Email marketing tips for 2024:

  • Create short and engaging video content that is relevant to your audience. Think “day in the life of a resident” or a “meet our chef” video.
  • Embed videos directly in your emails.
  • Use nicely designed video thumbnails to capture attention.
  • Email marketing strategy #4: improve (or develop) a mobile-optimized email design

As we mentioned earlier, more and more people are reading their emails on their mobile devices than ever. Backlinko reports that almost 42% of all emails are opened on a mobile device. (Super Office, however, reports that over 80% of all emails are opened and read on mobile devices.)

Bottom line: Ignore mobile optimization at your own peril.

Email marketing tips for 2024:

  • Make sure all email templates are responsive and mobile-friendly.
  • Use large fonts and buttons that are easy to tap on a small screen.
  • Keep your email designs simple and uncluttered.

PRO TIP: Start optimizing your emails for dark mode. Dark mode is a feature that allows users to switch the background color of their devices from light to dark, which can reduce eye strain, save battery life, and improve readability. While still somewhat new, dark mode has been expanding among users. According to Mailmodo, 34% of people used dark mode for opening their emails in August 2022. Stay ahead of the curve by optimizing emails for dark mode now: use transparent images, high-contrast colors, and dark mode-specific CSS.

You should also optimize your emails for accessibility by using clear fonts, alt text, captions, headings, lists, and buttons that make your emails easy to read and navigate for people with disabilities or impairments, like poor eyesight (a common condition found in older demographics).

Email marketing strategy #5: conduct more A/B testing

HubSpot reports that testing your emails can lead to a higher ROI. Mailmodo echoes this point by citing a study showing how businesses that A/B test every email enjoy a 37% higher ROI than those organizations that never A/B test.

Email marketing tips for 2024:

  • Test different subject lines, send times, and email designs.
  • Track your results to see what works best for your different buyer personas.
  • Make changes to your email campaigns based on your test results.

Email marketing strategy #6: increase automation with behavioral triggers and dynamic content

Automation can help you save time and resources and improve your email performance and customer experience. Benchmark Email cites research that shows automated emails enjoy 119% higher click rates than blast emails precisely because automation sends the right message to the right person at the right time. Benchmark Email cites another study from Jupiter Research where automated emails generate 18x more revenue than blast emails.

When it comes to automation, get granular. For example, use behavioral triggers to send emails based on the recipient’s action or inaction, such as opening an email, clicking a link, visiting a page, or requesting a tour.

You can also use dynamic content to customize your emails based on subscribers’ attributes or preferences, such as their location, interests, or stage in the buyer’s journey. Marketing automation software like ActiveDEMAND / Enquire MAP or HubSpot can help you create automated workflows.

Email marketing tips for 2024:

  • Use marketing automation software to automate tasks, such as sending welcome emails, lead nurturing emails, and reminder emails (for an upcoming tour or event, for example).
  • Create email workflows triggered by specific events, such as a website visit or a booked tour.
  • Use segmentation to send targeted emails to different groups of subscribers.

Email marketing strategy #7: improve deliverability and brand authority with BIMI and DMARC

Leverage industry standards BIMI and DMARC for email authentication and brand authority. BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a standard that allows you to display your brand logo next to the sender’s name in the inbox. BIMI can help you increase your email visibility, recognition, and trust by making your emails stand out and verifying your identity as a legitimate sender.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is a protocol that helps you prevent email spoofing, phishing, and spam by validating your email domain and ensuring

that only authorized senders can use it.

DMARC can help you protect your email reputation, deliverability, and security by preventing your emails from being blocked, filtered, or marked as spam.

Email marketing tips for 2024:

  • Implement BIMI and DMARC correctly. This is essential for ensuring that your emails are properly authenticated and that your brand logo is displayed correctly in the inbox. Several resources are available to help you implement BIMI and DMARC, such as the BIMI Group and the DMARC Wikipedia page.
  • Promote your BIMI logo. Once you have implemented BIMI, promote your logo to your subscribers. Include it in your email signature and social media profiles. The more people are familiar with your logo, the more likely they will recognize it in their inbox.
  • Monitor your email performance. Once you’ve implemented BIMI and DMARC, monitor your email performance to see how it’s affecting your open rates, click-through rates, and deliverability.

Need help with email marketing for senior living?

We’ve helped communities of all sizes improve their email marketing. Let’s chat about the email marketing challenges facing your community.

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How to Create an Effective Senior Living Marketing Strategy

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Are you wondering how to create an effective senior living marketing strategy that’s easy to justify to the C-suite and will boost occupancy too? Step right up! We got you.

First, picture your marketing as a hub with your ideal prospect in the center. Then, around the hub, picture six spokes:

  • Website
  • Content
  • Email
  • Search
  • Social Media
  • Paid Ads

Below, we’ll discuss each component, starting with your ideal prospect. (Are you more of a visual learner? Check out this video explanation.)

 

Build Grow Ignite graphic chart

Understand your ideal prospect (a.k.a. develop strong buyer personas)

Personas are fictional representations of your ideal customers—in this case, your ideal residents and the adult children and loved ones involved in making decisions. Armed with a clear picture of your buyers, you can better personalize your messaging and marketing.

For example, instead of sending the same lead nurturing emails to everyone in your database, you can segment by prospect persona and tailor the messaging accordingly.

Keep in mind that personas are internal documents. Marketing and sales teams use them to guide the development of various messaging and marketing campaigns.

How do you create effective personas?

You create buyer personas through research, surveys, and interviews with happy residents and, ideally, lost prospects. Here are some practical methods for gathering the information you need:

  • Interview happy residents. What made them move into senior living? Why your community? What problem did your community solve for them? Note: The “problem” isn’t necessarily going to be negative. It could be positive, like “I was ready to downsize and enjoy maintenance-free living and an active lifestyle.”
  • Gather demographics for each level of care. What’s the average age, the breakdown between women and men, marital status, etc.?
  • Review resident surveys. What services and amenities do your residents find most valuable?
  • Talk to lost prospects. Why did they choose a different community?
  • Gather intel from your website forms. What are the person’s hobbies? Take advantage of progressive fields in forms, which allow you to ask different questions as people download more content from your site.
  • Talk to your sales team. What generalizations can they make about the different types of residents and prospective residents you serve best? What are the most frequent questions they answer?

What should you do with the persona research?

Create a one-page narrative about each persona. Give the persona a real name. Use images to bring the persona to life even more. (In this case, stock images are acceptable.)

For example, you might craft narratives about “Widowed Wally” and “Single Sally” that explain who they are, their needs/pain points, and what they hope to find in a senior living community. The needs of widowed men between 70 and 85 (“Widowed Wally”) will be different from single women in their 60s (“Single Sally”).

Remember, even though these are fictional representations, your personas are based on genuine facts uncovered in your research. In other words, your personas will differ from another community’s, and your personas will help you identify what makes your community different. The latter is called your unique value proposition.

The other six components of your marketing strategy “hub”

1. A website that builds trust

Your senior living website is your most important marketing asset, one that must build trust with prospects no matter where they are in their journey.

So, what’s the number one reason most people mistrust a website? Poor site design. 

Luckily, your website’s design is something within your control. A good design does cost money, but it’s a worthy investment. (Remember that you’ll need to refresh—or possibly do a full-scale redesign—every three years or so.)

The secret sauce to a website that builds trust:

  • Aesthetically pleasing: A modern and clean design with custom photography and video (no stock images)
  • Technically sound: Mobile-friendly, fast, and accessible to all
  • Designed with the user in mind: Think simple navigation and a highly intuitive feel
  • Worthwhile content: Everything is written with the prospect in mind while still being optimized for improved search ranking
  • Thoughtful conversion strategy: Smartly designed calls-to-action (CTAs), landing pages, chat, surveys, and pop-ups help convert anonymous site visitors into leads

Successful senior living websites should have roughly 75 percent new visitors (and 25 percent returning visitors).

2. Content that your buyer personas crave

Compelling content will attract your ideal prospect and entice them back repeatedly. This is important considering how long the senior living sales cycle is—and how many “touchpoints” prospects require before they decide on a community.

Some estimates indicate it now takes over 100 days for memory care prospects and a whopping 400 days for people considering life plan communities (with assisted living and independent living falling in the middle).

The best content for senior living websites:

  • Educational: blogs, guides, e-books, FAQs
  • Emotional/Empathetic: storytelling, testimonials, reviews
  • Visual: custom photography, videos, virtual tours, image galleries, infographics

3. Engaging emails sent to the right prospect at the right time

Email marketing is an essential component of effective marketing strategies. Why? Well, most first-time visitors to your site are not sales-qualified—at least, not yet. Instead, most folks fall into the marketing-qualified bucket: They’re interested in your brand, but they’re in the top or middle of the sales funnel.

Your job is to keep your community on their radar. You can easily accomplish this through automated email nurturing.

This component ties in directly with the first one. When prospects trust your site, they’ll willingly give their name and email address in exchange for the information they seek. Armed with their email address, you can continue engaging with them by sending relevant follow-up emails.

Types of automated email content:

  • Educational content delivery: links to relevant blog posts, surveys, and other helpful downloads
  • Visual content delivery: links to videos, photo collages
  • Electronic newsletters: the latest with the community
  • Event invitations: informational events, social events, tours

By the way, email marketing offers the highest and most measurable return on investment (ROI) than other types of marketing.

4. Local search-optimized website and other online channels

When people search for a business with a physical presence—a coffee shop, a restaurant, or a senior living community—they’ve grown accustomed to adding the phrase “near me” to their search query or adding the town/city name.

Google, of course, understands the person’s intent and serves up LOCAL businesses in the search engine results.

Bottom line: Your marketing team must optimize your website and other online assets, like your Google Business Profile, for local search.

How to optimize for local search:

  • Google Business Profile: This is your most crucial marketing asset after your website.
  • Reviews & Reputation: Don’t strive for perfection (people won’t trust it anyway). The sweet spot is between 4.2 and 4.6 stars. You also need plenty of current reviews (within the last three months).
  • Directory & Citation Management: You must keep everything updated across all listings.
  • Local SEO on your site: Optimize your site for local search phrases by creating local guides and pillar pages.

5. Authentic content shared via social media

Social media allows you to show the human side of your brand, which is incredibly important for senior living communities.

Effective social media will . . .

  • Help prospects see themselves in your community
  • Reassure family members that their loved one is in a happy and safe environment
  • Highlight your community’s vibe
  • Share real stories of actual residents for added authenticity
  • Help dismantle common stereotypes about senior living

6. A strategy to capture prospects before your competitors do

Most consumers use search engines like Google to conduct their initial research into services and products (like senior living). And some of those searchers are farther down the sales funnel than others, ready to buy sooner rather than later.

Running advertisements (pay-per-click or PPC) on search engine result pages (SERPs) can effectively capture prospects ready to buy. According to a 2019 survey by Clutch, 33% of people click on a paid search ad because it directly answers their search query, and 75% say they click on a paid ad because it makes finding the info they’re looking for easier.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Paid ads don’t come into play until you’ve solidified the other five items outlined above. For example, there’s no sense in driving prospects to your website from PPC ads if your site is poorly designed and doesn’t immediately build trust.

Remember, all good marketing begins with a sound strategy

Too often, people think good marketing is about the tools you use (like your automation software) or the campaigns you develop. But good marketing isn’t about tools and campaigns. It’s about the strategy for getting the most out of the tools and campaigns.

Need guidance in fine-tuning your community’s marketing strategy?

We’ve helped communities of all sizes improve their digital marketing efforts and increase occupancy. Let’s chat about the marketing challenges facing your community.