Organic Search Visibility: Think Beyond Your Website

Optimizing your senior living website is an excellent first step if you want to improve your community’s organic search visibility. But you also need to think beyond your website. Here are three ways to do exactly that.

1. Optimize your Google Business Profile.

Previously known as “Google My Business,” your Google Business Profile is exactly as it sounds—a profile of your business. Or in this case, a profile of your senior living community. (And yes, if you have multiple locations, you should claim your Google Business Profile for each location.)

Your Google Business Profile essentially acts as its own mini website. And since Google dominates the search market, you must pay attention to it.

The good news? Your Google Business Profile is free. And the interface is easy to use. Best of all, people pay attention to these profiles when they search on Google since business profiles are prominently displayed on the screen. The profile shows key information—address, phone number, hours of operation, and reviews—all in one place.

Here’s the thing: If you have a business, especially one in a physical location, your profile already exists (and sometimes with inaccurate information). This is why it’s essential that you claim your profile, double-check all info, and spruce it up to make it as appealing as possible.

And trust us: All of these efforts will pay off. Your Google Business Profile is tied closely to Google’s local search algorithm, which pays attention to a searcher’s physical location. (If you’ve ever done a search in Google and ended your search query with “near me,” like “Mexican restaurants near me” or “movie theaters near me,” you get the idea.)

Check out this article we wrote that takes a deeper dive into Google Business Profiles, including tips for keeping the content fresh and engaging.

2. Create and maintain an optimized YouTube channel.

Remember who owns YouTube: Google. So it’s no surprise that YouTube videos show up in Google’s organic search results. Not to mention that YouTube is the most viewed site globally, and the second most viewed site in the U.S. (Google is first).

Now, we’re not going to lie: Having a YouTube channel is a long-term strategy. You can’t simply start a YouTube channel tomorrow, post a couple of videos, and voila. (That’s why our tip says to “create and maintain” your channel).

However, if you consistently make helpful videos around keyword phrases that your buyer personas are searching on (especially long-tail keyword phrases), over time, this work will pay off by boosting your organic search visibility.

The best part is that you can repurpose your videos. Embed them into blog posts and lead nurturing emails. Share them on social media. Use them in advertising.

Your videos don’t need to be professionally shot, either. If you have a smartphone, a ring light, and a lavalier microphone, you can make professional-looking videos with free apps like InShot.

Wondering what sort of videos to make? Check out our article about YouTube content ideas. And check out marketing wizard Neil Patel’s article on the YouTube search algorithm.

3. Run Google Ads campaigns.

OK, we know what you’re thinking: Isn’t this supposed to be a blog post about improving organic search visibility? What does a Google Ads campaign have to do with organic search results?

First of all, a lot, thanks to Google. When you do a search in Google, paid ads show up before organic search results. (Go ahead and do a search on “senior living communities near me.” Notice the placement of the paid ads.)

Even if someone scrolls past the ads, their brain can’t unsee things. And it’s amazing how simply seeing the name of your community in a paid ad can reinforce the organic listing. It’s all about name recognition.

Bottom line: Running Google Ads campaigns is a smart strategy for boosting your overall exposure and improving your organic search visibility. (Running ads on Google’s Display Network is another excellent way to boost awareness. Those are the ads that “follow” you around on various websites.)

Need help improving your organic search visibility?

We understand that our suggestions above might sound good. But who’s got the time to execute these tactics when you’re already juggling ten million other things? Let us help. Our team can serve as an extension of your marketing department. Let’s talk!