Senior Living SEO Companies: Do You Need One?
Some readers might think they need a senior living SEO company in addition to (or instead of) a marketing agency. However, other readers might think having a separate SEO company is redundant if you already work with a marketing agency.
Which is it? Who’s right?
Like so many things in life, it depends.
Below, we get into the nitty-gritty by answering the following questions:
- What is a senior living SEO company?
- Do senior living SEO companies typically offer marketing services?
- Why would a community opt to work with a senior living SEO company instead of (or in addition to) a marketing agency?
- Are there drawbacks to using two agencies—an SEO company and a marketing firm?
- What are the hallmarks of a good senior living SEO company?
- Do you need an SEO company if you work with Senior Living SMART?
- Will Senior Living SMART work with your community if you already have an SEO company?
What is a senior living SEO company?
First, a refresher: SEO stands for search engine optimization. In a nutshell, SEO involves improving your website so that it has greater visibility in Google search results.
You can improve your site for search in various ways, like making sure it renders well across mobile devices and that it’s full of helpful content built around relevant keywords.
As its name suggests, an SEO company delivers services to help your website pages rank higher in Google. A senior living SEO company focuses on a specific niche: senior living.
Do senior living SEO companies typically offer marketing services?
While exceptions certainly exist, any business labeling itself as an SEO company likely focuses only on SEO-related services. Otherwise, it would describe itself as something else, like a marketing or web development agency.
Remember, SEO is a sub-set of digital marketing services. For example, one of the many services we offer at Senior Living SMART is SEO—and we cover it from every conceivable angle: keyword research, optimized content, technical SEO, and on-page/off-page SEO.
Why would a community opt to work with a senior living SEO company instead of (or in addition to) a marketing agency?
Not all marketing agencies offer SEO services. And even those that do might have different levels of expertise. For example, a marketing firm with deep content marketing expertise might be adept at optimizing content for search, but it might come up short regarding technical SEO. In this case, it might make sense for the community to contract a senior living SEO company for all things SEO.
Are there drawbacks to using two agencies—an SEO company and a marketing firm?
The most significant drawbacks of working with an SEO and marketing agency are silo mentalities and overlapping costs.
- Silo mentalities. It’s easy for silo mentalities to set in if the two agencies don’t communicate or share insights. If you work with two firms, you’ll want to encourage collaboration.
- Overlapping costs. When you work with one agency that handles everything in-house, you’ll get a comprehensive services package instead of paying two separate fees that are bound to have some overlap.
What are the hallmarks of a good senior living SEO company?
Anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves an SEO company. Unfortunately, plenty of shady characters occupy the space. Always conduct due diligence before signing contracts.
Things to look for in a quality SEO company:
- Great reviews on Google and positive testimonials from real customers
- A professional website that highlights team members’ credentials
- Relevant certifications (such as Google Analytics)
- Case studies that demonstrate expertise
- A robust client portfolio (ideally with clients in the senior living space)
- The ability to provide a clear strategy for achieving your goals, including a local search strategy
- A clear policy regarding AI (like ChatGPT) and SEO
PRO TIP: Avoid anyone who guarantees high rankings.
Do you need an SEO company if you work with Senior Living SMART?
For over a decade, we’ve been assembling a talented team of SEO specialists—from writers to technical gurus to everything in between. So the short answer is no—you don’t need a separate SEO company if you work with us. We’re truly a one-stop senior living marketing agency.
Will Senior Living SMART work with your community if you already have an SEO company?
Good marketing agencies are flexible. We understand that communities might contact us for marketing help after signing with an SEO company. We’re happy to collaborate with your vendors (and not just SEO specialists, either). We work hard to make sure we’re not duplicating efforts because we don’t want you to pay for things twice.
Get in touch and let’s chat about your senior living SEO and marketing needs.
