Before 2013, about 70% percent of seniors used search engines to research necessary services, according to our statistics. That figure rose to 82% and continues growing since Generation X will supply the next wave of retirees before 2030 begins. Therefore, when asking how to market a senior living facility using search engine optimization strategies, you must understand who you need to target and their needs. Create relevant, reliable, relatable, and trustworthy content, and you’ll generate abundant inbound leads.
1. Who Is Retiring?
According to retirement writer Miranda Allen, we have seven generations. One of them, the Greatest Generation, has few members left. Two of the remaining six, the Silent Generation and the Baby Boomers, have already retired or need information about their retirement options. Here’s the list of who the six generations are.
- The Greatest Generation (born 1901-1927)
- The Silent Generation (born 1928-1945)
- Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)
- Generation X (born 1965-1980)
- Millennials (born 1981-1995)
- Generation Z (born 1996-2010)
- Generation Alpha (born 2011-2025)
Surprisingly to some, all six generations use computers, although the Silent Generation has the most difficulty. With some Generation X members are retiring, the digital divide has cracked. Gen X used home computers throughout their lives more than any previous generation, so they take using search engines for granted. Moreover, they allow algorithms to guide them where to focus their attention, which makes search engine optimization strategies vital. Also, keep in mind that their children, the Millennials and Generation Z, will often serve as their parent’s advocates, so target marketing strategies to them also.
2. Hucksterism Won’t Cut It
When you search for how to market a senior living facility using search engine optimization strategies, you may come across advice to create a call to action that lands on a page with no navigation, only a form to fill in. Following that advice would be an enormous mistake. Instead of offering useful information, that tactic only severs whatever trust your campaign tried to build. Instead of useful data to make an informed decision, you have just now demonstrated to your potential residents that your interest lies in selling them rather than building a relationship with them. Retirees want a community, not a con.
Make your landing page navigable and functional instead of coercing leads. If you don’t, your potential residents will click the red X and head elsewhere. In addition, provide extra white space rather than filling the page with text. Those spaces should contain photos with full descriptions and relevant captions. Include videos with captions for the hearing impaired and full verbal descriptions for those with sight problems.
3. Show the Sizzle
Your landing page should show all types of people, staff, and residents in every photo. People who do not see themselves will not want what you offer. Also, show facilities in use, not empty. People searching for retirement communities want a community. They want to know they will be able to socialize or entertain themselves.
4. Complete Your About Us Page
Provide photos, names, and credentials of the staff and management so potential residents associate faces and names with voices on the phone or emails and texts from your facility. When deciding how to market a senior living facility, providing your staff and management’s professional credentials increases trust and establishes your facility as an authority in the senior living field. Include a call to action on your About Us page that leads to a colorful brochure. Provide a checklist in that brochure of what your prospects might want from their retirement community.
Alternately, create a survey asking about their interests and support needs. Include a form asking for their name, cell number, email address, and age range, and follow up with immediate confirmation. Use the prospect’s chosen communication method, regardless of your company’s preferred contact style. Doing so will ensure that prospective residents answer your text message immediately.
Generation X will provide the next wave of retirees through 2030. When deciding how to market a senior living facility, remember that Gen X leads the digital native generations. They do not respond well to coercion. Consequently, don’t use strong-arm sales tactics. Have navigation bars on every landing page. Instead, jazz up your facility’s About Us Page and make sure all your calls to action provide useful, relevant, reliable information they can use to make fully-informed decisions. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how to gain more traffic to your website.
