Are you struggling to attract new residents to your assisted living facility?
With the aging population on the rise, the competition is fierce, and it can be challenging to capture the attention of potential residents and their families.
The U.S. assisted living facility market size is growing rapidly with huge demands from residents.
It was valued at $91.8 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.53% from 2023 to 2030.
Source: Grand View Research
Assisted living facilities provide a valuable service to the elderly and those with disabilities.
While it might be challenging to attract new residents to your facility, you can leverage the right digital marketing techniques to reach new people and increase bookings.
Get started today. Let’s help you attract 5 to 10 new residents to your facility this month. Speak with a digital marketing specialist at Omnicore, it’s 100% free.
In this article, we’ll discuss 5 result-driven strategies for finding residents and patients through online marketing.
What is Assisted Living Digital Marketing?
Assisted Living marketing is a set of digital marketing strategies used to promote assisted living services and facilities to potential residents and their families.
In today’s digital age, it’s critical for assisted living facilities to have a strong online presence to get new residents and increase occupancy rates.
Digital marketing allows assisted living facilities to reach a wider audience, build trust and credibility, and increase bookings.
5 Proven Assisted Living Marketing Ideas
Let’s explore some of the proven digital marketing techniques you can employ to win new residents for your facility.
1. Optimize Your Assisted Living Website to Increase Booking
The first step in any online marketing campaign is to have an optimized website.
An optimized website can increase your online visibility and make it easier for potential patients to find your assisted living facility.
Here are some tips for optimizing your website:
i). Use relevant keywords: Target relevant keywords on your web pages to help search engines understand what your website is about.
For example, if you offer assisted living services for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, use keywords such as “assisted living for seniors with Alzheimer’s.”
ii). Make your website mobile-friendly: Many people use their mobile devices to search for assisted living facilities. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly to improve the user experience for potential patients.
iii). Include a call-to-action (CTA): Remember to use a call-to-action on your website to encourage potential patients to book a facility tour or contact you for more information.
Navion Senior Solutions’ website meets the three standards above. Its website is optimized for the keyword “assisted living facility Lexington sc,” is mobile-friendly, and includes a CTA button to book a tour of the facility.
Source: Navion Senior Solutions
By optimizing its website for several location-based keywords, Navion generates thousands of website traffic each month, an increased facility tour, and an influx of new residents.
Get started with Assisted Living Marketing campaign today. Schedule a free strategy session with a digital marketing specialist at Omnicore.
2. Reach and Sign Up New Residents With Google Ads
Google Ads is a powerful tool for reaching new patients.
You can reach residents in your street, city, and even state through Google ads, which is an effective form of digital marketing.
According to data, 63% of people have clicked on Google Ads, and 90% of consumers accepted that ads influence which healthcare clinic they visit.
With Google Ads, you can create targeted ads that appear at the top of search engine results when people search for relevant keywords.
If you offer assisted living services in Los Angeles, for example, then your ad (Sponsored listing) will appear on this search results — especially if you target the ‘exact’ keyword and the variations.
To get the most results from your Google advertising campaign, here are tips to keep in mind:
i). Use targeted keywords: Target specific keywords in your ads to ensure they appear when people search for relevant terms.
For example, if you offer assisted living services for seniors with dementia, use keywords such as “assisted living for seniors with dementia.”
Also, target keywords that people are searching for in a particular location, especially where your facility is — such as:
Assisted living NY
Senior living near me
Assisted living services in TX
ii). Set a budget: Running Google advertising campaigns can be very affordable, especially if you target high-volume keywords with less competition.
So, set a daily budget for your ads to ensure you don’t overspend on advertising. Start with $10 to $20 per day, then scale from there based on your results.
iii). Use location targeting: To ensure your ads appear in the search engine to people in your area who are looking for assisted living services, laser-target residents in your area.
Atria Senior Living, a group of assisted living facilities with locations throughout the United States, used Google Ads to reach new patients.
Source: Atria Senior Living
Atria targeted its Google ads campaign to appear when people searched for relevant keywords in their area.
This has led to an increase in website traffic and bookings.
3. Leverage Facebook & Instagram Lead Ads to Get New Residents
Facebook and Instagram are two of the most popular social media platforms.
Both platforms offer lead ads, which allow you to collect leads directly from the ad -- without having to send the users off of the platforms.
Since Instagram is owned by Meta, the same company that owns Facebook, it means you can easily set up Lead ads from the Facebook Ads Manager.
Lead ads allow you to get people’s phone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, gender, etc.
Here are some tips for using lead ads on Facebook and Instagram:
i). Use targeted demographics: Choose specific demographics to ensure your ads appear to people who are most likely to be interested in your assisted living services.
For example, if you offer assisted living services for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, target your ads to people who have shown an interest in Alzheimer’s disease.
ii). Offer a valuable incentive: To get people interested in your lead ad (and excited to fill out your form), you need to incentivize them.
This could be a free consultation or tour, to encourage people to provide their contact information.
iii). Follow up promptly: Follow up promptly with leads to ensure they remember your assisted living facility.
Sunrise Senior Living, a group of assisted living facilities with locations throughout the United States, used Facebook and Instagram lead ads to collect leads.
Source: Sunrise Senior Living
They offered a free tour to people who provided their contact information. In turn, this step boosted the facility’s website traffic and bookings.
Are you ready to set up a Facebook & Instagram lead ad for your facility? We can help you at Omnicore. Book a free strategy session with a specialist today.
4. Launch a Patient Referral Program to Promote Your Assisted Living Facility
A patient referral program is an effective way to encourage current residents and patients to refer their friends and family members to your facility.
A successful patient referral program must be executed the right way. Here are the steps that work:
i). Offer incentives: Offer incentives to your residents for referring new patients, such as a discount on their monthly bill or a gift card to a local restaurant.
ii). Make it easy to refer: Make it easy for current patients to refer their friends and family members by providing them with referral cards, links to share on social media, or a simple form created using Jotform.
iii). Follow up with referred patients: Follow up with referred residents promptly to ensure they have all the information they need about your assisted living facility.
Or simply use a tool such as Patient Pop to manage every aspect of your referrals and follow up like a pro.
Belmont Village Senior Living, a group of assisted living facilities with locations throughout the United States, launched a patient referral program.
Source: Belmont Village Senior Living
They offered a $500 credit towards a resident’s monthly bill for each referral that resulted in a move-in.
As a result, they saw an increase in new move-ins and a higher occupancy rate.
5. Collaborate With Instagram Influencers to Attract New Patients
Instagram influencers have large followings and can help promote your assisted living facility to a wider audience.
Although Instagram caters mostly to the younger generation which may not be the ‘ideal’ demographics for an assisted living facility, yet, these youngsters may have an uncle, a friend’s dad or mom, or some family member who is a perfect candidate for a serene home and care.
An influencer could share your banner or facility images with her followers or make a post. Video reels also work great when you’re showing behind the scenes what’s happening at your facility.
Here are some tips for collaborating with Instagram influencers:
i). Find relevant influencers: Find influencers who have a following that aligns with your target audience, such as influencers who specialize in senior living or healthcare. Or influencers over 60 years old.
ii). Offer a valuable incentive: Offer a valuable incentive to the influencer, such as a free tour or stay at your assisted living facility, in exchange for promoting your facility to their followers.
iii). Monitor the results: Monitor the results of the collaboration to determine if it was effective in attracting new patients.
The Goodman Group, a group of assisted living facilities in the United States, collaborated with Instagram influencers to promote their facilities.
Source: Goodman Group
They offered the influencer a free stay at one of their facilities in exchange for promoting the facility to their followers. As a result, they saw an increase in website traffic and bookings.
Guidelines to Follow When Promoting Assisted Living Services
As with any healthcare service, there are guidelines and standards for marketing/advertising your facility — both online and offline.
Let’s go through some of the standards:
a). Adhere to ethical standards: When promoting assisted living services, it is crucial to follow ethical standards and avoid making false claims or misleading statements.
Assisted living facilities must be transparent about their services, fees, and amenities, and avoid using fear tactics or pressuring potential residents to move in.
b). Comply with legal regulations: Assisted living facilities must comply with federal, state, and local regulations when promoting their services.
They must follow the guidelines set by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and other regulatory bodies to avoid fines, penalties, or legal action.
c). Target the right audience: Assisted living facilities must identify their target audience and tailor their marketing efforts to their needs and preferences.
They should use demographic and psychographic data to understand their audience’s age, gender, income, lifestyle, and interests and use this information to create personalized content and messaging.
d). Focus on benefits: When promoting assisted living services, it’s essential to focus on the benefits of living in an assisted living facility, such as access to healthcare, socialization, and a safe and secure environment.
Assisted living facilities should highlight their unique selling points and showcase how their services can improve the quality of life for potential residents.
e). Use multiple channels: Assisted living facilities should use multiple digital channels to promote their services, such as their website, social media, email, and online advertising.
They should use consistent messaging and branding across all channels and tailor their content to the channel and audience.
Conclusion
No other marketing strategy comes close to digital marketing — in terms of reach, conversion, and loyalty.
Through various digital marketing channels and strategies, assisted living facilities can create massive awareness, attract new residents in their areas, and increase bookings from seniors and those who need care.
If you’re excited about digital marketing but don’t know how to get started, kindly book a free strategy session with a marketing specialist at Omnicore. We’ll listen to you, understand your needs, and help you get new residents every month.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
