Baby boomers have a lifetime of experience figuring out what they want and how to get it — and that’s not stopping now. This generation is aging (heard of the gray wave?), and they’re starting to look for senior living options. They want to know what types of independent living and assisted living housing will meet their needs.
But will these baby boomers find you online? And if they do, will your content make an impact?
Reaching Seniors With Effective Content Marketing
As a senior living marketer, you’ve got a tricky market. Because you don’t have just one demanding audience — you have two.
On the one hand, you’re marketing to retirees. On the other, you’re marketing to their caregivers. You’ve got to resonate with two distinct audiences through one content marketing strategy.
Not exactly an easy job, right?
Content is powerful. When used correctly, it can crush marketing goals. Content marketing rakes in conversion rates 6 times higher than other traditional marketing methods. Yes, you read that right!
Consider these content tips for marketing to seniors and caregivers:
1. Be empathetic to their life situations
Don’t assume all retirees are living it up with luxurious brunches and world travel. Pew Research found that only 51% of current retirees retired because they wanted to. Retirement can be a touchy subject, so approach it with care in your content.
However, many retirees report that their retirement turned out to be “very satisfying.” Could moving to a senior living facility be one reason? Connect the dots and show this to your audience.
2. Use plain language and avoid hashtags
Trendy terms, popular acronyms and slang could turn off older adults. Ditch the #TBT, #IMO and #SMH and stick to clear, concise language. You can still be clever and memorable in your senior living marketing without using #jargon.
3. Convenience is key
First, is your content findable? You invest plenty of time and effort to create compelling content. Make sure it reaches its audience potential.
Next, ask yourself:
- Is your content cluttered and buried deep within your site?
- Can your audience quickly skim a page to understand your message?
- Is your website easy to navigate with a clear path to your goal?
Older adults deserve a streamlined web experience. (As do we all!) If your pages have high bounce rates and website goals are down, take a deeper look through a content audit.
4. Focus on life stage marketing
Baby boomers are experiencing big life changes. We’re talking retirement, the birth of grandchildren, health changes or moving to a retirement community. And often, their children may be helping them navigate these waters.
Your job as a senior living marketer is to reach your audience where they are in life. For example, create content that helps seniors adjust to retirement life — and helps their children understand what they’re going through.
Offer empathy, support and advice through your content marketing. This approach will not only increase brand awareness, but build a trusting relationship with your market.
5. Spotlight your benefits and differentiators
Your market is competitive. Show why seniors should turn to your organization. Answer the WIIFM question: What’s in it for me?
For example, in your senior living marketing, don’t just brag about your quality wellness center. Explain how the wellness center improves the lives of residents. Even better: Provide a quote from a resident on the benefits.
6. Don’t sound like a salesperson
Ads are everywhere. In 1984, a person saw an average of 2,000 ads per day. By 2014, they saw around 5,000.
Seniors are used to being sold to. But they’re savvy. More than 615 million devices now have ad-blocking software.
Content marketing should provide value without being intrusive. Make your site a breath of fresh air in an ad-overloaded world. Don’t turn your content into a sales pitch, because they’ll tune you out. Read our blog post on the difference between content marketing and straight-up sales.
7. Follow a fact-checking review process
It’s scary how much “fake news” is out there, especially surrounding health topics. The last thing you want is to mislead your audience. The consequences can rip apart your reputation and crush brand loyalty.
Instead, use only the most credible sources for your content. Take time to fact check and review every piece of content before publication. Even better — consider partnering with a content agency that takes fact-checking seriously.
Seniors and their adult children need content that’s findable, that resonates and that improves their lives.
Whether your senior living marketing needs an overhaul or you want to produce more but don’t have time: we’re here for you. Reach out today to see how we can help.
How to Write About Other Sensitive Healthcare Topics
In our latest eBook, we explain how to craft caring, empathetic copy for 5 tough healthcare topics:
- Hospice
- Mental health
- Palliative care
- Senior living
- Vaccines
Download the “Writing About Difficult Healthcare Topics” eBook below for tips and strategies for approaching each of these subjects with sensitivity.
