6 Ways to Create a Senior Care Conversation with Google Searchers
As Google celebrated their 15th birthday last month, it was obvious they were busy with more than just party horns and noshing at a cupcake bar. They’ve made more search changes lately than any other time in recent memory. We’ve been canoodling on all of them the last few weeks. It’s a lot to process and bring to a bottom line for client strategy. I’m a gardener. I develop some of my best ideas while dead-heading geraniums or plotting a new perennial garden for a shady corner of the yard. As I was cleaning out my hummingbird feeders for the last time this season, I got to thinking about Google. Stay with me here…it really does make sense.
- Why has the latest algorithm update been dubbed, “Hummingbird?” Google says it is because it is faster and more precise.
- How does Hummingbird gel with the longer, in-depth articles focus they rolled out in August?
- Wasn’t it interesting that the Google Search blog post on September 26th talked about enhancing and expanding the Knowledge Graph and explained it showing images on a mobile device?
- Finally, what is the new aging and health initiative Google is quietly working on called Calico? Larry Page announced it in a Google + post in September. For those of us working in aging services content development, this is very intriguing.
What does “all of this Google business” (as a client referred to it as this week) mean for senior care provider content? Here is our early take on these changes. Over the next few weeks we will be sharing some of our favorite articles and videos in a round-up so you can read them for yourself…when you have insomnia and need something to help you nod off…
- Now is the time to get a list of questions your community relations and sales teams are getting when families first make contact with you all the way through the first few months after move in. Those questions should be answered in short form on your blog and in longer, more descriptive articles in your resource center.
- Do you have an FAQ section on your site? Hop on it if the answer was NO. Revisit it even if the answer was YES.
- Quality content that is hyper-fresh, descriptive and educational remains key.
- Images are gaining ground all of the time. Where and how can you effectively use images? For example, does each of your blog posts have at least one image with an alternate text tag?
- Does your site have mobile responsive design? Think about the population we work with each day. An adult child’s 85 year old mother has a fall and ends up in the ER where the physician recommends physical therapy. The social worker gives the family the famous “list.” You know they are hopping on their iPhone and researching those providers during the long delay it usually takes to get discharge orders.
- Last point for today… Think about search in terms of the family you are trying to reach having a conversation about senior care with Google. What will they ask Google first? Then what? Then what? …and so on.
We think this shift by Google to focus more on intent, meaning and context instead of just keywords is great for our clients who are already committed to creating senior care content hubs that educate. Since I’m sure you are thinking it’s been a while since we’ve shared a Matt Cutts video, here you go. This “things not strings” chat explains it well.
Have questions, concerns, comments or a suggestion on how to keep the ants from getting in to my Hummingbird feeder next summer? Shoot us a note or comment below.