Welcome back! This week we pick up where we left off in our article about meaningful content and how senior living visitors instinctively connect with an authentic voice.
You can check it out here if you missed it.
This week we’re offering you some tips on how to master that voice.
Spoiler alert: An authentic voice can’t be faked.
Authenticity in Senior Living Copywriting
Hands down, industry experience matters. You just can’t fake it if you’ve never worked in senior care and helped prospects and their families find solutions.
If you can’t afford to hire experienced senior living content writers like our crew, identify who the best writers on your team are and utilize their skills.
What you are looking for is someone who is sincere in their desire to work with older adults and their families to explore solutions. A team member who has experience listening and empathizing with the family’s’ struggles.
That helps the writer draw from experiences families commonly encounter as they search for answers:
- Confusion over the different levels of care and the details of each
- Worries about how to finance senior living beyond using private funds
- Uncertainty when it comes to comparing one community with another
- Not knowing how to cope when a parent resists the support they need
- Navigating tough family dynamics (Family Feud Resolution 101 should be a class, right?)
- Uncovering what families are truly worried about but don’t always admit
- Helping an adult daughter find peace about moving a parent
A writer who has sat with prospects and their families in situations like these is invaluable.
Writing for Senior Living Personas
While it’s always good to incorporate reporter-style articles in to your blog, writing to targeted audiences is essential.
Having a persona for each audience is vital.
In our industry, we typically write to:
- Single senior or older couple
- Spouse (often for memory care or home care)
- Adult child/children or other family members
To a lessor degree, we also create content for:
- Health care professionals families utilize (doctors, discharge planners)
- Community and family influencers (pastor, senior center staff, first responders)
- Professional partners (home care agencies, geriatric care managers)
Visit our Senior Living Content Personas page to learn more.
Purpose Matters in Voice, Too
Finally, what is the goal of the content you are creating?
If it’s just publishing for publishing’s sake, the voice will undoubtedly reflect that.
One of our biggest beefs with content mills, other than crappy writing, is that they write without purpose.
That’s not saying every piece of content has to educate or offer deep insight on the meaning of life. Quite the contrary.
Your site and senior care blogs need copy that is educational. Some that is entertaining. Some that validates what seniors how seniors feel about giving up their home or how difficult some caregiving days are.
But the writer must know and understand why they are creating the content.
Use Our Editing Services to Improve Content
We know the COVID-19 crisis has left many of our industry colleagues with beat-up budgets.
If you would like some help with your content but are on limited funds, consider utilizing our editing services.
Two different editors review your content and offer suggestions. They evaluate each piece for grammar and style, as well as for voice.
Drop us a note if you’d like to learn more!