Can your small senior living community compete against the big chains?
As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, we are hearing from more and more small senior living communities looking to increase their online presence. As community visitors continue to be limited, it only makes sense to put more resources in to digital marketing.
But many who contact us feel like the deck is stacked against them. Can a small living community really find a place at the top of the search engine results page (SERPS)? The David and Goliath battle is a comparison that we often use.
Armed only with a slingshot and stones, David found the gap in Goliath’s armor and took the giant down. Underdog efforts are often referred to in business circle as “David strategies.” When it comes to content marketing for small senior living companies, finding the big chain’s weakness is the key.
David Strategies: Identifying and Filling the Content Gap
While it’s likely going to be tough to beat the big guys on generic terms, such as assisted living, there are opportunities small senior living communities can identify and take advantage of online.
- Beyond Alzheimer’s: Every senior living provider has articles on Alzheimer’s disease and the umbrella term “dementia.” As you should. What fewer communities have is information on some of the lesser known types of dementia. Can you own the space for Parkinson’s dementia, vascular dementia, and Lewy Body dementia? If your community can accommodate older adults with these types of dementia, create content around them.
- Write to Amenities: Small senior living communities often have the flexibility to accommodate resident requests. Do you offer amenities that the big chains don’t? Maybe you accept pets. Even if your big competitors do, they might not have content that promotes it. (Remember, the bigger chains don’t have to work for prime space in the SERPs. It’s easy for them to rest on their results.) Or maybe you have a special niche for seniors with vision challenges? Be sure to write about vision-related topics over and over to build a content hub.
- Put a Face to It: Would you be surprised to learn that the “About Us” page on a website is one of the most visited? People want to know who they might be working with or entrusting a loved one’s care to as they are researching. While big chains sometimes list their corporate leadership, not as many do that at the community level pages. Write a compelling About Us page for your site that really tells a story about each key team member.
- Commit to a Blog: Google loves fresh, relevant content. Having a blog on your site that you update often is the best way to give ’em what they want. Some of the big chains post 3 or 4 (or more!) articles each week. That definitely gives them an advantage. But even two well-written articles a month can help. Create an editorial calendar that balances evergreen content with trending and seasonal topics.
These are just a few content strategies that can help your small community gain more attention online.
Drop Us a Note
Questions about anything above? Or need help creating web content or a plan for your blog? Drop us a note. We’ll be happy to help!