A few times a year we do a quick dive into our subscriber list. It’s something we started when SCCS was launched almost 14 years ago and continue to find value in doing.
Year after year, our primary audience remains our friends in the senior living and home care industries. But what we’ve noticed in more recent years, is an increasing number of individuals and organizations who are senior living adjacent… community centers, tech product developers, management companies, nutrition/dining businesses, and more.
While our schedule is usually too booked to help many of them, we often do a consulting call to discuss strategies for writing content targeting an older audience. We decided it was time to document it all in a post that makes it easier to share. For those of you in the senior living industry, this might be new news or just a refresher. Either way, we hope it helps you further refine your approach to content marketing.
Connecting and Engaging Older Audiences Online
With Google making keywords less relevant ( or are they? who can really say for sure?), focusing on audience is a good strategy for anyone targeting older adults and their family influencers. When writing for an aging audience, it’s essential to keep clarity, respect, and relevance at the heart of your communication.
Older adults bring a wealth of life experience and knowledge, but they may also face challenges that younger readers don’t, such as vision changes, dexterity challenges, and unfamiliarity with digital technology. Thoughtful writing, design, and publishing can bridge these gaps and make your content enjoyable, accessible, and useful.
Understanding the Older Audience
The first tip we give content marketing teams is to remember how diverse the senior population is. Don’t lump all older people into one persona. Some are active, tech-savvy retirees, while others may be dealing with health or mobility issues. Many are lifelong learners who enjoy reading about current events, health, hobbies, or history. When writing, consider the likely interests, needs, and values of your specific audience segment. Avoid making generalizations or assuming all seniors are the same—age alone doesn’t define a person’s capabilities or preferences.
Use Clear and Simple Language
Simplicity is key, but that doesn’t mean talking down to your audience. Use plain language and avoid jargon or overly complex sentence structures. Instead of saying, “implement a dietary regimen conducive to cardiovascular health,” try “follow a heart-healthy diet.” Clear, concise language makes your message easier to understand and more welcoming.
That said, don’t oversimplify to the point of being patronizing. Seniors are adults—treat them as such. Respectful, straightforward writing works best.
Be Mindful of Formatting
Visual accessibility is an important factor in writing for older readers. Choose larger font sizes, use high-contrast color schemes, and break up the text with headings, bullet points, or short paragraphs. Avoid clutter, and don’t overload the page with too much information at once.
If you’re writing online content, ensure it’s mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. Make buttons or links large enough to click easily, and provide options for enlarging text or using screen readers when possible.
Make It Relevant
Relevance builds connection. Seniors are often interested in topics like health and wellness, financial planning, travel, community involvement, lifelong learning, and technology tips. Address these topics in a way that acknowledges their experiences and concerns. For instance, when writing about technology, assume some readers may not be fully comfortable with it, but don’t assume complete ignorance—explain clearly, and avoid a condescending tone.
Whenever possible, tie your content to real-life applications. For example, if you’re writing about a new app, explain how it can help with tasks like connecting with family or managing medications.
Engage with Empathy
Empathy helps build trust. Acknowledge the reader’s life stage, not as a limitation, but as a strength. Use a warm, conversational tone that encourages participation and reflection. Share stories or examples that evoke nostalgia, resilience, or curiosity—these resonate well with senior readers.
Have more questions? Drop us a note! We’ll try to help…