Technology is entirely changing how marketing works. And it’s happening faster than at any time in history. If other senior living communities adapt faster to these changes than you do, you’re going to have a problem. Your move-in rates could suffer if you aren’t fully aware of digital marketing trends for senior living. Here are a few that could impact your marketing in the future.
Voice is Fast Replacing the Keyboard
For years, voice technology was something of a novelty because it wasn’t overly reliable or accurate. That was then. As it usually does, technology got better… and better. Need proof? How about people using voice commands on their smartphones? Now, seniors or their adult children might search for retirement communities just by asking their phone. Clearly, voice processing must rank as one of the most prominent digital marketing trends for senior living.
More than 3.5 billion Google searches take place every day. Of that number, more than 30% are searched by voice. In all likelihood, that percentage will skyrocket as voice technology becomes even more sophisticated.
Here’s something to keep in mind. How people search with a voice command is different than how they search using a keyboard. Also, the actual search results themselves differ. For example, a Google search result gives you many pages to consider. Your website may not be listed first but at least you may be on the first page. Contrast that to a voice command search.
If you ask Siri a question, for example, you’ll get back only a few results. You may even get just one result. What are the odds that your senior living community is that one result? With that in mind, your senior living community’s SEO strategy probably needs to change. Among digital marketing trends for senior living, voice search looms as one of the most significant.
Look For More Chatbots
You’re probably encountering more chatbots on websites these days. For many businesses, they’re a beneficial addition to the customer service mix. There’s a good reason for that: they are quite cost-effective. From a customer’s point of view, chatbots respond quickly, which appeals to the desire for immediate gratification. As consumers become ever more impatient, fast-responding chatbots make total sense.
Naturally, chatbots can’t possibly substitute for a trained and knowledgeable salesperson on the phone. For a senior with immediate needs to move, these chatbots admittedly aren’t much help. However, more casual inquiries could be perfect for chatbots.
Tech experts expect chatbots to become even more popular in the near future. In fact, they expect a large majority of business communication to eventually involve chatbots. They may or may not be something you want to consider. As always, pay attention and see how pervasive this technology becomes. There may come a time when you find that such devices are practically mandatory.
Video, Video Everywhere
The internet has done one thing very well: shortened people’s attention spans. As that happens, the patience to read web content gets shorter. That means elements like video take on increased significance. If you look around at websites and social media, video is king. If people have a choice between watching a video or reading a story, they often choose the video. Fortunately, video can play a very helpful role in promoting your senior living community. For example, you can showcase a beautiful campus or your spacious apartments, etc.
Live video is a trend on the rise for many businesses. Facebook Live caters to this need, and it’s well suited for drawing attention. Whether it’s of any particular use for a senior living community is up to that community. However, for something like a grand opening or opening a new building, it’s pretty tough to beat.
Video is a trend that’s highly unlikely to go away. Some marketing experts believe that something as simple as adding a video to an email may boost click-thrus by as much as 200%. Putting a video on a landing page is estimated to increase conversions by 80%. These percentages are difficult to ignore. The extent to which your community wants to commit to video is up to you. However, if other senior living communities embrace it while you don’t, that’s not going to help your move-in rates.
Digital Marketing Trends for Senior Living – Are You Ahead of the Curve or Behind It?
Trends affect some types of businesses more than others. Nevertheless, it’s likely some trends will invariably change how you market your senior living community going forward.
An ethical, forward-thinking digital marketing company in your corner is a good asset for any senior living community. Smoothly integrating digital marketing trends for senior living takes skill and expertise. Dreamscape Marketing, a Premier Google Partner, has the knowledge and experience you need to leverage the latest marketing innovations.
Call us today at 888-307-7304 or use our “Contact Us” page. Let’s discuss what digital marketing trends for senior living communities can benefit you.