Standing out as a continuing care retirement community may seem like an impossible task. You know your unique qualities and advantages in the industry, but how do you let potential residents and their families know? In the information age, search engines are the go-to source for finding solutions like your community. Google processes over 8.5 billion searches every day. If only a fraction of those searches are for senior living communities, then there is a massive pool of potential residents who can discover you through simple web searches. The question is, how do you get discovered through web searches? This is where the power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in. Follow along as we pull back the curtain on how SEO works and how you can make it work for your community.

Identify Relevant Keywords

The first step of SEO is finding and using relevant keywords in your marketing efforts. These keywords are terms and phrases that match search terms.

‍Example: If consumers are searching “senior living community near me,” then some strong keywords would be senior living community, paired with your geographic location.

These keywords don’t have to be mysterious either. Place yourself in the shoes of your target audience and consider what they are asking. These keywords can be single words or even phrases. With the rise of voice searches, keywords are even shifting towards a more conversational tone. With this in mind, senior living communities can begin to position themselves through marketing by crafting a strong keyword list to integrate into their marketing materials. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Find a Good Keyword Tool

Tools like Google Trends and Answer the Public can help speed up the keyword research process and get you to your marketing goals quicker. These tools can be fed search terms and give relevant keywords, as well as search data to show what people are actually searching. This allows you to narrow down your keyword list and begin using the same keywords your potential residents and their families are using.

Partner with Someone who Knows SEO

A lot of this is easier said than done, especially for busy senior living professionals. This is why a great option is partnering with a senior living marketing agency. Making the investment to have a team of professionals craft your SEO strategy can be the difference that brings residents through the door.

Optimize Your Website for Visibility

Once you have your keywords ready to go, you can begin to work them into your website copy to boost visibility within search engines. Here are some great places to add your keywords for optimization.

1. Your URL: Include your primary keywords in your URL, but be sure to keep it concise.
   
   1. Example: www.example.com/senior-living-community-nashville
2. Your Meta Title: The title of your webpage should be rich with primary keywords.
   
   1. Example: Senior Living Community in Nashville | Discover Comfortable Living
   2. Tip: Keep your titles under 60 characters.
3. Your Meta Description: This description is what appears under the title and describes the content of your page to search engines and viewers.
   
   1. Example: Explore our senior living community in Nashville, offering exceptional care and a welcoming environment for your loved ones.
   2. Tip: Keep these descriptions under 156 characters for the best visibility.
4. Headings (H1, H2, H3): Headings tell search engines the structure of your page, so keep primary keywords closer to the top (H1) and secondary keywords on lower headings (H2 & H3).
   
   1. H1 Example: Senior Living Community in Nashville
   2. H2 Example: Amenities at our Nashville Senior Living Community
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Utilizing keywords on your website is a great way to boost visibility, but it doesn’t have to stop there. Integrating keywords into your social media content and captions can also help you break into specific niches on different platforms. If you’re still unsure of how to execute an SEO strategy, Solinity Marketing can help you identify and implement these practices to help your senior living marketing plans thrive.

Utilize Blogs to Catch Searches

A great way to catch searches is by writing blogs and adding them to your website. Blogs serve as a great place for keywords to sit and help boost your website. By using the optimization tips above, you can begin adding specific topics and solutions to your website that answer consumer questions and offer real solutions. By using your targeted keywords, you’re able to plan different content campaigns to address different consumer pain points through written content. 

Example: How Much Does Senior Living Cost?

These natural questions make for great blog topics and bring potential residents to your site, where you can begin converting leads.

Create Relevant Social Content 

For many marketing professionals, social media and SEO aren’t terms that mix. But in the age of content creation and content marketing, we are seeing how these SEO practices can also boost your social media presence. Search engines are moving to start promoting social media content from platforms like Instagram based on their SEO. This means the content you post should be intentionally crafted with keywords in mind. This applies to the text on visuals, captions on videos, post captions, and hashtags.

In today's competitive market, standing out as a senior living community requires more than offering excellent care and services; it requires being visible where your potential residents and their families are searching. By leveraging the power of SEO, you can connect with those actively seeking solutions like yours. With thoughtful keyword placement, engaging blog content, and a well-optimized website, your community can become a trusted resource for families, turning web searches into meaningful connections. Start your SEO journey today and make it easier for your future residents to discover all that your community has to offer. Need help starting? Contact Solinity Marketing today for more information.

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