Chris Young
As the demand for senior living options grows from an aging Baby Boomer population, senior living communities have an amazing opportunity to reach unprecedented numbers of new residents.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is one of the potential tools that communities can use to connect with potential residents and their families in a targeted and cost-effective way. By running well-designed PPC campaigns, these communities can promote their services and engage with interested parties more effectively than through traditional marketing channels. In fact, as time continues to march forward, PPC will soon become a necessity for all senior living centers wanting to compete for the Baby Boomer population.
PPC advertising is an important component of digital marketing for senior living communities. With PPC, advertisers pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ad, essentially paying for website visits rather than relying solely on organic traffic. For senior living communities, PPC campaigns can effectively promote their services to individuals actively searching for senior living options. By bidding on relevant keywords, these communities can ensure their ads appear prominently in search engine results, social media platforms, and other digital channels frequented by their target audience.
The value of PPC for senior living lies in its ability to deliver targeted traffic. Unlike traditional marketing methods with a broad reach, PPC enables senior living communities to focus their advertising efforts on individuals actively seeking senior living solutions. This targeted approach ensures that website visitors are genuinely interested in the services offered, increasing the likelihood of conversions. The approach with PPC also allows senior living communities to generate qualified leads efficiently, as they only pay when a user clicks on their ad, indicating interest in learning more. This cost-effective approach helps allocate marketing budgets wisely, driving sustainable growth for senior living communities in a competitive market.
PPC advertising offers several key advantages for senior living communities. It enhances visibility on digital platforms where potential residents and families search for options. Facilities can increase qualified website traffic among their target market through targeted keyword bidding and ad placements. PPC also enables precise audience targeting based on specific demographics, interests, and search behaviors. This ensures ads are shown to those most interested in senior living options, resulting in higher-quality leads and improved conversion rates. Communities can tailor messaging to resonate effectively with their ideal audience segments.
PPC also provides the benefit of measurable results and insights into campaign performance through robust analytics. This data-driven approach allows for informed optimization and strategic resource allocation towards the most effective channels and tactics. Furthermore, the data insights earned through PPC campaigns can also be re-used in other marketing efforts such as SEO and even in other parts of the customer journey. This causes a ripple-effect which can enhance the effectiveness of other marketing efforts.
Setting up an effective PPC campaign for senior living communities requires careful planning. First, create a PPC account on an advertising platform like Google Ads. Organize campaigns into relevant ad groups focused on specific services or target audiences, ensuring ads align with the interests and needs of potential residents and their families.
Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant search terms and phrases used by the target audience when seeking senior living options. It’s important to select keywords based on relevance, search volume, and competitiveness, focusing on keywords that capture specific intent and are transactional.
After selecting the keywords, craft compelling ad copy that resonates with the target audience and communicates the unique value propositions of the community. Ad copy should be concise, persuasive, and tailored to address the needs and concerns of potential residents and their families.
Finally, when executing the ads, set appropriate bid amounts and budget allocations to optimize campaign performance and maximize ROI. Bid strategies should align with campaign objectives, whether driving website traffic, generating leads, or increasing conversions. Continuously monitor and optimize the campaign to remain effective and responsive to changing market dynamics.
When developing your PPC keyword strategy, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. Brainstorm all the search queries seniors and their families may use when looking for senior living facilities. Look at the specific care services and amenities your facility offers and work those into keyword variations, like “assisted living with memory care in Washington” or “senior apartments with activities in Detroit.” Utilize keyword research tools such as Keyword Planner and Semrush to discover long-tail keywords that show high intent.
Your ad copy should align with the core needs and preferences of potential residents and their family members. Focus on emotional motivators that matter most to prospects, like safety, security, social connections, purpose, and engagement. Use warm, human language that paints a picture of the nurturing, inclusive environment you provide.
One-size-fits-all ads don’t work. Personalize messaging based on your audience. Use advanced targeting tools to target audiences based on specifics like age, location, and interests. Refine and optimize your PPC strategy over time based on the customer data you capture.
Geography is a significant factor in senior living selection. Many residents look for senior living communities in their own town. Use location-targeting options ad platforms offer to ensure your ads appear to users in the specific cities or zip codes where your center is located.
Google Ads offers display advertising, which shows your ads across its network of over two million websites and apps. These highly visual ads appear on sites your audience visits, allowing you to tell your community’s story even when readers aren’t in an “information-seeking” mode.
When potential residents click your ad, ensure they land on a page designed to connect with them, not deter them. Address their specific concerns early on to immediately capture their attention, such as safety, healthcare access, or community activities. Use large, easy-to-read fonts, clear navigation, and obvious calls to action.
Develop free, downloadable resources that provide genuine value, such as guidebooks for selecting long-term care options, moving checklists, or brochures detailing your amenities and services. Gate access to resources by collecting contact info like email and phone number.
Retargeting ads target your site’s visitors who haven’t converted. Customize ads to remind these prospects about your facility’s benefits to prompt return visits. This keeps your brand in their minds as they move through the extended consideration and decision process, which is common in senior living.
Regularly A/B test elements like ad creatives, keywords, landing page layouts, and calls-to-action. Analyze the data to double down on what performs and eliminate what doesn’t. Agile PPC management based on real-world data is key for sustained success.
Here are common mistakes to avoid in planning and executing senior living PPC campaigns: neglecting negative keywords, overlooking match types, ignoring mobile optimization, underestimating the sales cycle, and setting and forgetting. Regular optimization and adjustments based on performance data are crucial for ongoing success in senior living PPC advertising. PPC can be highly effective, but it does require constant monitoring and improvement.
The cost of running PPC campaigns for senior living communities varies based on factors like industry competition and geographic location. Competition influences the cost per click (CPC) for relevant keywords and ad placements. Understanding the competitive landscape and targeting less competitive niches can help mitigate costs while still reaching qualified leads. Location also impacts PPC costs, with urban areas often commanding higher CPC rates compared to rural regions due to population density and market demand. Communities must consider these regional differences when budgeting and targeting.
When budgeting for PPC, senior living facilities should set realistic spending limits aligned with their marketing objectives, target audience size, and expected ROI. Campaigns offer flexibility with daily/monthly caps and bid adjustments based on performance. Cost-effective bidding strategies can help maximize advertising dollars. PPC pricing is typically pay-per-click, but other models like cost-per-acquisition (CPA) or cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) may be used depending on campaign goals. Selecting the right pricing model based on objectives and constraints is crucial for optimizing costs and driving meaningful results.
Strategic campaign optimization is key to maximizing ROI while staying within budgetary constraints in PPC advertising for senior living communities.
Selecting the best senior living PPC agency is an important decision for communities' marketing initiatives. Communities should prioritize agencies like Be More Digital with relevant industry experience and expertise in PPC advertising, specifically those who specialize in senior living or have a proven track record in similar industries. Assess the agency's proficiency with PPC platforms like Google Ads as well as their familiarity with advanced targeting and optimization techniques. A reputable agency should have certified professionals experienced in managing successful campaigns across various industries and a deep experience with senior living.
Client references and case studies demonstrating a track record of success are valuable when evaluating potential partners. Request references from the agency's senior living clients and inquire about their experiences, communication, campaign performance, and overall satisfaction. Review case studies highlighting measurable results the agency has delivered for senior living PPC campaigns. A proven ability to drive ROI through effective PPC strategies tailored to the industry is a strong indicator of an agency's competence for senior living marketing.
Running PPC ads for your senior living center can be a great way to attract new residents in your local area. However, getting started in PPC is not as easy as just setting and forgetting or randomly throwing money at Google to appear in the searches. Engaging a senior living PPC agency such as Be More Digital can be a great way to get to the top of the learning curve as quickly as possible. At Be More Digital, we have years of experience working with some of the nation’s largest senior living centers with excellent results. We’re able to come alongside other senior living centers and bring our experience to bear from day one to help accelerate the time to ROI and minimize budgetary errors. Get in touch with Be More Digital today for more information or take a look at our many case studies to see our history of success stories. Our customer success team is standing by to answer any questions you may have!
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