For years, print advertising was the belle of the marketing ball. Over the last decade, digital marketing has shown up to the dance, spiked the punch, and exposed all of the flaws in print advertising — all of which has played out like a B-rated ‘90s coming-of-age love story.
Despite the shift to a more modern approach, many senior living communities still rely on print ads to do the lion’s share of their advertising strategy. COVID-19 and the decline of print subscriptions has caused widespread panic as occupancy has decreased over the last year.
Even if you weren’t an early digital marketing strategy adopter, there is still time. Consider us the bad-boy who is secretly a big teddy bear. Your Business Marketer is cutting edge with just enough fluff to win the heart of any former geek turned prom queen.
Why a Shift to Digital Marketing Is Needed
Before we turn to the how, we must first dive into why it is important that senior communities switch up tactics on the fly, like Gordon Bombay and the Mighty Ducks. It is estimated that most senior living communities appropriate 40% of their budget to marketing. In theory, that sounds great and should produce results.
Here’s why many fall short: they are devoting those resources to dying marketing platforms like newspapers and magazines. Over the past decade, print advertising subscriptions have essentially been cut in half. Revenue in the space has dropped.
This paradigm shift is in large part due to the way more and more people are consuming content. Social media alone has been a catalyst, as more information is available through platforms like YouTube than has ever been accessible in human history. At the end of 2020, approximately 86% of Americans got their news online.
Tools of the Digital Marketing Trade
Now that we have covered the why, we can dive into the how. A simple Google search on digital marketing can confuse even the most tech-savvy marketers. There is so much information out there that many fail to see the forest for the trees.
Trying to explain the nuts and bolts of digital marketing in a blog would look more like a dissertation that will be abandoned after the first paragraph. Instead, here are two ways that a well-rounded digital marketing strategy can revamp your pipeline.
Paid Advertising
If you haven’t realized that our smartphones are constantly digesting everything we do, just start talking to your spouse about the latest home project you are interested in starting. You will notice that Lowe’s and Home Depot ads start popping up like a whack-a-mole game at an arcade.
This is a direct result of paid advertising. When someone searches for keywords that match a paid advertisement, that ad will be immediately deployed. This form of advertising puts your business front and center. Depending on the platform, pricing can be anywhere from a couple of dollars per click to upwards of $50 per click for the most in-demand keywords.
The benefit of paid advertising is that you have the ability to really dial in how, who and where your ads are being deployed. The use of highly detailed demographic data and newer geofencing technology has made it so that your senior living center ads can have the greatest impact.
Social Media
Before you roll your eyes, social media has gone from cat memes and birthday reminders to a full-fledged marketing powerhouse. The explosion of social media users since smartphones hit the market has opened the door for marketers to reach wider audiences than ever before.
Currently, the average American spends around 145 minutes per day on social media. That equates to just under 17 hours each week or 884 hours per year. For marketers, the good keeps getting better, as screen time shows no signs of slowing down.
Paid ads are an option, but many budget-minded companies choose organic marketing on social media due to its ability to connect without a ton of ad spend. Where most companies fall short in their social strategy is in the consistency of content. This type of marketing is time-consuming and will require resources to make it successful. Play it right, and growth can be exponential and highly cost-effective.
Finding a Digital Marketing Partner
Anytime a process or strategy is overhauled, it can seem like a daunting task. The more you dive into digital marketing, questions about paid ads and other issues will naturally come to the surface. Most senior living centers operate with small teams that handle marketing, or marketing falls to the management team, where it can easily become a back-burner project.
The Your Business Marketer team is ready to step in and provide a helping hand with paid advertising and a wide range of other services. Our team of experts have years of experience helping businesses make the switch from print to digital advertising. Call our team today at 800-499-1996 for more information or visit our website to learn more.