There’s a lot to know about senior living social media. From choosing a community’s social media platforms to implementing content marketing strategies and more, it can feel overwhelming to even the most seasoned social media gurus.
What’s more, according to the Pew Research Center, seniors’ use of technology and social media is increasing, making it crucial to know where to post, what to post, and how often. Fortunately, SageAge has the 411 on social media 101.
Social Media 101: Senior Living Edition
Benefits of Social Media
We know social media’s benefits include enhanced communication, a sense of belonging, and brand recognition, but leveraging social media can also enhance a community’s visibility, reputation, and connection with its target audience, according to Hannah Roose, Social Media Marketing Manager.
“This ultimately contributes to a more vibrant and engaging living environment for residents, a more in-the-know family and friend base, and a more engaged community,” she shares. “After all, who doesn’t want to see a resident’s 100th birthday celebration?”
Social Trends
Current social trends indicate consumers are turning to social media for information about brands. So it’s vitally important your community shines and stands out.
Short-form videos should be used frequently, as they are the fastest-growing content format. You should also be checking your direct messages. Many prospective residents and their families find this form of reaching out is easy, and you could be missing out if you’re not monitoring this quick, go-to tool.
Social Media Channels To Utilize & Social Media Channels To Skip
Some social media platforms are prime for generating leads from baby boomers, older adults and family members. Others, however, are less about marketing to seniors and more about reaching those in senior living marketing. We’re diving into those channels below to help you meet your needs.
Facebook emerges as the leading social platform for generating maximum engagement within the senior living sphere. The majority of Facebook pages dedicated to senior living have a target audience of individuals age 65 and above. This dynamic presents a significant avenue for adult children and prospective residents to actively engage with the content and explore the offerings presented on these pages.
Conversely, Instagram targets the demographic of those ages 35 to 54. Senior living, assisted living and memory care communities should primarily focus on sharing occasional posts related to employees on Instagram.
Throughout 2022 and 2023, we’ve seen a decrease in engagement on Twitter across all our clients, no matter their follower count. For this reason, we recommend skipping Twitter.
LinkedIn has emerged as a top performer for several of our clients. This platform can not only be used for recruiting purposes but also for brand awareness, B2B networking and community partnerships. If you’re not regularly promoting your community on LinkedIn, now is the time to start.
TikTok
Currently, there are 1 billion monthly active users on TikTok. It’s also one of the fastest-growing applications on the market, boasting a never-ending stream of short clips that are curated for each user’s unique preferences, behaviors and habits.
Where does senior living fit into this equation? On TikTok, #SeniorLiving has been viewed 223.4 million times, and #SeniorLivingCommunity has been viewed 100.2 million times. The hurdle, however, is having a video-taking expert on-site who can portray the community in a positive light.
What To Post
According to Hannah, to harness the full potential of your social brand, it’s crucial to amplify engagement – such as likes, comments, shares and reviews – across all social platforms. What amplifies engagement? Content centered around residents.
“Showcasing the lives and stories of your residents is precisely what families and potential prospects are eager to witness,” says Hannah. “This approach underscores the authenticity, humanity and compassion of your community.”
- Outings, community events and daily activities
- Resident stories and highlights
- Resident celebrations, whether it’s birthdays, move-ins, or a post honoring Veterans
- Themed posts, including the hashtags #ThrowbackThursday or #FactFriday
We recommend this approach for all platforms besides LinkedIn. For LinkedIn, content targeted toward employees performs very well. Consider posting:
- About your team
- Staff outings
- Training meetings
- Certifications and awards
How Often To Post on Social Media
Did you know that your community should post a minimum of three times a week, with no more than two posts a day?
“If an account posts more than two times a day, we see an average of a 50% drop in engagement per post,” says Hannah. “SageAge’s best-performing clients post on average two to four times per week, in addition to their scheduled organic calendar content crafted by our team.”
SageAge: Helping Senior Living Communities Enhance Their Social Media
If choosing which platform to post on, what content to post, or when to post is something you find stressful, our social media team can take care of it all for you.
Our dedicated team crafts perfectly curated content aligned with your marketing plan. Together, we can help you reach your leads, enhance engagement through strong calls to action, and help your communities grow a more vibrant and engaging social media presence.
For more information, please call or email Melinda Schmitz at 816.349.0464 or [email protected].