According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans over the age of 65 will make up more than 20 percent of the U.S. population starting in 2030. National Senior Campuses, a national nonprofit, claims that at least 7% of all seniors require some level of personal care, and that number continues to grow. These were trends pre-COVID, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the need for elder care. These figures should be promising for senior care facilities and home healthcare agencies, but in fact, marketing challenges impede many senior care organizations.
We know demand for senior care is at an all-time high, but long-term senior living communities had record-low occupancy rates in 2020, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This was trending in 2019, pre-COVID, but became worse amid COVID fears. Many people turned to keeping their loved ones at home with home healthcare agencies. But the grass is not always greener, and that industry, too, is facing its own challenges, from finding and retaining qualified staff to a lack of credibility in a crowded landscape. So what is the best way to capitalize on this growing market? Reaching seniors and decision makers with the right message is crucial. Recruiting qualified staff is equally important. What’s that message, and how can you best get it across?
Basic marketing principles tell us the ideal marketing solution for senior care requires a mix, from some traditional audio (radio or streaming audio) video (broadcast or connected TV) followed by display ads to drive interest in the middle of the funnel and paid search and retargeting at the bottom to drive conversions.
If you think seniors don’t use the internet, you should think again. Unlike previous generations, technology isn’t as intimidating to baby boomers. Tons of seniors have been using technology for quite some time, and more than half actively use Facebook. We also can’t forget the entirely separate segment of adult children decision makers who are looking into care for their loved ones, or to learn how they can be trained to give that care. Finally, another segment is targeting skilled and licensed healthcare professionals.
People on the hunt for the best HHAs or long-term living facilities will look for your brand to have an online presence and established brand equity. Digital marketing is essential for companies looking to prove they are top-of-the-line for consumers and potential employees. Older adults and their grown children often turn to online reviews and research to evaluate services and facilities, as do prospective caregivers.
Targeting seniors online often requires different marketing strategies, as many baby boomers want to be given information and details early on. Orange 142 has a wide array of solutions to help our partners connect with seniors and their adult children. Native advertising is a great way to educate the older demographic. Targeted display advertising, using the Orange142DMP, allows us to leverage data insights to reach seniors and/or their decision-makers. We can also use these tools to target the skilled caregivers with a separate message. Social media advertising continues to change, but stays a strong way to reach seniors and their families. A solid retargeting campaign allows you to touch your most qualified consumers and bring them back to convert. Finally, Orange 142 also provides access to programmatic streaming audio and connected TV for larger branding campaigns that can still be targeted.
If you’d like to learn more about how Orange 142 has successfully leveraged these and other tools to reach seniors, adult children, and caregivers, contact us today to speak with our senior care digital managers.
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