In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, those of us managing Life Plan Community marketing programs face a unique challenge: How do we stay ahead when the very nature of media consumption and technology is changing beneath our feet? From voice activation to podcasts, AI to emerging search experiences and constantly changing consumer behavior, we’re entering uncharted territory that demands a new approach to marketing budgeting and reporting. After all, strong marketing leadership means more than monitoring results; it means building the capacity to act on what we see.
The Unavoidable Need for Constant Learning
If there’s one guarantee about 2026 and beyond, it’s that marketing professionals everywhere (not just senior living) will all be in a perpetual state of learning. No one knows how the growing adoption of voice activation on mobile phones, increasing podcast consumption and similar consumer trends will affect media strategies and media buys. These unknowns aren’t something to fear; they’re opportunities that require us to be purposeful in our approach.
With so many unknowns standing directly in the path of your community’s need to attract new leads and nurture existing leads, your marketing team is going to have to excel at —I might even say, obsess about— testing and monitoring new strategies in real time.
The Concept of “Adaptive Readiness”
The idea of monitoring marketing results and finding ways to improve is not new, of course: In fact, it’s the fundamental task of your marketing leadership. But 2026 is ground zero for fundamental changes in how your prospects (and all society) will research, explore and look for information online. Virtually everything you’ve grown accustomed to regarding search engine marketing, keywords and digital marketing “best practices” prior to 2026 is becoming obsolete.
An environment of disruption requires what I like to call “adaptive readiness.” It’s about having the dedicated time to look at data, develop specific hypotheses and be realistic about when, where and what results you expect to see.
However, let’s be honest about the budget constraints most communities face. Many senior living communities only spend $2,000-$4,000 a month on digital marketing. With that limited budget, it’s incredibly difficult to:
- Achieve the level of exposure that makes digital marketing cost effective
- Test new channels effectively
- Get reliable data in a short timeframe
- Account for other variables that change during testing periods
The question becomes: Can a community conduct meaningful testing with such budget parameters?
Why Successful Communities Need a Testing Budget
We’re entering a time when successful Life Plan Communities must carve out a dedicated budget line for testing. And for reasons inherent in the nature of digital media – this can’t be done on a $2,000 monthly marketing spend. Each digital media channel has a level of minimum investment to be viable.
So senior living needs to think differently in 2026 and 2027 and for as long as this age of technology-driven media disruption lasts. My recommendation? Communities should consider setting aside a dedicated amount – perhaps $20,000 annually – specifically for testing new channels and technologies. This budget should cover pilot projects in AI ad placements, immersive site assets and voice search integrations, as well as traditional digital ads. (You can read more about these in Five Key Emerging Trends for senior Living in 2026. Without this flexibility for testing new ideas, our clients in 2025 would not have been able to experience the significant improvement in lead quality and quantity that we discussed in Update Your Content Strategy for Better Demand Generation.
Normalizing the AI Contingency Factor
This step isn’t just about testing new tools; it’s about future proofing your strategy. The AI wave is here and we need to start normalizing the very idea of an AI contingency in our budgets—for this is essentially what a testing budget is. For too long, the idea of a contingency or research and development budget has been treated almost like a four-letter word in our field. That needs to change.
AI innovation is the future – it’s already replacing a significant portion of what we’ve come to accept as our regular search experience, and it is being embraced at an astounding pace—including by seniors. This AI contingency budget needs to be factored in as a percentage of your overall marketing spend.
While we can’t put an exact number to it yet, I recommend allowing at least 5% to 10% of your budget toward AI innovation. The good news is that the price points for beta versions of these AI disruptors likely won’t be enormous initially, as they’re seeking adoption and integration into regular media strategies.
Tip: Centralize learnings, KPIs and pilot insights in a digital knowledge base or dashboard. Make this information accessible to all stakeholders, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement to streamline budget costs moving forward.
For 2026 and 2027 planning, a relatively low percentage of your budget should be allocated to AI experimentation – but be forewarned that this percentage will need to increase in the years to come. (We’ve all experienced how emerging technologies become monetized once they become mainstream.)
Moving Forward with Confidence
Despite the uncertainties, I’m encouraged by what’s already happening. Many of Love & Company’s clients are successfully testing different approaches, exploring new channels and evolving their media strategies. We share an early example of this transition in Why Traditional Lead Generation is Falling Short—And What’s Working Now.
The communities that will thrive in this new landscape will be those willing to embrace the uncertainty, allocate resources specifically for learning and testing, and approach these changes with curiosity rather than fear.
Are you ready to add an AI contingency-driven testing line item to your budget? Because in an AI-driven world, staying curious might just be your best competitive advantage.
I recognize I’ve introduced a new and perhaps challenging topic, and I’d be happy to answer any questions about it since I truly believe adaptive readiness is critical. You can reach me at abrodie@loveandcompany.com. Of course, the very idea of a testing budget assumes you’re basing your budget on metrics-based evaluation of channels and tactics. I cover these fundamentals in A Senior Living Marketing Firm’s Top 5 Budgeting Tips.
