In today’s digital-first world, senior living communities face a challenging reality—prospects are bombarded with information from every angle on every device. From the moment they begin to research, they’re presented with an abundance of living options, amenities, services and all kinds of educational advice. Consumers often feel overwhelmed, adding stress to the logistical and emotional decisions of making a move.
But just like consumers, Life Plan Community marketers have a lot to contend with. There’s an endless number of channels, platforms and tactics available—and new ones popping up every day. How can communities break through the noise?
Understanding and Emphasizing the Role of Organic Content
To connect with prospective residents (and current ones), communities must show up with authenticity, compassion and a unique perspective. This challenge calls for organic content.
The term “organic” refers to content you create and share on your website, blog, eNewsletters and social media channels.
Unlike “paid media,” which you pay to promote and advertise content, or “branded” content designed to showcase your brand identity and messaging, organic content aims to cultivate trust and credibility through authentic subject matter. For senior living communities, this means showcasing your values, culture, and lifestyle.
Potential residents and their families want to see real stories, genuine experiences and what everyday life is like in your community, and organic content is the perfect medium for this. Leveraging the power of organic content, communities can attract, engage and build an audience of people who are interested in what you offer.
Organic content is critical to effective content marketing, whic is the practice of consistently creating and distributing relevant information to build brand awareness, establish authority and ultimately drive customer action that leads to sales and revenue. Marketing teams that tap into organic content connect with prospects on a deeper level, establishing more personal affinity that can influence and guide decision-making.
Organic Content and the Great Content Marketing “What if”
What if every social media post you shared stopped thumbs from scrolling past? What if people looked forward to seeing your community’s enewsletter in their Inbox? What if every mailer you sent got pinned to the front of your prospect’s refrigerator?
This might seem impossible, if not improbable. But it’s not. Organic content has the ability to build a community of engaged followers who not only enjoy hearing from you but anticipate receiving information from you. And it’s not just about viewing or reading your content. You want your audience interacting with it, too. Done well, people will look forward the opportunity to respond to what you offer. Cultivating a community takes time, consistency, great content and, most importantly, a relationship.
Understanding the Prospect’s Journey
To create effective organic content, it’s essential to understand the various prospects’ journeys and address their unique needs and concerns at each stage. People exploring senior living options come from diverse perspectives and backgrounds, each bringing their unique needs and concerns. For some, it’s a long, emotional journey, while for others, it involves multiple starts and stops before reaching a decision. Often referred to as the marketing funnel, this journey is typically divided into three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision:
- Awareness: In the early stage, prospects are just starting to think about senior living options. Communities should inform and educate with content that addresses common life plan questions and concerns.
- Consideration: After initial research and information gathering, prospects turn the corner and dig deeper to uncover details and differences. Content should highlight your community’s unique features, benefits, and resident experiences.
- Decision: In the final stage, prospects are ready to make a choice. Reinforce their decisions by providing content that reassures and showcases resident success stories.
Relatability and Authenticity: The Advantage of Organic Content
People are naturally drawn to content that feels genuine and relatable.
The strength of organic content is its ability to convey real, authentic stories and information without the pressure of a hard sell. Polished brand materials and advertising have their place in a well-rounded marketing plan, but organic content shines in its ability to showcase authentic moments and real life in a community.
Tell your story in long-form blog posts or newsletters featuring resident testimonials. Capture candid resident moments and event videos on the fly. These types of content allow prospects to:
- Get a glimpse of the heart and soul of your community—your residents and staff
- Imagine themselves fitting right in, surrounded by people who share their values
- Feel the compassion and care present in everyday life
By prioritizing organic content that engages on a personal level, communities can build meaningful affinity and trust with their prospects.
Implementing Organic Content Effectively
To harness organic content’s full potential, a thoughtful and intentional approach is key. This begins with understanding your audience deeply—their differing interests, challenges and communication preferences. Documenting these insights can help you create content that connects with them when, where and in what form it will be most effective. For example, a compilation video of residents pursuing their favorite hobbies might resonate more than a list of activities.
Successful organic content implementation goes beyond pushing out information. Especially with social media, you have the opportunity to create a two-way communication. Reactions, comments and sharing all provide actionable feedback, and enable one-to-one dialogs with prospects.
Creating a deeper connection with your online community requires audience awareness and a people-first mentality in:
- Recognizing the nuances in each prospect’s unique situation
- Replying with care, empathy and humanity
- Actively listening to uncover underlying motivations and concerns
- Meeting each person where they are in their decision-making process
Coming alongside each prospect can create an invaluable personal connection—one that goes beyond features and amenities. Consistency is key. Regularly posting content keeps your audience engaged and ensures that your community remains top-of-mind for prospects.
The Way Forward: Creating Meaningful Connections
With today’s informed senior living prospects, your competitive differentiator often lies in your team’s ability to make personal connections.
- Embrace the power of authentic, relatable organic content to build trust and affinity with your prospects.
- Empower your team to become masters at creating organic social media posts, videos and testimonials that radiate warmth and understanding.
- Prioritize content that allows prospects to see themselves thriving at your community.
Engaging organic content will cut through the digital noise and highlight your community’s vibrant lifestyle. In doing so, you guide prospects towards an option that feels personally appealing—the first step towards calling your community their new home.
While developing an organic content strategy for a Life Plan Community can be done by trial and error, most successful organizations lean on experienced content marketing specialists, such as Love & Company, to either design a content strategy based on a community’s internal resources, or act as an implementation partner. Either way, your resources and opportunities are unique to you, and developing a content strategy that matches your potential will significantly help attract those prospects who love what they see in your community life.