At this point in the digital marketing revolution, the popularity of video content is undeniable. It’s everywhere we turn, from websites and emails to social media and mobile apps.
But there’s a difference between popularity and effectiveness. While 85% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool in some way, that doesn’t mean that 85% are seeing positive ROI for their efforts.
I’m going to help demystify video content marketing for senior living communities with a few simple best practices from our team at OneDay. With these insights leading the way, you’ll see just how powerful video can be at driving lead generation and increasing occupancy for your community.
Choose the Right Channels
Choosing the best marketing channels for your video content depends on whom you’re trying to engage in the first place. Adult children, for example, usually spend more time on LinkedIn than other social platforms because of their careers and professional networks.
However, if you’re trying to engage seniors directly, then Facebook is usually a better choice. The Pew Research Center found that 73% of people 65+ are on the internet at least once a day, over 50% own a smartphone, and 46% are active on Facebook.
Besides choosing the best channel for your specific needs, you also want to keep the end user in mind – whether family members or the potential residents themselves – when designing your messaging. People scroll through their feeds until something catches their eye, no matter the social media channel, so your posts and ads should stand out from the crowd and immediately draw attention.
Establish Your Goals and Stick to Them
Video is the most personal and engaging form of content that you will use in your digital marketing strategy. Therefore, trying to adopt a one-size-fits-all mentality by using a single video for several purposes can quickly do more harm than good.
Instead, begin your video marketing strategy by establishing a set of goals. Such goals could include increasing awareness of your community, driving website traffic, or converting leads for sales. Once you've established your goals, then you can focus on generating genuine stories that provide value for the target audience.
The easiest way to provide that value is to keep those goals in mind when creating your video content. For example, put yourself in the shoes of an adult child trying to choose an assisted living community for their senior parent. It's an emotional, difficult decision for them, so they will value a personalized video that demonstrates the loving, compassionate atmosphere within your senior care community.
Alternatively, prospects looking for a 55+ independent living community will probably be more interested in the activities and amenities you have to offer. In that case, you should highlight a highly social, active lifestyle and appealing culture in your video content.
Whatever your goal with a video might be, using testimonial content from your community – both residents and staff – will help personalize the viewing experience for the prospect and their loved ones in ways that pictures or text simply can't match.
Keep It Short and Sweet
The length of a video plays a pivotal role in engagement rates. Research shows that your video content shouldn't be more than two minutes long, often even shorter than that depending on the subject and distribution channel.
Also, as I said before, it's important to have an engaging hook that immediately grabs the viewer's attention. The first 10 seconds of a video are essential in determining if that person will continue watching your content. That notion is true whether you're providing an update on amenity upgrades, introducing new staff members, or just sharing fun facts about your community.
Of course, there are instances where you can and should go beyond that two minute threshold, especially for something like a virtual tour that is meant to provide an up close, intimate view of your community.
If someone is considering moving into your community and lives out of state or cannot visit in-person, then they will not have an issue watching a five-minute video to get an accurate idea of the quality of life your facilities provide.
Showcase Your People and Residents
Your senior living community has a wide range of personalities and roles across its team, from your executive director and nursing staff to dining staff and everyone in between.
Highlighting that level of diversity in your staff can cast your community in a unique light when captured in your video content. The same is true for your residents, where each can provide a unique story and perspective on their individual journey to your community.
Personal testimonials from your staff and current residents humanize the experience for the viewer, helping form the connections that drive move-ins and improve occupancy rates. Featuring this wide range of subjects in your video content also means you can appeal to a broader audience, giving your marketing team a greater ability to curate your message for each individual.
Don’t Forget the Call to Action
Treat every video you send to a prospect as an open invitation of some kind. As you wrap up each message, you can use a warm and endearing CTA to invite the viewer to lunch in your community, meet some of the new residents, or to participate in an upcoming event you’re having. The point is, your video is creating a sense of inclusiveness and comfort for the viewer, making them feel welcome before they even join your community.
If visiting restrictions put a hamper on such in-person events, then a virtual follow-up is the next best thing. Provide your direct phone number and email address, emphasizing that you would love to chat and address any and all questions, issues, or concerns they might have. This way, you’re still creating a one-on-one experience that helps strengthen the emotional bonds so critical in the senior living industry.
Besides those essential one-on-ones through Zoom or a similar platform, you can also conduct frequent Q&A sessions on Facebook or Instagram, creating a safe space where prospective residents and families can get to know you and your community better.
This is the type of fluid, engaging communication we provide here at OneDay, harnessing the power of video to make sure your community's marketing efforts stand out from the rest. So take these video marketing ideas to heart, lean on OneDay’s best-in-industry solution, and put the days of stagnant occupancy rates behind you once and for all.