As a senior living operator, your primary goal is to offer a comfortable and engaging environment for older adults. Communicating this benefit effectively to potential residents and their families is key, but how does one go about doing it? Creative media in senior living can help operators convey their message in a unique and powerful way.
Senior living media provides unique platforms to showcase your community’s lifestyle and benefits through emotional and visual storytelling. It includes a wide range of creative media, from content and design to photography and videography. Let’s explore them in detail, and then dive into why accessibility with this media is crucial for our industry.
Senior Living Content That Resonates
The first component of senior living media is content. Content could be anything from blog posts and newsletters to resident stories and event highlights.
We find that these ideas resonate the most with seniors and their families:
Testimonials and Reviews
Nothing is better than a resident or staff member telling the story of your community themselves. Whether it is written or on video, testimonials describing your service are powerful tools in your media kit. Firsthand accounts provide an authentic, compelling narrative for a family or potential resident to experience.
When leads hear directly from those already experiencing your community’s lifestyle and benefits, it paints a vivid picture of what they too can expect. This emotional storytelling is informative and persuasive, making testimonials one of the most effective ways to communicate the value your community brings to residents’ lives.
Resident and Prospect Events
Highlighting your senior living community’s special events is another powerful way to showcase the vibrant lifestyle residents enjoy.
These events, whether they are holiday celebrations, community outings, or daily activities, offer a glimpse into the dynamic, enriching environment your community provides.
In addition to in-house events, incorporating larger local, regional, or national events can also be beneficial. For example, celebrating Super Bowl Sunday or participating in Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities allow residents to feel part of the broader community.
Educational Tips and Advice
Posts about different types of senior living communities or health tips and safety measures can be enlightening for both seniors and their loved ones:
- These posts illuminate the unique features, advantages, and benefits of independent living, assisted living, or memory care.
- Sharing health tips such as maintaining balanced meals, staying physically active, and promoting mental wellness can empower seniors to take charge of their well-being.
- Discussing the robust safety measures in place at senior living communities offers reassurance.
Through these informative posts, you are providing seniors and their loved ones with a comprehensive understanding of what to expect from a senior living community.
Now that content has been explained, let’s dive into more visual types of media: design and photography.
Photography
Visual elements are an integral part of senior living media. High-quality, candid photography can help bring your community to life, and it doesn’t have to be difficult either:
- Community Photos: Photos of your community, including common areas, dining rooms, residents’ rooms, and outdoor spaces can give potential residents a virtual tour.
- Residents Having Fun: Photos of residents engaging in activities or simply enjoying their day humanizes your community and makes it more relatable.
- Event Photos: Capturing special occasions, like holiday parties or outings, shows the fun side of your community.
Many communities also take advantage of videos or interactive media such as virtual floor plans.
Videography and Interactive Media
The power of video and interactive media in senior living content should never be underestimated. Here are a few ways to incorporate them:
- Community Tour Videos: A virtual video tour can provide an in-depth look at your community, showcasing different unit types and amenities.
- Resident Interviews: Videos featuring residents sharing their experiences can be more persuasive than written testimonials.
- Live Streams: Experiment with live streams of events or Q&A sessions to engage with your audience in real time. You could use Facebook Live or another social media tool to easily live stream.
These are all solid promotional tools, but approaching each bears a special kind of scrutiny.
Accessibility is important for our audience, whether it is the senior themselves or the adult child looking for the perfect community on their loved one’s behalf. Our audience is in no mood for consuming media that does not immediately help them during their search.
How to Make Your Media Accessible to Seniors
Creating accessible senior living media is another vital part of an operator’s marketing. Both seniors and their adult children often play a role in the decision-making process, so we must cater to both audiences effectively.
- For seniors, it is important to present content in a clear, easy-to-read format, considerate of any visual or cognitive impairments that might be present. This includes using larger font sizes, high-contrast colors, and simple, straightforward language. Focus on showcasing the day-to-day experiences that highlight the vibrant lifestyle and numerous benefits the community offers.
- Adult children want comprehensive, persuasive information that underscores the safety measures, health benefits, and improved overall quality of life that comes with choosing your community for their loved ones. Create emotional storytelling that resonates with them, crafting an informative, engaging narrative that speaks to the heart while providing essential information.
Understanding and utilizing the full spectrum of senior living media with accessibility in mind can greatly enhance your marketing efforts. By creating content that resonates with seniors and their loved ones, you will be well-positioned to touch the lives of even more families who need your community.
Looking for Marketing Assistance?
Craft & Communicate, a senior living marketing and public relations agency supports communities that deserve higher occupancy rates with a variety of creative media services available. Contact our team today to see how we can provide your team with full-service marketing assistance.
