Trust is one of the most important factors seniors and their families consider when choosing a senior living community. Your brand – and how you express it – play an important role in this. Especially when it comes to your website. Your customers want to know that the experience you deliver in the community matches what they see online, and vice versa.  

By updating your website to match the onsite experience, you not only strengthen your brand, you also increase trust between your community,  your residents, and their loved ones. Here are a few tips you can implement on your website to ensure a consistent, cohesive experience. 

Invest in Professional Photography 

Using stock photography on your website may save you money in the short term, but it does little to reinforce your brand value in the long run. Investing in professional photography of your community and residents (btw, don’t forget the photo release form) on the other hand can go a long way in building trust with seniors and their families. 

For example, if community engagement is a big part of the onsite experience, you want that to come through online. Photos of residents during activity or meal times is a great way to show potential customers what they can expect when living in your community.

It is also important to those searching for senior living online that they get a good look at your community, inside and out. Be sure to include photos of your grounds, common areas, and of course, the apartments or suites where residents will actually be living. 

Add Testimonials From Residents & Families

Another great way to extend your onsite experience online is by incorporating voice-of-customer in the form of testimonials. Testimonials add value to your website because they support the credibility of your community and the expertise of your staff. According to a 2017 study by BrightLocal, 83% of people think businesses with user-generated reviews on their landing pages are trustworthy.

The best way to generate testimonials is to ask for feedback after significant milestones, like move-in and their one-year anniversary as a resident. Some technologies will even automate this process for you, by integrating with your CRM and triggering a reminder email when important dates approach.

Upload Videos to Your Website

Don’t forget video when designing your website. Recent research from Google reports that 54% of seniors and Baby Boomers watch online videos – that includes content like resident testimonials and community tours.

Companies like OneDay are making video more accessible to senior living communities than ever before. In the past, filming a video and posting it to your website was a time consuming and often expensive process. Today, it’s as simple as point and shoot – anyone with an iPhone or Android can do it. 

One major perk of video, is that it lets you show off the personality of your community, including your staff. Today’s senior living prospective resident has a lot of options when it comes to choosing a new home. For you to make an impact, you need to stand out, and video can help you do that. Be sure to include interviews with the community director, care specialists, and your dining team. The more comfortable customers are with your team, the more likely they are to reach out and schedule a tour or ask for more information.

Consider UX Improvements to Amp Up the Impact of Your Website

User experience (UX) is just as important to your website as the content it features. When seniors and their families visit your website, they want to be able to navigate it easily and find the information they are searching for quickly. 

Give them a helping hand by updating your website using our UX Website Design Best Practices Checklist.