With an aging demographic comes a rising tide of businesses to serve seniors and their families. If you’re one of them, you know how important it is to differentiate yourself from the competition. One way to do this is through the wise use of a blog. Blog posts allow you to showcase what’s special about your business and to keep potential clients updated. In this three-part series, we present tips for blog writing. Part One examines the benefits of blogs for senior service businesses. Part Two includes professional writing tips for capturing reader interest. And Part Three looks at blog writing for effective Search Engine Optimization, enabling potential clients and customers to “stumble upon” your business.
The benefits of blogs for senior service businesses
It’s pretty much a given these days that a business needs a website. Having a website makes your business look much more professional. Conversely, not having one casts doubts on quality and professionalism. A website provides a better platform than Facebook or any other social media site for listing your range of products and services. And it offers a helpful landing point for interested consumers to find more information.
Not all business websites contain blog posts, but there are several benefits to doing so.
Offers a platform for dynamic content
Much of a website is relatively static. In other words, the content reflects business aspects that don’t change very often: backstory, contact information, products and services, team members, etc. The world around us, however, changes frequently. A blog allows you to show that your business is changing appropriately in response.
This is especially important for businesses that provide services and products for seniors – and especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
Allows you to showcase warmth and humanity
While a website’s static content may be objective like Star Trek’s Mr. Spock, blog posts let your Captain Kirk shine through! People love a story, and anecdotes about clients or staff show off the emotion and compassion of your work.
Provides a show-and-tell platform
Businesses that follow similar business models might seem remarkably similar on their websites. Most independent living communities, for example, boast of an exciting calendar of events, amazing activities, delicious dining, friendly staff, trained professionals, comfortable and stylish housing options, no-maintenance living, and exceptional amenities.
A blog digs deeper, demonstrating these characteristics and distinguishing your business from the others. Envision blog posts that offer pictures and quotes from the residents after special events and outings; menus and food pics from special meals; a staff member telling of bringing his four-year-old daughter in to visit; and a staff member giving an overview of her continuing education classes.
Increases SEO
Unless a web user comes to your website directly, by typing in your web address or searching specifically for your business name, you need them to find you through a search. For example, if you provide companion care for seniors in Toledo, Ohio, will a web search for “companion care for seniors in Toledo, Ohio” pull up your business? More importantly, will it pull up your business on the first page of search results? If you provide hospice or end-of-life doula care, will potential clients find you in a search on the web?
Although there are many ways to increase SEO (which we’ll address in Part 3), one way is through having plenty of relevant quality content on your website. A blog enables you to add fresh content frequently. This assists with two SEO benefits. First, it serves to keep web users on your pages longer. Second, it gives them more reason link to your posts.
Establishes credibility
Certainly, your web site already lists staff qualifications as relevant. However, you can support your claim through timely expert posts.
A senior-focused medical practice, for example, can include health articles from its doctors, staff dietitians, and other medical staff. Sure, the website might already say something like, “Our members receive tailored dietary suggestions, prepared by each member’s physician in collaboration with our staff dietitian.” A blog post, however, can elaborate on that benefit by describing the process of creating those tailored dietary guidelines or by giving an example of a medical need and the resulting suggestions.
Quality posts allow you to showcase what’s special about your business and to demonstrate that you’re responding to market changes. To help ensure that people see your website and favorably judge the quality of your posts, we will present two more parts of this series. In Part Two, we suggest professional writing tips for capturing reader interest. In Part Three, we offer tips for writing blog posts for effective SEO.
If you’d like to learn more about creating a website and digital marketing that works for your business, contact the team at Ross Media Solutions.
