Key Takeaways
- SEO takes time – care homes often expect instant results when it takes months
- Care homes use industry jargon instead of words families actually search for
- PPC campaigns waste money when negative keywords aren’t used properly
- Most care home websites aren’t mobile-friendly despite most users browsing on phones
- Social media success needs regular posting and fast responses to comments
- Quality content trumps quantity – poorly written blogs hurt more than help
- Email marketing fails when sent to everyone instead of specific groups
- Professional help from a digital marketing agency can avoid common pitfalls
Let’s be real – marketing a care home isn’t easy. You’ve got beds to fill but don’t know why your website isn’t bringing in enquiries. I’ve worked with care homes for 15+ years and keep seeing the same digital marketing mistakes over and over again. These mistakes cost care homes thousands in wasted money and missed opportunities.
Want the truth? Most care home websites are stuck in 2010, and their social media looks abandoned. The good news? Fixing these mistakes is easier than you think, and I’ll show you how.
SEO Strategy Mistakes Care Homes Make
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) trips up most care homes. They start a website and wonder why they’re not on Google’s first page after a week. That’s not how SEO works!
Expecting Results Too Soon
The biggest mistake? Thinking SEO works fast. It doesn’t. Google takes time to trust new websites.
“Why aren’t we ranking yet?” is the question I hear most. When I check, their website’s only been live for two weeks! Truth is, new care home websites need 3-6 months before seeing real SEO results. Google needs to see you’re serious and committed to providing good content before it sends visitors your way.
I had a care home client who nearly gave up after two months. They stuck with it, and by month 4, their enquiries doubled. Patience pays off with SEO.
Using Industry Jargon Instead of Human Words
Care homes love their jargon. “Person-centered care” and “holistic approaches” sound professional but guess what? Nobody searches for those terms!
People type things like:
- “care homes near me”
- “best dementia care Manchester”
- “nursing home costs UK”
Your fancy industry terms won’t get found. Use words real people use when looking for care. Check what families actually ask when they call – those are your keywords.
Overdoing SEO at the Expense of User Experience
Some care homes stuff keywords everywhere, making their website read like a robot wrote it. This backfires! Google cares more about user experience than keyword density now.
A website that’s hard to use drives visitors away. I’ve seen care homes with beautiful facilities but terrible websites that scare off potential residents. What’s the point of ranking if people leave your site immediately?
For proper SEO guidance, consider professional digital marketing services for care homes that balance SEO with user experience.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Campaign Errors
PPC lets you show up at the top of Google instantly – if you do it right. Most care homes waste money on PPC because of these common mistakes.
Forgetting Who the Real Customer Is
Who are you talking to in your ads? The resident or their adult children? Many care homes forget that it’s usually the children searching online, not the elderly person who needs care.
An effective PPC campaign speaks to both audiences. Adult children want safety, quality care, and trust. Potential residents want comfort, respect, and maintaining independence.
I recently revised a care home’s ads to address the emotional journey of choosing care for a parent. Their click-through rate increased by 35% overnight!
Missing the Power of Negative Keywords
Every time someone clicks your ad, you pay – even if they’re looking for something you don’t offer. That’s why negative keywords matter so much.
If you don’t offer respite care, add “respite” as a negative keyword. This stops your ad showing when people search for respite care, saving you from paying for useless clicks.
One care home I worked with was spending £500/month on clicks from people looking for jobs! Adding “jobs,” “careers,” and “vacancies” as negative keywords saved them over £300 monthly.
Using the Wrong Keyword Match Types
Care homes often use only broad match keywords, which show your ads for anything remotely related to your keywords. This wastes money fast.
Instead, use a mix of:
- Phrase match: Shows ads when someone searches your keyword in the exact order
- Exact match: Shows ads only when someone searches your exact keyword phrase
A good care home digital marketing strategy uses all match types intelligently to control costs.
Social Media Marketing Missteps
Social media can be amazing for care homes – or a complete waste of time. It depends on how you use it.
Posting Irregularly (or Abandoning Accounts)
The #1 social media mistake? Starting accounts then abandoning them. An empty Facebook page with the last post from 2023 looks worse than no page at all!
Consistent posting matters more than frequency. It’s better to post once weekly without fail than daily for a week and then disappear.
I’ve seen care homes try to do too much. They open accounts on five platforms, get overwhelmed, and quit. Better to focus on one platform and do it well.
Creating Poor Quality Content
Blurry photos, text-heavy posts, and content that doesn’t engage. These are everywhere on care home social pages.
People want to see:
- Residents enjoying activities (with proper consent)
- Staff recognition and stories
- Behind-the-scenes glimpses of care home life
- Useful information for families
One care home I advised started sharing weekly resident art projects. Their engagement skyrocketed because it showed the human side of care.
For guidance on creating engaging content, check out social media marketing for care homes and how to use social media for care home marketing.
Ignoring Comments and Messages
Social media is social – it’s a conversation, not a bulletin board! Many care homes post content but never respond to comments or messages.
When someone comments on your post, they’re giving you free engagement. Respond quickly! When someone messages your page with an enquiry, they expect a fast reply. Waiting days to respond loses potential residents.
The role of social media in resident acquisition can’t be overstated – it’s often the first impression families get of your care home.
Content Marketing and Blogging Mistakes
Content marketing builds trust and shows expertise. But most care homes get it wrong.
Publishing Low-Value Content
I’ve seen too many care homes publish blogs like “Welcome to our website” or “Happy New Year.” These add zero value for readers.
Good content answers questions potential residents and their families have:
- How to pay for care
- What to look for when touring a care home
- How to manage the transition to care home living
- Explaining different types of care
One care home created a guide to the financial options for paying for care. It became their most visited page and generated dozens of enquiries.
Forgetting to Target Relevant Keywords
Even good content fails without targeting keywords people actually search for. Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to find what people are searching.
For example, more people search “how much does a care home cost” than “care home fee structures” – so use the first phrase in your content.
Inconsistent Publishing Schedule
Starting a blog then abandoning it after three posts is common. Blogs need regular updating to work for SEO.
It’s better to publish one quality post monthly than attempt weekly posts and give up. Quality beats quantity every time.
For help with content creation, consider blogging and content management services for care homes or AI content marketing for care homes to maintain consistency.
Email Marketing Pitfalls
Email marketing has the highest ROI of any digital channel when done right. Most care homes do it very wrong.
Poor List Segmentation
Sending the same email to everyone doesn’t work. Different people need different messages:
- Families of current residents want updates on activities and policies
- Prospective families want information about availability and services
- Former enquirers need nurturing with educational content
One care home segmented their list to send targeted event invitations based on previous interests. Their event attendance doubled!
Low-Quality Email Design
Many care home emails look unprofessional with inconsistent branding, too many fonts, and poor images. This destroys credibility instantly.
A clean, mobile-friendly design with your logo, consistent colors, and one clear message works best. First impressions matter – even in emails.
Sending Too Frequently (or Not Enough)
Daily emails annoy people. Monthly emails get forgotten. Finding the right frequency matters.
For families of current residents, weekly updates work well. For prospects, twice monthly is usually enough to stay top-of-mind without becoming annoying.
For professional help with email campaigns, consider email marketing services for care homes that understand the senior care audience.
Website Design and Mobile Optimization Failures
Your website is often the first impression people get of your care home. Make it count!
Not Being Mobile-Friendly
Over 60% of care home website visits come from mobile devices. Yet many care home websites look terrible on phones.
If visitors have to pinch and zoom to read your content, they’ll leave. Mobile-friendly isn’t optional – it’s essential.
I audited a care home website that looked beautiful on desktop but lost 78% of mobile visitors within 10 seconds. After making it mobile-friendly, enquiries from mobile users increased 5x.
Slow Loading Speeds
People expect websites to load in 2-3 seconds. If yours takes longer, visitors leave.
Common causes of slow care home websites:
- Unoptimized images
- Too many plugins
- Cheap hosting
- Outdated design
Speeding up your website isn’t just about user experience – Google ranks faster websites higher too.
Confusing Navigation and User Journey
Many care home websites make it hard to find basic information:
- Where is the care home located?
- What types of care do they offer?
- How much does it cost?
- How do I arrange a visit?
Put yourself in the shoes of a stressed adult child looking for care for their parent. They need clear information fast, not a treasure hunt.
For professional website help, explore design development delivery for care homes and graphic design services for care homes.
How to Avoid These Mistakes: Working with a Digital Marketing Agency
The truth? Digital marketing is a full-time job. Most care homes don’t have the time or expertise to do it well in-house.
Benefits of Professional Help
Working with an agency specialized in care home marketing brings:
- Industry-specific expertise
- Time savings for your staff
- Consistent implementation
- Faster results
- Higher return on investment
One care home I worked with tried doing marketing in-house for a year with poor results. Within three months of hiring professional help, their enquiries tripled.
What to Look for in a Care Home Marketing Agency
Not all agencies understand the unique challenges of care home marketing. Look for:
- Experience with care homes specifically
- Understanding of compliance requirements
- Proven results with similar businesses
- Transparent reporting
- Clear communication
Learn more about why choose a digital marketing agency for care homes and how to choose the right digital marketing agency for your care home.
Cost-Effective Marketing Through Outsourcing
Many care homes worry about the cost of professional marketing. But compare these scenarios:
- Hiring a full-time marketing person (£30,000+ salary plus benefits)
- Hiring an agency (typically £1,000-2,000 monthly)
An agency gives you access to a team of specialists for less than one employee’s salary. Plus, you can see how outsourcing digital marketing for care homes saves money while improving results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to see results from digital marketing for a care home?
SEO typically takes 3-6 months to show significant results. PPC can generate leads immediately if done correctly. Social media usually shows engagement improvements within weeks but converts to enquiries over months.
Is social media really important for care homes?
Absolutely! Adult children researching care options often check social media to see the “real” care home beyond the polished website. Active, engaging social profiles build trust and humanize your care home.
How much should a care home spend on digital marketing?
Most successful care homes invest 5-7% of their revenue in marketing. For a care home with 40 beds averaging £1,000 weekly fees, that’s around £8,000-11,000 monthly. This can be adjusted based on occupancy goals and competitive markets.
Can we do digital marketing in-house?
While possible, it’s challenging to do well without dedicated expertise. Many care homes have staff manage social media while outsourcing technical aspects like SEO, PPC, and website management to specialists.
How do we measure if our digital marketing is working?
Track these key metrics:
- Website traffic (overall and by source)
- Enquiry form submissions
- Phone calls from digital sources
- Tour bookings
- Move-ins that originated from digital channels
- Cost per enquiry and cost per move-in
What’s more important – social media or our website?
Your website is your digital headquarters and should be your primary focus. Social media supports your website by driving traffic to it and building relationships, but without a strong website, social media success is limited.
Should care homes use paid advertising?
Yes, especially when looking to fill beds quickly or entering competitive markets. Organic methods (SEO, content marketing) take time to build but paid advertising can generate immediate visibility and enquiries.
How can we compete with large care home groups online?
Focus on your unique strengths – perhaps your family-owned care philosophy, your specialized dementia care, or your local community integration. Large groups often miss the personal touch that smaller care homes can showcase online.