Key Takeaways
- Facebook is the top platform for care homes with 53% of followers, great for reaching families and caregivers
- LinkedIn (37% of followers) is excellent for recruitment and professional networking
- Instagram (7% of followers) works best for visual storytelling and engaging younger audiences
- X/Twitter (3% of followers) helps with quick updates and community conversations
- TikTok is emerging as a future platform for care homes despite currently having less than 1% of followers
- Using multiple platforms with consistent messaging boosts your care home’s online profile
- Social media management tools can help schedule and organize content efficiently
- Including care awareness days and relevant hashtags increases post engagement
Introduction
Social media ain’t just for teenagers anymore. It’s become a must-have tool for care homes wanting to connect with families, find new staff, and show off the good work they do. But which platforms should you use? And how do ya make the most of em?
I’ve been working with care homes on their social media for over 10 years, and I’ve seen what works (and what doesn’t). Social media lets care homes share stories, build trust, and create communities. It’s not complicated once you know which platforms to focus on.
Digital marketing for care homes has changed a lot recently. The right social media mix can make a huge difference to occupancy rates, staff recruitment, and family satisfaction. Let’s look at which platforms work best for care homes in 2025.
Facebook: The Leading Platform for Care Homes
Facebook is still king for care homes. It accounts for a massive 53% of all followers across care groups and their individual homes. Why’s it so popular? Simple – it’s where the families are.
Most people looking for care homes for their loved ones are in the 45-65 age range. Guess where they spend their social media time? Yep, Facebook. They use it daily and are comfortable with how it works.
What makes Facebook so good for care homes:
- Easy photo and video sharing of events and daily life
- Private groups for family members to stay updated
- Events feature for promoting open days and activities
- Community building through comments and messages
- Targeted advertising to reach local families
I’ve seen care homes gain hundreds of inquiries just by posting regular, authentic content on Facebook. One home I work with posts a “resident of the week” feature every Monday that gets huge engagement from families.
Social media marketing for care homes should always start with a solid Facebook strategy. It’s where you’ll get the most bang for your buck in terms of time invested.
The key to Facebook success? Be real. Share actual moments from your care home – the birthday celebrations, the garden activities, the everyday moments of connection. People can spot fake corporate content a mile away. They want genuine glimpses into the care their loved ones might receive.
LinkedIn: Growing Professional Network
LinkedIn has become surprisingly important for care homes, making up 37% of followers. That’s a big jump from just a few years ago when many care homes didn’t even have a LinkedIn page.
Why the change? Two words: staff recruitment. Finding and keeping good care staff is one of the biggest challenges facing care homes today. LinkedIn is where professional carers, nurses, and managers hang out online.
What LinkedIn does best for care homes:
- Job postings that reach qualified candidates
- Showcase for care home leadership and values
- Professional networking with healthcare partners
- Sharing industry news and thought leadership
- Building your care home’s reputation as a quality employer
I helped one care home group completely revamp their LinkedIn strategy last year. They went from struggling to fill positions to having a waiting list of qualified applicants. How? By sharing staff stories, highlighting training opportunities, and posting about their workplace culture.
Digital marketing services for care homes should always include LinkedIn optimization, especially if you’re facing staffing challenges.
LinkedIn isn’t just about recruitment though. It’s also great for connecting with professional partners like GPs, social workers, and local healthcare providers. These connections can lead to valuable referrals.
The secret to LinkedIn is to balance professional content with human stories. Yes, share your care home’s achievements and credentials, but also show the people behind the uniforms. A post about a carer receiving a qualification often gets more engagement than corporate announcements.
Instagram: Visual Storytelling for Care Homes
Instagram might only have 7% of care home followers right now, but it’s growing fast. And it makes sense – care is a visual business. The warmth, activities, and environment of your care home come across beautifully in images.
Instagram works particularly well for:
- Showcasing your care home’s facilities and environment
- Sharing resident activities and celebrations (with appropriate permissions)
- Highlighting staff achievements and team culture
- Before-and-after room transformations or garden projects
- Short video tours and glimpses of daily life
The best thing about Instagram? It reaches a younger demographic than Facebook. This includes potential staff members and the adult children or grandchildren of possible residents who often influence care decisions.
I’ve noticed care homes that use Instagram well tend to have better staff retention rates. Why? Because they create a visual community that staff feel proud to be part of. When carers see their work celebrated and shared, it builds loyalty.
Graphic design for care homes becomes especially important on Instagram. Simple templates for quotes, event announcements, and celebration posts help maintain a consistent, professional look.
Instagram success depends on quality over quantity. One beautiful, thoughtful image a week is better than daily poor-quality posts. And don’t forget Instagram Stories for more casual, in-the-moment content that disappears after 24 hours – perfect for simpler daily updates.
Remember to use relevant hashtags like #carehome #eldercare #seniorcare and local area tags to help people find your content. And always get proper consent before posting photos of residents.
X (Twitter): Quick Updates and Community Engagement
Twitter (now called X) might only have about 3% of care home followers, but it serves a specific and valuable purpose. It’s all about quick updates, conversations, and connecting with the wider community.
X works well for care homes to:
- Share quick news and announcements
- Join conversations about care sector issues
- Connect with local community organizations and businesses
- Follow and engage with healthcare authorities and regulators
- Respond quickly to queries or comments
The real value of X for care homes isn’t in follower numbers but in strategic connections. Local journalists, community leaders, and healthcare professionals all use the platform. Being active here puts your care home on their radar.
I’ve helped care homes use X to build relationships with local MPs, journalists, and community groups. These connections have led to media coverage, event partnerships, and even support during challenging times like the pandemic.
Activity days promotions for care homes get an extra boost when shared on X because they can reach community partners who might want to get involved. For example, a local music school might see your post about a planned music day and offer to participate.
X requires a different approach than other platforms. It’s more about joining conversations than broadcasting messages. Use hashtags related to care awareness days (like #AlzheimersAwarenessDay or #CarersWeek) to connect your content to wider discussions.
The platform also works well for crisis communication. During emergencies or significant changes, X allows for quick updates to multiple stakeholders simultaneously – a valuable tool in the care sector.
Emerging Platforms: TikTok and Beyond
TikTok currently has less than 1% of care home followers, but don’t write it off yet. It’s expected to play a much bigger role in care home marketing over the next few years.
Why should care homes consider TikTok?
- Reaches a younger audience (potential future staff)
- Short, authentic video format shows the human side of care
- Opportunity to challenge stereotypes about care homes being sad places
- Less competition from other care homes (for now)
- Potential to go viral with heartwarming content
I recently helped a forward-thinking care home start a TikTok account. Their video of residents and staff doing a simple dance challenge got over 50,000 views! This exposure led to several job applications from young people who said they’d never considered care work before.
AI content marketing for care homes can help you plan content for emerging platforms without getting overwhelmed. AI tools can suggest trending formats or hashtags that might work well for care content.
Beyond TikTok, care homes should keep an eye on platforms like Pinterest (good for visual content about care home design and activities) and even gaming platforms where virtual tours might become more common in the future.
The key with any emerging platform is to experiment without overcommitting. Start small, see what works, and be willing to try new approaches. Not every platform will be right for every care home.
Remember that content can often be adapted across platforms. A 30-second TikTok video might also work well as an Instagram Reel or Facebook short. This helps maximize your content creation efforts.
Creating an Effective Social Media Strategy
Having accounts on multiple platforms is just the start. What really makes the difference is having a clear social media strategy that fits your care home’s goals and resources.
A good strategy includes:
- Clear goals (recruitment, occupancy, family communication, community building)
- Defined target audiences for each platform
- Content themes and posting schedules
- Staff responsibilities and approval processes
- Guidelines for resident privacy and consent
- Crisis communication plans
- Measurement and evaluation methods
I find that care homes often try to do too much at once and then get overwhelmed. It’s better to master one platform before adding another. For most care homes, I recommend starting with Facebook, then adding LinkedIn, then considering others.
Social media sales and marketing for care homes works best when it’s consistent. Regular, planned content performs better than sporadic posting, even if the sporadic posts are higher quality.
Using social media management tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Later can save hours of work. These tools let you schedule posts in advance, monitor engagement, and manage multiple platforms from one dashboard.
One approach that works well is the content pillar system. Create 4-5 content themes (like resident activities, staff spotlights, care tips, facility features, and community involvement) and rotate through them. This gives your content variety while keeping it organized.
Don’t forget to consider resident acquisition through social media. The journey from social media follower to resident inquiry needs to be clear. Make sure your profiles include easy ways to contact you for more information.
Measuring Success and ROI
How do you know if your social media efforts are paying off? It’s important to track the right metrics based on your goals.
Useful metrics to track include:
- Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares divided by followers)
- Reach and impressions (how many people see your content)
- Click-through rate to your website
- Inquiry source (asking new inquiries how they found you)
- Recruitment source (asking new staff how they heard about you)
- Time spent on management (to calculate ROI)
Simple spreadsheets work fine for tracking these metrics. The important thing is to check them regularly and adjust your strategy based on what’s working.
Care home digital marketing strategies should always include regular review and optimization. Social media platforms change constantly, and what worked last year might not work this year.
I’ve seen care homes waste thousands of pounds on ineffective social media because they never measured results. One home was spending hours creating elaborate Instagram posts that got very little engagement, while their simple Facebook updates were driving lots of inquiries. Once they tracked the data, they could redirect their efforts more effectively.
For many care homes, outsourcing digital marketing makes sense. Social media management requires specific skills and consistent time commitment that many care homes struggle to maintain in-house. A good agency can often achieve better results more cost-effectively.
Whether you manage social media in-house or outsource it, make sure everyone understands how it contributes to the care home’s wider goals. Social media shouldn’t exist in a vacuum – it should support your overall marketing, recruitment, and communication objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time should we spend on social media management for our care home?
For basic maintenance across Facebook and LinkedIn, budget about 3-5 hours per week. This includes posting 3-4 times per week, responding to comments, and basic monitoring. If you’re actively managing 3+ platforms or running campaigns, you might need 7-10 hours weekly.
How do we get consent to share resident photos on social media?
Always get written consent from residents or their legal representatives. Create a simple consent form that clearly explains which platforms photos might appear on and how they’ll be used. Review and renew consent annually or after significant health changes.
Should our care home have separate social media accounts for each location?
For groups with multiple homes, a hybrid approach often works best. Maintain a main brand account plus individual location accounts for Facebook. For LinkedIn, a single company page with location showcase pages works well. Instagram and X can usually be managed with just main brand accounts.
How do we handle negative comments on social media?
Respond promptly and professionally to all negative feedback. Acknowledge concerns, avoid being defensive, and move the conversation to private channels (direct message, phone, email) as quickly as possible. Never delete legitimate complaints as this often escalates the situation.
Can social media really help with care staff recruitment?
Absolutely! In fact, it’s becoming one of the most effective recruitment channels. Staff testimonials, behind-the-scenes content, and posts highlighting training and development opportunities all help attract candidates. Make sure job opportunities are easy to find from your social profiles.
Do we need to pay for social media advertising?
Organic (non-paid) content can work well, but strategic paid promotion amplifies results. Even small budgets (£50-100 monthly) can significantly increase reach when targeted correctly. Focus paid spending on specific goals like recruitment campaigns or promoting open days.
How do we compete with bigger care home groups on social media?
Focus on your local community and personal stories. Bigger groups often struggle to create authentic, location-specific content. Your advantage is being able to showcase the unique personality of your home and staff. Quality and authenticity beat quantity every time.
What’s the biggest mistake care homes make on social media?
The biggest mistake is inconsistency. Many care homes post regularly for a few weeks, then disappear for months. This damages engagement and algorithms will show your content to fewer people. It’s better to commit to a realistic, sustainable posting schedule than to attempt too much.