Content Marketing
Have you ever received newsletters about a hospital in your area, or read a blog written on a company website? Each of these are examples of “Content Marketing,” one of the important trends in elder care marketing today and one that differs from traditional marketing because it allows you to develop and nurture an actual relationship with your customers or potential clients. With more people turning to the Internet as their primary source of “researching” products and services, it is not surprising that Content Marketing has become a key marketing strategy for the elder care industry.
What is Content Marketing?
Content Marketing is all about relationship building. It is not a “one-way” television or radio voice telling you to run out and buy a specific brand or service. Instead, professionals utilizing Content Marketing use various media platforms to create and share valuable information or “content” about a subject to foster a favorable view of their company. The media chosen can vary from traditional publications–such as magazines, newspapers, or newsletters–to online sources like blogs, websites, videos, podcasts, emailings and social media sites that establish an interactive rapport with audiences.
No matter which communication channel you use, the purpose of elder care Content Marketing is threefold:
- To build up your elder care brand or service.
- To establish your personal “expertise” in an area.
- To develop a relationship with audiences so that they will become actual customers or clients.
What are some tips for effective Elder Care Content Marketing?
The first step is to find topics related to your elder care company that you could research extensively. For example, medical centers and hospitals often send out publications with news about the latest medical discoveries and treatments, as well as information about their own doctors and services, so that people will choose to become patients at the facility. In a similar way, you also want to develop a relationship with audience members who will turn to you for expertise.
Use keywords when promoting your content. This will ensure that Internet search engines direct inquiries to your website or page and boost your page views.
Finally, make sure to present your value-driven content in a fun and entertaining way – not as a sales pitch that turns off potential customers.
To learn more about how Content Marketing can help your elder care business grow and thrive, please contact Focus on Aging.
Marla Levie, BSW, MA, is the President and Founder of Focus on Aging, an established Chicago-based marketing, consulting and recruitment firm. For over 20 years, Marla has successfully been providing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service professions. For more information about Focus on Aging, contact Marla at info@focusonaging or at www.focusonaging.com.