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As the pandemic moved more and more people of all ages online, seniors have become more technology-literate than ever before and have become comfortable consuming content beyond just articles and books – with video and audio becoming favorite methods of absorbing information. With almost 70% of people utilizing YouTube to inform their purchasing decisions, senior living community marketers are finding video to be an important channel to help move prospects along in the buyer journey.

When it comes to YouTube, the best place to start is by optimizing your community’s channel to ensure this important digital asset is search and user-friendly, both for individuals who have the YouTube app on their devices as well as users who arrive through search engines. YouTube is powered by Google Search, therefore channel optimization has the potential for a direct benefit to SERP (search engine optimization pages) rankings. Behind Google, YouTube is the second largest search engine, so optimizing your video presence has direct benefits to your SERP rankings.

Solutions Advisors Group (SAG) has identified the top 10 ways to optimize your channel so you can drive as much traffic as possible through videos.

1. Convert non-YouTube videos (i.e Vimeo) to YouTube, if needed, to provide one destination for all video content. It makes it easier to share these videos with prospects and their families. Since YouTube is a product of Google, conventional wisdom assumes that the more video views and subscribers an organization receives, the more likely that Google rewards the organization with better visibility within their search engine.
2. Standardize video thumbnail visuals with community logo for professionalism and consistency. This small graphic design touch can really enhance brand perception and awareness.
3. Include CTA (calls-to-action) links to drive traffic to community website for conversion opportunity. Afterall, viewers are excited after seeing your great video content – encourage a connection!
4. Add tags with descriptive keywords to videos to help viewers find content. We know you may prefer to stay away from the words ‘senior’ or ‘retiree’ but on YouTube, if those keywords apply to your community, add them! “Video content can quickly and easily answer people’s inquiries and help solve for their problems. ‘YouTube It’ has become a common phrase to say to someone who needs help to move forward with a situation,” explained Jeff Felton, SAG’s VP of Digital Services. “Before video distribution through digital channels, we had to absorb information from just copy, however through video, we can use more of our visual and auditory senses to engage, feel a connection and trust what the presenter or organization is communicating.”
5. Pin an overview video to top of YouTube channel homepage to establish brand essence of community at outset of visit. It could be a unique video or compilation of your best.
6. Put a keyword in your YouTube channel name. If you don’t already have ‘senior’ in your channel name, for example, you might consider adding it for an SEO boost! It doesn’t mean your community’s name needs to change.
7. Complete your About Us page. This should only take a few minutes but will pay dividends in search traffic.
8. Update titles to be descriptive and include keywords.
9. Attach social icons with links to the homepage. This is another quick edit that will help prospects find your community easier.
10. Create playlists on homepage for topical segmentation. Playlists show a series of videos in a certain sequence. This could be by levels of care – Independent Living / Assisted Living – or community lifestyle – Events / Testimonials / Team.

It may sound like a lot of extra work, but increased organization and branding of your YouTube channel can pay dividends, with increased traffic to your website and hopefully with your sales team as the payoff. If you would like to optimize your senior living community’s YouTube channel, but don’t have the time or resources, Solutions Advisors can help. Contact us to learn more about the social media and SEO services we provide.

SIDEBAR? Wondering what types of videos to include on your senior living community’s YouTube channel. Felton suggests taking an educational approach. “Educate your audience about your offerings, lifestyle, culture and team,” he said. “You can also use YouTube to provide helpful information to your prospects’ families (and others) who may be in a crisis mode about next steps, or general information on senior living.” Topics could include:

• My mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. What should I do now?
• How senior living communities reduce the effect of loneliness
• When is it the right time to take the keys away from your parents?
• What are the different types of senior living options?
• What are my options for rehabilitation after hip replacement surgery?