There’s an old adage that states, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.”
The same can be said for prospects visiting your skilled nursing website. You can leverage the best lead capture tools in the senior living industry (shameless plug for Waypoint Converts), but you won’t hit your conversion goals if you’re not using the correct content.
It’s as simple as that.
Now, I know that the word “content” can seem overwhelming since it is a broad-stroke term, but don’t worry; I’m writing this blog to give you a guide to the specific pieces of content that will help you boost conversions on your skilled nursing website.
Before I dive into the content that converts, I want to provide more context on your website’s value and the consumer’s state when searching for skilled nursing solutions.
Skilled Nursing Websites: Your Digital Front Door
I have over 17 years of experience in the senior living industry and have seen the customer journey evolve over the past two decades. Gone are the days when you could set your lead generation strategy on cruise control and still drive business without making any significant changes.
The game has changed, and you must adapt.
In the past, companies would send representatives to hospitals to prospect for patients who needed skilled nursing care. But COVID changed the rules.
Now, hospitals must provide patients with at least three skilled nursing providers, but they can not give preference to a specific recommendation. This puts the burden of research on the patient or in most cases, their family or caregivers.
And where are they going to learn more about your company?
If you said “website,” you are correct.
This means that your website must be polished, easy to read, fully functional, and deliver a memorable user experience.
You might think, “This all sounds great, but how do I actually create a website that will wow my prospects?”
No worries, I am here to help!
Check out my blog, “How to Turn Your Skilled Nursing Website into an Admissions Machine!”
Understanding the Prospect’s State of Mind When Searching for Skilled Nursing Facilities
This can be a very stressful time for the patient and the family. Not only is there concern about the patient’s health, but now they must find a Skilled Nursing facility in a short period of time. For many families, this is their first experience searching for skilled nursing. Couple that with a very short timeline to make a decision, and you have a situation featuring increased anxiety.
I understand what prospects are going through because I have walked in their shoes.
My Senior Living Story
My first experience with senior care services started with my grandmother, Betty. I had no prior experience or knowledge of senior care support options when Betty transitioned to an Assisted Living community. This turned out to be the wrong situation for my grandmother because while she did need some assistance with her daily activities, she was still sharp as a tack and very social but unhappy.
Betty moved into Independent Living, and this was the right decision. She immediately assimilated into the community and stayed there until her death.
During this experience, I learned a lot about senior living and ultimately joined a startup in Boston that uses technology to improve the quality of life for older adults.
I have not left the industry since.
Now, my mission is to share my knowledge and help senior living companies deliver a best-in-class website user experience that drives conversions.
Don’t Forget About Your Keywords For Your Skilled Nursing Website!
Content that converts is driven by keywords, especially at the bottom of the funnel. A report by Search Engine Journal found a HUGE difference in conversion rate between bottom and top of the funnel keywords.
We’re not talking about 5% of 10%; try more like 25% on average!
If you’re not sure where to find keywords for your content, take a look at some of these helpful resources:
- Google Keyword Planner
- Free and reliable keyword insights directly from Google
- SEMRush
- All-in-one marketing tool with strong SEO capabilities
- Ahrefs
- Comprehensive keyword research and competitive analysis
- Ubersuggest
- Budget-friendly and easy-to-use keyword research
- Moz Keyword Explorer
- A beginner-friendly tool with SEO insights
- AnswerThePublic
- Finding long-tail keywords and question-based queries
- KeywordTool.io
- Long-tail keyword research across multiple platforms
- SpyFu
- Competitor keyword analysis and PPC insights
- Soolve
- Quick keyword research across multiple platforms
8 Types of Content that Convert for Skilled Nursing Websites
Now that we know the importance of your digital front door, understand the prospect’s state of mind, and have our keywords, let’s explore the specific forms of content that convert for skilled nursing websites.
1. Testimonials
I firmly believe testimonials can be your most vital piece of content because they come directly from the consumer. While messaging crafted by professional marketers is effective, it will never have the same impact as a customer testimonial.
Please take note here because the impact of customer testimonials cannot be understated.
According to Wyzowl, 95% of people say that positive or negative reviews influence their purchasing decisions.
If that doesn’t speak to the power of testimonials, I don’t know what does!
We have testimonials built into our Waypoint ProForms at the end so that prospects can continue exploring the value your centers offer. When a prospect finishes the survey and converts, the ProForm shows the operators’ testimonials and links to additional content.
Here is an example of a customer testimonial from LCB Senior Living that is on our site:
“You engage my website visitors and solve my problem of consumers leaving my website, and you give insights to my salespeople, taking the mystery out of the first call.
2. Educational Content About Your Services
As the CEO and Founder of Waypoint Converts, I consider this more than just a business—it’s a real passion. I LOVE helping people and creating digital tools to enhance the customer journey and drive conversions. But I also recognize that sometimes being too tunnel-focused on my product is actually a bad thing!
I prioritize setting aside time periodically to step back and try to view my product from the prospect’s point of view. I also enlist the help of my vendors or closest advisors to assess the product and look for gaps objectively.
My point is that if you don’t fully understand your product from the perspective of a prospect, you will never be able to create valuable educational content.
So, the first step in creating educational content is to step back and make sure you have a solid understanding of your services. Put yourself in the shoes of the prospect, ask what you would want to know about your services, and then build content that answers those questions.
Examples of educational content include:
- Blogs
- Whitepapers
- Ebooks
- Including the additional content listed below
Examples of topics:
- “How to Choose the Right Skilled Nursing Facility: A Step-by-Step Guide”
- “What to Expect in a Skilled Nursing Facility”
- “Understanding the Differences Between Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living”
- “Signs it Might Be Time to Consider Skilled Nursing Care”
And don’t forget to use your keywords!
3. Downloadable Brochures
The downloadable brochure is invaluable content in your marketing toolbox and a must-have!
If you don’t have a downloadable brochure, I HIGHLY recommend creating one. According to a Harvard Business Review study, catalogs’ response rates have increased by 170% from 2004 to 2018.
Downloadable brochures are a great asset for gate and capturing prospect data, such as basic content information. They are also an amazing opportunity to wow your prospects with a captivating design and engaging copy.
Here are some elements that make for a great downloadable brochure:
- Eye-catching visuals
- Cohesive overall design
- Compelling copy
- Clear value proposition
- Overview of your Skilled Nursing Facility
- Short testimonial
- Clear Call to Action
- Contact information
- QR code that links to a landing page built explicitly for bottom-of-the-funnel prospects
4. Checklists
I would be lost without checklists. Whether it’s a simple checklist for my grocery shopping or a running list of tasks to accomplish, checklists help keep me organized and on-task.
Let’s go back to earlier in this blog when I talked about the prospect’s state of mind when looking for Skilled Nursing Facilities and how they are experiencing anxiety and venturing into a subject that they probably have little to no prior knowledge about.
Knowing that makes checklists a simple yet powerful asset for your prospects.
As mentioned above, you will want to step back and put yourself in the prospect’s shoes as they walk through the process or service you are building a checklist for. Don’t be afraid to ask for outside assistance with this; a fresh perspective will likely identify gaps that you can’t see.
Checklists don’t need to be overproduced. Keep them clean, clear, and concise.
Here are some examples of checklists you can build for your Skilled Nursing website:
- Questions to ask when choosing the right Skilled Nursing Facility
- What to bring to the facility
- What paperwork or documentation do I need
- What are the steps to secure a spot in a Skilled Nursing Facility
5. Webinars
I like to think of live webinars as a buy one get one free package deal!
You get the initial batch of viewers during the live webinar, and then you can use the recorded version to attract additional viewers.
According to a study by Contrast, 63% of webinar viewers are on-demand. This speaks to the power of the recorded version.
I recommend having a host, guest, or co-host to keep the conversation flowing. Make sure your topic is focused and offers value to the viewer. Once you have selected your topic, build a show outline that digs deeper and features supporting evidence such as statistics, visuals, and customer testimonials.
Here are some examples of webinar topics that can attract prospects searching for Skilled Nursing Facilities:
- “How to Choose the Right Skilled Nursing Facility for Your Loved One”
- “Navigating the Transition from Home Care to Skilled Nursing”
- “The Five Most Important Questions to Ask When Searching for a Skilled Nursing Facility”
- “What is Skilled Nursing?”
- “Which Skilled Nursing Solution is Right for You?”
6. Infographics
This form of content is excellent for all channels, especially social. Infographics are great “snackable” content because they are small bites of a bigger story that are easy to digest.
I recommend working with a graphic designer to create infographics that make your brand stand out. You don’t need to overproduce these. Sometimes, simple is better. Just make sure your points are clear and informative. Your graphic designer can help create a look to make your content stand out.
If you don’t have a graphic designer or are just feeling a little adventurous, check out these tools to create your infographic:
Or check out Fiverr.com to hire a professional graphic designer on a per job basis. They are often talented and can turn it around in a couple of days.
7. Free Consultation
There are so many great tools and resources available for creating content, but sometimes, the best form of content is human-to-human conversation.
Most people find the process of searching for skilled nursing care overwhelming. They are already dealing with their loved one’s health concerns, and now they also have to find a skilled nursing facility. That is a lot to deal with.
You can help people manage this situation by offering a free one-on-one consultation. This will allow you to get to know the prospect deeper and understand their situation, needs, and concerns. This private conversation lets you explain how your skilled nursing facility can provide the care the prospect seeks. The consultation also takes a bit of weight off the prospects’ shoulders since they can get direct answers from you or your team.
Additionally, you are creating a connection with the prospect and earning their trust.
8. FAQs
Some people want personal service, and others prefer self-service. You must make sure you are serving both needs.
Creating an FAQ page is a great way to provide clear answers to people’s most common questions about Skilled Nursing in general and specific questions about your facility.
I recommend working with your content and SEO team to incorporate relevant keywords as you build out your FAQ section.