Digital marketing isn’t just a trend these days; it’s THE way to get your business out in front of your audience. It’s also the way that people find the goods and services they want or need. But there are plenty of trends within digital marketing that tend to ebb and flow as technology and consumer habits evolve.
This year, we think the following are a few home care marketing trends you should be paying attention to:
Content Marketing
Content marketing has been important for a while now, but it’s increasingly important this year in the home care industry. Why? In the past few years as agency owners and operators have come to realize that online marketing is the way of not just the future, but the present as well, more home care agencies have carved out their space on the web. This means that more agencies are using content marketing than ever before. So in order to stand out, your agency has to have content that targets your core audience, is impeccably written, and offers something of value to your potential clients and referrals. Whether it’s a blog that educates clients about better ways to communicate with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s, or downloadable tip sheets and checklists that referral sources can offer their clients, it’s time to step up your content marketing game and make your agency a true resource in the community.
Marketing Automation
This is a trend that is huge among retailers but has been slow to be adopted by the home care industry. Marketing automation allows your company to automate emails and other marketing actions via software. For example, if a person clicks a link in your e-newsletter about Alzheimer’s disease, your automation software can tag that link with an action that then automatically sends the person who clicked a tip sheet on Alzheimer’s care, and can then funnel that person into a cycle where she periodically receives more Alzheimer’s content that you have created. These cycles provide potential clients with the information they are interested in and helps keep your agency top of mind. You can also use heatmaps and analytics to help you see where people are clicking, which pages they are navigating to most, etc., allowing you to make you website better and improve the buyer’s journey.
Social Media
Facebook and most other popular social media networks are becoming pay-to-play platforms, which means you will have to pay for ads in order to get your content seen by more people, including those who have already liked your page. Pinterest is a platform that is not yet pay-to-play, but does offer advertising options, and is really growing in popularity, particularly in the home care industry. If you haven’t yet set up a Pinterest account for your agency, we recommend it.
Video
This one is a no brainer. Video is the way that we consume content now, so the more video content you have, the better. This doesn’t mean you have to spend all your time and money on professional camera equipment, lighting, etc. While the more professional your video looks the more professional your agency looks, obviously, simple talking head tips, interviews with caregivers, etc. are great ways to keep people engaged and can often be done with your smartphone.
SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) remains a big deal. The difference in 2017 is that there is even less importance being placed on pay-per-click (PPC) ads than in the past. That’s because more people are using ad blocking technology which effectively renders your PPC ads invisible. Focus on SEO vs. PPC in 2017.
Mobile Marketing
I think it’s safe to say that it’s official: we’re a mobile society. More people are using mobile devices, which means your website needs to have better mobile experience, including a responsive web design which shrinks or expands your site based on what device it’s being viewed on.
So there you have it. I know keeping up with the ever-changing marketing trends can seem overwhelming, but the great news is that the home care marketing experts at corecubed can help you with all of the above and more to make sure you’re on trend and seeing the results you want. Contact us today to find out more.