Social Media Best Practices for Senior Living and LTC

Senior Living, LTC, And Social Media: What To Expect In 2010 [Part 2]

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In Part 1 of this series, we reviewed some of the important lessons we learned in 2009 from the world of social media as they apply to the senior living and long-term care industries. In this segment, we will look at lessons learned from interviews I did with real people within senior living and LTC companies who are actually using social media applications to drive business and improve the customer/prospect experience; and we look ahead to 2010 - the year that companies will "go social." To read all of the interviews in the Social Media Success Series, click here.

2009: What We Learned From The People Doing It

• The vast majority of senior living and LTC companies are not currently using social media. However, we are seeing a lot of evidence that this will change in 2010. Everyday, new blogs, Twitter accounts, Facebook Pages, and online communities are being launched by companies across the country in every segment of our industry. 
• Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn seem to be the tools of choice right now in the industry. Blogs and branded online community sites are close behind.
  
• Most companies are attempting to dip their toes in the social media ocean by using internal resources. A few have hired professionals to launch their social media campaigns, or to take existing campaigns to the next level.
  
• Senior living and LTC companies are very interested in using social media tools to listen to what customers and prospects are saying, as well as to join in on the conversations.
  
• Social tools are helping companies build relationships with customers, prospects, partners and referrals sources. 
• Several companies are using social media tools for recruiting and employer branding purposes.
  
• It often takes a team of people within each organization to manage the social media work load.
  
• Keeping up with advances in social technology is one of the biggest challenges companies face.
  
• Many senior living and LTC companies are hesitant to get into social media because they fear the things people may say about them online. They also worry about privacy and HIPAA issues. 
• None of the companies we interviewed had formal social media policies or procedures in place.
  
• Companies are using social media to position themselves as online resources where customers and prospects can obtain helpful information about the challenges they are facing.
  
• Content creation and community management are two major challenges for companies in our industry.
  
• None of the companies we interviewed are particularly focused on ROI. They tend to be more interested in building relationships and brand awareness at this point and looking at social media as a long-term investment. 
• Several companies are going all out and allowing residents, family members, and staff to post to their sites. 

What To Expect In 2010

Based on trends in our industry and others, we can expect 2010 to be the year that senior living, homecare, LTC, and other eldercare providers begin adopting social media on a large scale. ALFA is dedicating resources to it, AARP has a major social media presence - including an online community, heck, even the Pope is getting in on the action! 

The bottom line is that websites alone are no longer enough. The new social Web demands that companies use social tools to listen, communicate, engage, dialog, publish, support, respond, and, most importantly, build trusting relationships with customers. Here's a bonus SlideShare presentation from my favorite new media analyst, Jeremiah Owyang. Enjoy.

To learn more about using social media and online community for business, contact us. You can also join our free online marketing community specifically for senior living, home health, LTC, and hospice providers. 

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