The proportion of the U.S. population over age 65 will rise from about 15% to more than 20% of the population by the year 2050.

In 2017, there were nearly 81,000 living units in not-for-profit senior living organizations in the U.S., and this number should grow steadily as the number of seniors increases. With a growing proportion of the population entering its senior years, more seniors and their younger relatives are planning for housing suitable to older individuals’ needs.

Boosting your online reviews is a crucial tactic for drawing attention to your senior living facility, helping people remember your facility and encouraging them to return to your website as they narrow down their choices. Here are the most effective ways to boost online reviews for your senior living facility.

Ensure Your Business Listings Are Accurate

Accurate, complete Google Business listings are essential for helping people find you online. Moreover, Google prioritizes accurate, current business listings in their search results, so your local SEO will improve. Perhaps most important, however, is that inaccurate business listings frustrate people doing online research, and could inadvertently detract from your efforts to raise your online brand profile. One of the best first steps you can take toward great online review management is to check your business listings and ensure they are complete, accurate and up to date.

Ask for Feedback and Stream Fresh Reviews to Your Site

Asking for reviews is standard business practice in many industries, and gathering feedback in other ways can be tremendously helpful, too. Surveys are a popular method of gathering data on consumer sentiment, and along with the online reviews you solicit, they can help you gain the insights necessary to further improve customer experience.

Streaming new customer reviews right to your website is an excellent way to build trust in your facility, and doing this is easier than you may think. The Reputation Review Widget is easy to use, customize and manage, and it steadily streams fresh reviews right to your website. Reviews appear in a self-contained box, so visitors won’t miss them.

Use Social Media Strategically

Developing a strong social media strategy doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require commitment and understanding of how people use the various social media channels. A strong social media strategy helps you monitor the pulse of consumer sentiment, while offering you a prime opportunity to engage with customers and potential customers.

Online reviews can be re-shared on social media, putting them in front of potentially large numbers of people who may not have encountered those reviews otherwise. Research and best practices will help you determine things like how often to post to social media, what type of content is best for engaging your followers and even what days of the week and times of the day to post.

Online research is a standard consumer practice today, even for products and services that are far less significant than the choice of a senior living facility. Senior living facilities that embrace online reviews and learn how to solicit and showcase them have an appreciable advantage when it comes to consumer sentiment, demonstration of transparency and building all-important trust with consumers. Learn how to increase and manage online reviews and more by downloading our free guide to Top Trends for Online Reputation Management.