When you are marketing your senior living community, who are you most trying to reach: the prospective residents or their relatives? It turns out that both will be doing some online research about your facility in many cases.

More than 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 each day, and this is going to continue until the early 2030s. Millennials are often looking for housing options for their aging parents, and many boomers are doing upfront research to find the best senior living community for the days of their retirement.

The decision-makers might be older, but they are certainly more digitally savvy than ever.

• 46% of seniors ages 65+ own a smartphone
• Half of seniors ages 65+ have home broadband
• 66% of seniors ages 65+ use the internet

The potential to reach this group has never been higher. Many will use local search to locate senior living communities. Whether they’re looking for a facility for mom, dad, another relative or themselves, the strength of your online presence will help them find your community and make the right choice.

Get Found in Local Search

When a person performs a local or “near me” search on Google, the results are limited by default. Your business will gain higher rankings and get more responses if your online business listings are complete and accurate. This also makes it easier for seniors and their families to learn more about your business, its location and other’s experiences so that they can make the most informed choice.

Stand Out with Excellent Reviews

Now more than ever, people are relying on online reviews to make decisions, from the purchase of a car to the selection of a senior living community. Even when a person is given a word-of-mouth referral to a business, the “new normal” is to take the next step and validate that recommendation with an online search.

The choice of where to place a loved one or who to trust for ongoing care is not only a big one but one that can also be filled with fear and emotion. It’s no wonder that a great deal of time and care goes into making the decision.

If you own or manage one of these facilities, a smart way to help seniors find your community is by having a high volume of recent, positive reviews across different websites. (Download our free Online Reviews and Ratings 101 guide for more information.) These might include Google, Facebook, Yelp and industry-specific sites such as Care.com.

Instead of leaving your reviews up to fate, you can take a systematic approach to online review management. With everything you are already doing, this might seem like a tall order. But investing the time and resources in managing your facility’s online reputation will pay dividends in higher referral and conversion rates.

Boost Your Social Media Visibility

More and more seniors are active on social media. Sixty-nine percent of seniors ages 65 and up use a social networking site daily and more than half (54%) watch videos online. If you are going to effectively reach this group, you’ll need to pay particular attention to what is happening on social sites such as Facebook.

One of the first questions you should ask yourself is how you plan to manage these social media platforms that have the potential to make or break your facility’s brand. Taking a cookie-cutter approach to social media management is not only time-consuming but also inefficient and frustrating.

If you hope to reach seniors and their families while also having time in your day for some other tasks, it makes sense to use some comprehensive social tools that will simplify this process. You’ll be able to manage and keep an eye on social media publishing, ad campaigns and activity — even across thousands of locations — from one central dashboard.

Today’s seniors and their loved ones have choices, and they also know how to exercise their purchasing power using a variety of digital tools. As a senior living community, you can help these potential clients find your business and make the best choice by effectively and proactively managing your online reputation.