“Adam, what’s the point in our care homes being featured in the local newspapers and the local media – no one reads newspapers anymore and it’s like a diminishing value to us.”
That’s what the MD of a care provider said to me.
She’s a point – because less people read newspapers now than they did 15 years ago.
It’s as likely to be online that people within catchment areas of care homes source their news.
However if you want to use PR as part of your overall care home marketing strategy here’s what you must bear in mind.
1) The local press is still read by tens of thousands of people within your care homes catchment areas.
Moreover, the regional press is significantly more trusted compared to the national media – and this is something your care homes or care provider can use in your favour.
2) Together with local BBC radio, and BBC and ITV television your total reachable audience can be >250,000.
So prospective “eyeballs” within local communities surrounding your care homes are still huge.
3) Any care home can place an advert! But not any care home can get journalists to write or broadcast independently about them.
4) The regional media has ‘high online domain authority”. This is important when you consider that families are increasingly discerning when they search for care homes.
Families are likely to search under “Google News” to find out what the press have been writing about your care homes.
And to get positive media coverage is pretty much the only way to get rankings on “Google News”.
5) Celebrating Your Care Home Good News Stories – And Your Quality Of Care
It is the press that should be the go-to outlet for those wonderful good news stories coming from your care homes, and so part of your strategy to reach and impress prospective families.
Indeed care providers tell us that families making enquiries do comment how they’ve seen their care homes in the press.
By the way, you should be securing positive press coverage at least once every two or three months for any one of your care homes.
5) What Care Providers Themselves Say:
* Video: “Phenomenal PR: Care Home Owners Nimesh And Pritesh Patel Reveal Impact Dedicated PR Has Had On Enquiries And Occupancy At Their Homes
* Video: The PR is having a huge impact” – Joanne Balmer, CEO of Oakland Care Homes