You have valuable insight into the nuances of how to market your senior living community. And when you’re creating content for the purposes of senior living SEO, you’re not just providing important information. You’re also signaling to search engines that your content is relevant to specific queries.
Being intentional about how you use keywords helps Google understand which search results should return your senior living community as the answer. But how do you create an SEO strategy that convinces Google your website is relevant to the searcher? By starting with research.
The first step in senior living SEO research is determining what keywords your audience is searching for and writing content that uses those keywords. But simply repeating keywords in your content quickly becomes monotonous. So is it possible to change things up by using synonyms? Today we’ll explore the best practices for using synonyms in your SEO content.
Vary Your Senior Living SEO Content
No one wants to read an article that constantly repeats the same keyword. Not only does repetition make reading your article difficult for actual humans, but search engines learned to spot this “keyword stuffing” tactic years ago. Keyword stuffing has been a big no-no since Google’s first algorithm update, known as the Florida Update, in 2003.1 Using synonyms and related keywords can make your article more readable while still communicating your message and optimizing your content for Google. So creating meaningful content for senior living SEO might mean writing an article about your health and wellness initiatives or sharing a review of a recent event in your community. It can also be explaining the levels of care and services offered in your continuing care retirement community.
Of course, you’ll certainly want to include that phrase as a keyword. But you can also reference your life plan community, continuum of care, and specific living options your community provides. These related keywords all speak to the same concept without boring your reader or getting flagged by the search engine.
Will Search Engines Recognize Synonyms?
Now, we’re not saying you should only use synonyms. After all, you still want to achieve sufficient keyword density with the specific keywords chosen from your research. In our experience, using the keyword once every 200 words or so is a great balance of inclusion without overstuffing.
So you have your original keyword to rely on, but Google and other search engines also recognize synonyms. To try this yourself, type “senior living” into your search engine. Now, are you only seeing results for “senior living?” No!
Notice how Google is also highlighting results for independent living, assisted living, senior housing, and retirement communities. This shows you how search engine coders have developed an advanced system of keyword recognition that connects synonyms and related concepts. These expanded search results broaden your potential audience.
How Do I Come Up With Synonyms?
If you use software for your SEO keyword research, the program may already have a feature to identify synonyms and related keywords. Check out your plan or contact your SEO consultants to see if this is a service they already provide, which you can tap into in a deeper way.
And if you like doing things yourself, feel free to break out the old thesaurus! We’re joking a little bit, but you really should brainstorm literal synonyms as well as related concepts. Synonyms will only help your senior living SEO while making your writing more engaging!2
Take our earlier example, when you typed “senior living” into Google. A senior living marketer is well aware that independent living and assisted living are not actually synonyms. Rather, they are distinct approaches to community living for seniors with specific needs.
But Google sees them as related concepts, and the average person searching for “senior living” for the first time may not know the difference yet, or know what type of care they need. By thinking expansively about your concepts, and putting yourself in the shoes of a beginner searching for care for the first time, you can come up with a web of ideas to draw potential audiences into your content.
Want to learn more about marketing your senior living community more effectively? Dreamscape Marketing can help. Contact us today at 888.307.7304 to discuss which of our advanced marketing strategies is right for you.
For a list of references, please contact us.