How Is Your Web Presence For Your Company?

In talking with thousands of companies across the country, we are finding that a large percentage of them do not have much in the way of a web presence. Some of them have a basic webpage, but even more alarming, many don't have a website at all. We know budgets are tight, and many things like websites can be put off, but there are now countless inexpensive options to get your business online in an attractive, professional manner.


One of the most common misconceptions we hear is that their clientele isn't using the internet to find a Hospice or Home Health Agency, Skilled Nursing Facility, or Assisted Living Center. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are your RESIDENTS using the internet more and more, but their children are using it--and it is more often the family members who choose the facility/agency for the resident.


A few months ago, AARP published an interesting study on the increase in Internet usage among those that are 50 years or older.
For the entire article, click here.


What can we learn from this article? Put resources into a strong online presence--not only for residents, but for their children, their siblings, their friends to see your facility, and get to know you before they inquire. Be proactive, so that all of the positive things about your company can be publicized and available.


Perhaps one of the best examples of an excellent online presence, is from one of our clients, Kindred Healthcare. Their site, www.continuethecare.com


One of the first things you'll notice, is the visuably appealing circles, which point to each type of care Kindred provides: Long-Term Acute Care, Inpatient REhab, Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Outpatient Rehab, Home Health Care, and Hospice. Clicking on each circle gives you a description, pictures, and in 2 cases (Long-Term Acute Care and Skilled Nursing) gives you a short video.


Down at the bottom of their website, you'll see 4 tabs, "Subscribe to our Newsletter, Find a Facility, Refer a Patient, and Join the Team. I'm surprised at  how few companies provide a place for referrals to be submitted.


Finally, you'll notice at the bottom of the page "Follow the Care" with a Facebook and Twitter logo. Their Facebook profile is rich with contact information, news, pictures, videos, shared articles, and job postings. This is one of the best Facebook pages we've seen in this industry, but it is very important to know that they didn't build this profile overnight--but through consistent contributions over a long period of time. So don't be intimidated--just commit today to starting and continuing to build your own.


Action items:

1. 1. COMMIT TODAY to building and improving your online presence. 
2. 2. Start a facebook page for your facility or agency. Upload photos, news, anything you possibly can.
3. 3. Join twitter, and try to follow as many Senior Care and Long Term Care Professionals as you can.
4. 4. If you don't have a website, you can purchase a webdomain from resources like www.godaddy.com for as low as 15 dollars per year. They have great resources for tech support if you have any questions.
5. 5. Hire a professional to build your website. Make sure there are easy ways to submit referrals, contact you, and easy ways to find your facebook pages.
6. 6. If you don't have the resources to have a custom website built, you can go to resources like tumblr.com, wordpress.com, or blogger.com to put together a blog that can function as your website. You can add pictures to your blog, a list of links, contact info, etc. You can have your new domain name "point to" or "mask" your blog address--so that even though your blog address might be www.yourSNF.tumblr.com, you can have it "masked" by your new domain name, so all your customer would see is "www.yourSNF.com"

The point with your web presence is to build it up on a consistent basis. Write a blog entry every week to add fresh new content. Add to your Facebook as often as possible. We know you are busy, but even half an hour per week goes a long way to being fresh and current.


Craig Christiansen
Pinnacle Quality Insight
801-716-4161