Recently, in reviewing different senior living communities and how they use the World Wide Web, I came across Erickson Senior Living, again. Now, I have watched Erickson online for quite some time and even with the new direction the Web is heading, I feel Erickson still does a nice job in communicating to its audience.

Some great examples of how Erickson uses the Web strongly:

Landing Pages in Search

75% of Americans use search engines on a regular basis when online. Based on what search engine and what criteria you are searching for, when you find Erickson Senior Living within these search engines you are not taken right to their corporate website. Instead they direct you to a landing page that is specific to your search. Their main objective on the landing page is to get your contact information so they can communicate with you in the future.

The other nice thing that Erickson does with these landing pages is that they make them geographically specific. They are assuming since I live in Illinois that I am interested in their communities in Illinois when I come to this page. So they highlight communities that are nearest to me, making it easier to draw me in.

Utilizing Facebook and Twitter

When you get to the corporate website for Erickson Senior Living you will see that they have created a Facebook and Twitter account for users to stay connected to them. With these two offerings, they highlight social activities such as cooking videos from their chefs and anniversary celebrations of their residents.

By using these social media tools, they are interacting with their audience on a more personal level and asking for participation to keep the conversation going.

Personalizing the Home Page

So I tricked their website and instead of searching for a retirement community in Illinois, I searched for one in Michigan. Now the website retains a record of what I have searched for in the past, and when I come back to the site it highlights different activities happening at the community I last searched on. Very clever in keeping my interest piqued in regards to that community.

All in all, with the combined use of personalization and their willingness to participate in the social media realm, Erickson Senior Living is holding its own in the online space. Whether you’re an active adult retirement community, an assisted living residence, a CCRC, or a skilled nursing facility, you should be thinking about how you too can use the Web to your advantage.

Do you feel your website has great examples on how to use personalization and Web 2.0 tools? Let us know. We love to highlight great marketing ideas, on and off the web and would be happy to tell your story.

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• Senior Living Marketing News: Seniors Are Online
• Using Web 2.0 Tools in Senior Living Marketing

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